In India, Christian protest demands equal rights for dalits

New Delhi (ENInews)—Amid heavy rain, more than 5,000 Christians and church leaders marched in New Delhi on 1 August and staged a five-hour sit-in near the Parliament building, demanding an end to the decades-old discrimination against Christian dalits. The protest was organized by the National Council of Dalit Christians, supported by the Catholic church and the National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) that groups 30 Orthodox and Protestant churches. “The government is crucifying us,” said dalit Roman Catholic archbishop Malayappan Chinnappa, who flew in from Chennai, addressing the sit-in attended by over a dozen bishops, members of the Indian parliament and prominent church leaders. [316 words, ENI-12-0448]