【慈幼通訊社 ─ 2010 年 3 月 8 日印度欽奈訊】 ─ 三月五日星期二，慈幼會士馬德拉斯 ─ 米拉波亞總教區 Malayappan Chinnappa 總主教，於鄰近欽奈的 Guindy 附近一帶，因參與一場捍衛基督徒「賤民」權益的示威活動而被捕。與他一同被捕的，包括馬杜賴總教區Peter Fernando總主教，Chinglepet 教區 Anthonisamy Neethinathan 主教，以及為數不少的司鐸、修女及平信徒。

這「五十萬人遊行」結束時，印度警方在泰米爾納德邦首府欽奈市外扣留他們四小時。這遊行於國內南部城市坎尼亞庫馬里展開，為期一個月。

印度天主教主教團印度種姓制度委員會執行秘書 G Cosmon Arokiaraj 神父，向「亞洲新聞」通訊社表示，星期五早上，當 Neethinathan 主教率領的信眾團體，加入數以千計的基督徒市民示威隊伍時，拘捕行動隨即展開。Fernando總主教及慈幼會士 Chinnappa 總主教得悉事件後，嘗試前去與官員對話，但他們亦一同被捕。

示威活動旨在令印度人民及政府官員，關注邊緣化境況，而基督徒「賤民」為其中的受害者。「賤民」一詞，亦可稱為「達里德」，字面上就是「被踐踏」，即是傳統印度社會中最低下的階層，他們生活在遭隔離的社區，所從事的也只限於低微的工作。

一九五零年，印度政府開展新計劃，給予「賤民」族群在教育及在職方面的特殊優惠。然而這些原本僅為印度教賤民族群而設的優惠，後來擴展至惠及錫克教及佛教賤民族群，而印度二千七百萬「被踐踏」族群中為數一千八百萬的基督徒賤民族群，卻從沒受惠。被捕的示威人士，包括主教，於扣留至當天晚上獲釋。

Arokiaraj 神父評論說：「政府對熱愛和平的基督徒團體所進行的合法民主抗爭活動，作出這樣的反應，令我們十分震驚。」

The Salesian Archbishop Malayappan Chinnappa arrested at a march for the rights of Christians

(ANS –India– Chennai, 8 March 2010 ) –On Friday 5 March the Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore Malayappan Chinnappa SDB was arrested near  Guindy, close to Chennay, for having taken part in a demonstration in defence of the rights of  Christian “Untouchables”. Arrested with him were the Archbishop of Madurai, Peter Fernando, the Bishop of Chinglepet Anthonisamy Neethinathan and a number of priests Sisters and lay  Christians.

The Indian Police held them for four hours outside Chennai, the capital of the State of Tamil Nadu, at the end of march of 500,000 which lasted a month having started from  the city of Kanyakumari, in the south of the country.

Fr G Cosmon Arokiaraj, Executive Secretary of Bishops’ Commission for issues regarding the Indian caste system told the “AsiaNews” Agency that the arrests started on Friday morning when the demonstration involving thousands of Christian citizens was joined by a group of the faithful led by Bishop. Neethinathan. Informed of what had happened, Archbishop Fernando and Archbishop Chinnappa SDB went to the place to try to speak with the authorities but they were also arrested.

The demonstration was being held to draw the attention of the Indian people and of the authorities  to the situation of marginalisation of which the Christian “untouchables” are victims. The “untouchables”, also know as the “dalit” which literally means "trampled upon", are the members of the lowest castes in traditional Indian society, who lived in segregated neighbourhoods and were confined to menial jobs.

In 1950 the Indian government established new programmes giving dalits special preference in education and public employment. But these preferences-- originally provided only for Hindu dalits, then later extended to Sikhs and Buddhists-- have never applied to the Christians who account for about 18 million of India`s 27 million dalits. The protest marchers, including the bishops, were released after being held until the evening.
"We are shocked that this is the way the government is responding to the legitimate democratic struggles of the peace-loving Christian community,” Fr Arokiaraj commented.