Fr Pallithanam, what exactly do you do?
I am in charge of "People's Action for Rural Awakening" (PARA), an NGO committed to the defence of the Dalits (the "untouchables"), and of the poor. We have taken care of dozens and dozens of cases of violence against Dalits - most of the Christians are Dalits. We see to it that they receive an adequate wage, that their lands are protected and that they develop their communities ...
To cultivate an approach based on human rights with the younger ones, we have founded nearly 1000 Human Rights Clubs and have started initiatives in over 5,000 schools in Andra Pradesh and the neighbouring state of Telengana. There are more than 6,000 teachers and 43,000 young people involved. We also take care of a home for street children and one for abused women.
In addition to leading PARA, you are coordinator of "Wada Na Todo Abhiyan' (WNTA). What is it?
WNTA is a great federation of NGOs, most of which are non-Christian. They monitor how effectively the government respects its commitments. The name means: "Do not Break Your Promise." Our activity is also preventive: before the election we drew up a manifesto with instances of policy for civil society (that we collect through consultations among the entire population) and then we submit it to the attention of parties, so that they will know and implement them.
How important today are advocacy, lobbying, and collaboration with supranational bodies ...?
Very important, and not only for those who work at the nerve centre. All Salesians should try to cooperate and to network with other realities. If we want to give only temporary and limited solutions, okay, we can manage on our own; but if we want to solve the root problems we must cooperate with everyone! The different approaches are not an obstacle: personally, it is my faith and my charism that lead me to work for young people at risk; but I can work for their benefit even with an atheist.
