Dalit Freedom Network
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Dalit Freedom Network is a Fundamentalist Christian missionary organization headed by Dr. Joseph D'souza, who heads the "All India Christian Council". Nanci Ricks, its Executive Director is located in Colorado in USA. Neither Dr. Joseph D'souza nor Nanci Ricks is Dalit, however D'souza claims that his wife was born a Dalit. Dalit Freedom Network is a partner of the All India Christian Council, a nation-wide alliance of more than 2000 Christian denominations, mission agencies, institutions, federations in India.
The Dalit Freedom Network (DFN) works with a number of individuals, foundations, and organizations outside of India to help support missionary organizations in India working among the Dalits.
On Oct. 6, 2005, DFN had hosted a conference entitled "Racism and Caste Based Discrimination in India: Implications for the US-India Relationship", with anti-Hindu speakers Udit Raj and Kancha Ilaiah featured; both of them are active collaborators of DFN.
Dalit Freedom Network played a prominent role in the Californian Hindu textbook controversy, as reported in the Wall Street Journal. [1]. The Wall Street Journal reporter was apparently not informed about the affiliation of Dalit Freedom Network with a Christian evangelical organization, it mis-identified the group as a Hindu group in order to gain currency in their actions against legitimate Hindu groups involved in the controversy.
Dalit Freedom Network raised $795,462 in 2004 and spent $372,523 on programs and services as reported by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.
Dalit Freedom Network has been criticised by many Hindus, as well as secular authors, for using the plight of the Dalits as an excuse to create social disorder and unrest in India by isolating them from mainstream society as part of the missionary agenda[2]. They have been accused of being an anti-Hindu group.
