The Laity Commission of the Syro-Malabar Church has complained that welfare programmes meant for minorities in the 12th Five Year Plan were appropriated for Muslims alone.
In an article in the October issue of Laity Voice, the official newsletter of the Commission, its secretary V.C. Sebastian pointed out that all other minorities including Christians were omitted from the welfare schemes included in the recommendations for the 12th Plan.
The recommendations, which included programmes for women, youth and girl children, were finalized by the Planning Commission recently.
“If this is the case, why should one call it programmes for minorities. We should call it programmes for that particular community,” he said.
When contacted by DC, Mr Sebastian said this was not a complaint against a community. According to him, Christians constituted 2.8 per cent of the population and they have a right to get an equivalent share in the welfare programmes.