Bangalore: Participants at a seminar on “Education policy of Church-related institutions” organized by the Karnataka Dalit Christians’ Samata Vedika, here on June 30 said that educational institutions run by Churches had not provided adequate opportunities for Dalits. Dalit poet Dr. Siddalingiah, Prof. Babu Mathew. Rev. Manohar Chandra Prasad, Fr. Stan Lourduswamy spoke. Fr. Stan Lourduswamy said that out of 65,000 Christian children attending schools and colleges in Bangalore diocese only 17,700 had been admitted in education institutions run by the Catholic church. There was near unanimity that the church starting institutions in urban areas was with a *- profit motive. Of the 43 high schools run by the Catholic church in Bangalore Diocese comprising Bangalore, Kolar, Chitra Durga and Chickballapur only seven were located outside Bangalore. Rev. Manohar Chandra Prasad, who spoke on educational institutions run by the Protestant Church said there was not much difference between institutions run by Catholic and Protestant Church. “Most of these institutions have become centers of politics and corruption”, he said. Japhet Shantappa, State convener, Karnataka Dalit Christians’ Samata Vedika, said though Dalits had embraced Christianity, there was not much improvement in their social status. Caste system prevailed even among Christians. (Indian Express, July.) Read: “Churches’ three crimes against Christ,” DV June 16 p7
