Memorandum submitted to His Excellency, Dr. Manmohan Singh, Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, incorporating the Charter of Demands of the Latin Catholic Community in Kerala.
1) Appointment of a Commission, in the manner of Justice Rajinder Sachar Commission, to study the socio-economic and educational status of the Christians in India, most of whom are Dalits and backward, and initiate remedial measures.
The Sachar Commission made an in-depth study of the Muslim Community in India and submitted to the Central Government recommendations to improve their socio-economic condition. This has helped a lot in initiating projects for the integral development of the Muslim Community in India. But so far no government has undertaken a study of the Christians in this manner. It is to be noted that three fourth of the Christians in India belong to the Dalit and backward sections of Indian population. Hence it is crucial that a commission, like the Sachar Commission, is appointed to study the Socio-cultural, educational and economical status of the Christians and submit recommendations for their integral development. We urge the central government to take urgent steps to appoint a Commission immediately.
2) Granting of Scheduled caste status to the Dalit Christians (Christians from Scheduled Castes) as per the relevant clause of the Constitution of India that stipulates reservation to Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes.
We reiterate our long standing demand of granting scheduled caste status to the Dalit Christians irrespective of the religious belief. We vehemently protest against Government’s inordinate delay in taking a positive decision on the recommendation of Justice Ranganada Mishra Commission to grant scheduled caste status to those who have become Christians from Scheduled Castes. We demand that the Central Government take a positive decision on this matter.
3) Declaration of a development-package for the integral growth of the coastal zone and the inland fishing areas based on the backwardness of fishermen and taking the cue from Vidarbaha, Kuttanad and High Range development packages.
4) Declaration of sea erosion as national disaster and provision of adequate funds in the Central Budget on an emergency scale to build sea walls with groins and plant Mangroves along sea-shore and establish permanent structure for rehabilitation work and give adequate compensation to those who lost their land, house and valuables in sea erosion.
Protection of Kerala sea-coast is the need of the nation. The sea wiping out houses, small pieces of land, cultivation and the fishing gears of those who depend on the sea for their livelihood is a national tragedy like any another. Therefore it is the duty of the Government to rehabilitate the victims of sea-erosion and uphold the right of fishermen over the sea-coast and put in place infrastructure to safeguard the life and livelihood of fishermen.
5) Building and commissioning of Fishing harbours and Centres of fish-marketing and fish processing to help the traditional fishermen.
Fishermen are trapped in huge debts due to enormous expense for fuel. There are very few secure fishing landing centres along the coast. Hence they will have to travel long distance to reach the fish markets. The huge expense incurred for fuel and incidentals eat into the income they earn. Moreover as there are only one or two fish markets, fall in price is inevitable. A lasting solution to all these hazards of fishermen is to scientifically build more harbours to enhance fishermen’s earnings.
6) Since the debt-relief package declared by the Central and State governments has been denied to most of the fishermen, we request that the debts of fishermen enrolled in fishermen’s Welfare Fund may be written off.
7) We request that the ban, as per the Coastal Regulation Act, on the construction of houses by the inhabitants of the coastal area, be withdrawn.
Constitution of an independent Ministry for the fisheries sector in the Central Government.
There are 10 million fishermen in the country working along the 8000 km long sea- shore and inland water areas. Fishermen are as backward as the Adivais and Dalits. The development of fishermen who earn for the nation 1.5 percent of the Gross National product and a sizable portion of the foreign exchange is neglected by the government. Recently seven ministries of the central government had to get involved in the drafting of a law concerning sea, seashore and fishing. Many of the clauses of these laws violate the basic rights of the fishermen. If there was an independent ministry for Fisheries sector it would have played the pivotal role of coordinating the efforts of those who make laws and forestalled any possible hardships for the fishermen. Hence it is imperative that the central government establish an independent Ministry for Fisheries sector.
9) We demand that Latin Community shall be given adequate representation in Constitutional bodies, Planning boards of the centre- state governments and local self-governing bodies, establishments and the governing bodies of public sector undertakings, cooperative sectors and autonomous bodies.
Political Justice is attained when a community is represented in statutory bodies that execute the decisions or policies of the Government in power. Latin community members do not figure in most of the governmental and semi-governmental bodies where the government can have direct appointment. Hence Government shall ensure that adequate representation of the Latin community in the above mentioned bodies is taken care of.
10) It is imperative on the central Government to ensure that the constitutional rights of the minorities are not in any way infringed when the ‘Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act’ is implemented. Government should take immediate steps in this direction and make necessary amendments in the Act ensuring the minority status.
† Soosa Pakiam M.,
President, Kerela Region Latin Catholic Council &
Archbishop of Trivandrum
Rev. Fr. Stephen G. Kulakayathil
(General Secretary, KRLCC)
Dr. S. Raimon
(Treasurer, KRLCC)
Adv. Raphael Antony
(President, Kerala Latin Catholic Association)
Mr. Joseph Stanley
(Chairman, Christian Service Society)
