Dr. John Dayal Member: National Integration Council Government of India National President: All India Catholic Union (Founded 1919) Secretary General: All India Christian Council President: United Christian Action 505 Link, 18 IP Extn. Delhi 110092 India Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Phone: 91-11-22722262 Mobile 09811021072
Christians welcome Govt promise of White paper on minorities Budget must have funds for Christian economic empowerment The Christian community has welcomed the Union Government's promise to publish a White Paper on the status of minority communities and a comprehensive law to deal with communal violence. But the community also expects the government to have provisions in the budget for the economic empowerment of minorities, specially the Christian community, which is among the poorest of the poor. In a joint statement on behalf of the largest Laity organisation the All India Catholic Union, the inter denominational All India Christian Council, the Satyashodkah Samaj and the Delhi-based United Christian Action, Dr John Dayal has drawn the attention of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram to the budget silence on these issues. Dr Dayal said it was good that the budget had a large component for women and children, and a small portion of it would also benefit Christian women. But while the Budget had provisions for the advancement of Muslim youth, there was none for Christian youth. The reports of the 2001 Census and our own surveys have shown the pathetic condition of the Christian community in rural areas of several States, and particularly of Tribal and Dalit youth professing the Christian faith. The Rs 500 crore corpus of the national Minorities development fund has not devolved at all on our community. Our youth, specially Christians of Dalit origin, urgently need institutions, scholarships and support in training in entrepreneurship, self-employment and artisanship. There is also growing need for hostel to bring education to many areas. All these require infusion of state funds, apart from efforts by the community itself. Dr Dayal called upon the Union government to make provisions for these segments in the current budget. Dr Dayal quoted President Kalam's Address to parliament in which Dr Kalam had said it was not enough for "India to shine if it did not shine for all."
