Resolution passed seeking SC status to Dalit Christians

Hyderabad, Aug  25: 

Chief Mnister  Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy on Tuesday  proposed a resolution in the  House requesting the Centre to  amend the Constitution so as to extend the Scheduled  Caste  status  to  Dalit Christians (Christian  coverts from SC).  Following the resolution by  the Chief Minister, the  House adopted  the resolution  appealing the  Center  to extend the SC  status  to Dalit Christians in the State.

Excepting the Lok Satta and the BJP parties all other parties in the  House okayed the  resolution proposed by the Chief Minister. Speaking on the occasion, the CM said, at present  the benefits availed by the  Dalits are  not enjoyed by their fellow brothers who  took to Christianity. So the SC status  to the Dalit Christians  is very much justified, the CM added. The Government is very much bent upon extending the same facilities to  dalit Muslims, the  CM  said.

The resolution  proposed by Ysr received whole-hearted support from parties like  Telugu Desam, Praja Rajyam, Telangana Rashtra Samithi, CPI and CPI(M).
The TDP chief  Chandrababu Naidu extending the support to the resolution said  that the promise of providing SC status to Dalit Christians was  there  in their  election manifesto during the recently concluded elections. The resolution was opposed by BJP floor leader G. Kishan Reddy who said that this move is only to  gain political mileage.