ncrlm report
Additional Term of Reference
Para 3 of the Constitutional (Scheduled Caste) Order 1950
¨ On a careful examination of prevalence of the caste system among various actions of the Indian Citizenry we have concluded that caste is in fact a social phenomenon shared by almost all Indian Communities irrespective of their religious persuasions. Many of the particular castes are found simultaneously in various religious communities, equally facing problems of social degradation and mistreatment both by their co-religionists and the others.
¨ We are also conscious of the fact that the Constitution of India prohibits any discrimination between the citizens on the basis of caste, and yet it sanctions special affirmative measures for Scheduled Castes. At the same time it prohibits any discrimination on the ground of religion. Reading all these constitutional provisions together, we are convinced that any religion-based discrimination in selecting particular castes for affirmative action will conflict with the letter and spirit of the constitutional provisions. We are accordingly making the following recommendations on the additional Term of Reference added by the government to our original Terms Reference several months after we began our work
¨ We recommend that the caste system should be recognized as a general social characteristic of the Indian Society as a whole, without questioning whether the philosophy and teachings of any particular religion recognize it or not – since the Indian brands of certain faith traditions like Christianity and Islam have never assimilated many puritan principles of those religions, posting this question in respect of the caste system only and singling out for a differential treatment is unreasonable and unrealistic.
¨ We should like this fact to be duly recognized that among the Muslims of India the concepts of Zat (caste) and arzal (lower castes) are very much in practice; and even the Muslim law of marriage recognizes the doctrine of kufw – parity in marriage between the parties in all vital respects including social status and descent – which in this country means nothing but caste.
¨ In view of what has been said above, we recommend that para 3 of the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order 1950 – which originally restricted the Scheduled Caste net to the Hindus and later opened it to Sikhs and Buddhists, thus still excluding from its purview the Muslims, Christians, Jains and Parsis, etc. – should be wholly deleted by appropriate action so as to completely de-link the Scheduled Caste status from religion and make the Scheduled Castes net fully religion-neutral like that of the Scheduled Tribes.
¨ We further recommend that all those groups and classes among the Muslims and Christians, etc. whose counterparts among the Hindus, Sikhs or Buddhists, are included in the Central or State Scheduled Castes lists should also be covered by the Scheduled Caste net. If any such group or class among the Muslims and Christians, etc. is now included in an OBC list, it should be deleted from there while transferring it to the Scheduled Castes – Placing the same persons in the Scheduled Caste list if they are Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist but in the OBC list if they follow any other religion – which is the case in many States – in our opinion clearly amounts to religion-based discrimination.
¨ We further recommend that as the Constitution of India guarantees freedom of conscience and religious freedom as a Fundamental Right, once a person has been included in a Scheduled Caste list a willful change if religion on his part should not affect adversely his or her Scheduled Caste status – as that would in our opinion conflict with the basic constitutional provisions relating to equality, justice and non-discrimination on religious grounds; as also with the spirit of the old and time-tested Caste Disabilities Removal Act of 1850.
Modalities for implementing our recommendations
¨ We have been asked also “to suggest the necessary constitutional, legal and administrative modalities” required for the implementation of our recommendations. In this regard we have to say as follows.
¨ We are not suggesting any amendment in the Constitution - as we are fully convinced that none or our recommendations requires for its implementation any amendment of the Constitution and that each of these can be fully implemented by legislative or/and administrative action.
¨ We recommend that all Central and State Acts, Statutory Rules and Regulations be suitably amended to implement those of our recommendations which in the opinion pf the Ministry of Law and Justice or any another concerned authority may require such amendments.
¨ More specifically, we recommend the following legislative actions which in our opinion of the Ministry of Law and Justice or any another concerned authority may require such amendments.
¨ More specifically, we recommend the following legislative actions which in our opinion are required either for the implementation of some of our recommendations stated above or otherwise in the interest of the welfare of minorities: -
a) Enactment of a detailed law to enforce the dictates of Article 30 of the Constitution;
b) Amendment of the National Commission for Backward Classes Act 1993;
c) Amendment of the constitution (Scheduled Cates) order 1950 and the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order 1951 as also for the Central and State lists of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes;
d) Review of the laws and rules, processes and procedures, relating to selection and notification of OBCs at the Central and State level;
e) Enactment of a law to clothe with statutory status and judicial enforceability the Prime Minister’s 15 – Point Program for Minorities 1983 as modified in 2006;
f) Amendment of the National Commission for Minorities Act 1992 and the National Commission for Educational Institutions Act 2004 so as to make it necessary for the government to appoint as the chair persons and members of these bodies – through a Search Committee as in the case ofthe National Human rights Commission – Only reputed experts in the constitutional, legal, educational and economic matters relating to the minorities;
g) Necessary amendments in the Wakf Act 1933 and all the Rules framed under its provisions;
h) Review and necessary overhaul of the laws, rules, regulations, procedures and processes relating to the National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation and MauLana Azad Education Foundation.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Christian grief at deaths in Police firing on Gujjars in Rajasthan
Christians grieved at deaths in Police firing on Gujjars in Rajasthan
Collapse of governance a threat to national integrity and security; Governments need to respect Identity of communities, ensure Equity
[The following is the text of the joint Press Statement issued by Dr Joseph D Souza, President of the All India Christian Council, and Dr John Dayal, Member of the National Integration Council, Government of India, President of the All India Catholic Union, and Secretary General of the All India Christian Council]
The Christian community in the country is deeply grieved at the loss of life of innocent persons in the police firing on members of the Gujjar tribe in the border state of Rajasthan.
This deep tragedy follows close on the heels of the Andhra Pradesh police firing in Hyderabad on Muslim victims of a bomb blast, and on the farm labour of Nandigram in West Bengal. The immediate provocation in each case is different. What is common is an absence of governance at the grassroots, and a trigger happy police. In Andhra, the Chief Minister immediately apologised. In Bengal, the Chief Minister withdrew the appropriation of farm land for Special Economic Zones, which had precipitated the resistance movement. In Rajasthan, the chief minister is yet to show that she is concerned. In Punjab earlier, the state chief minister and his government also chose to remain quiescent while mobs ruled the roads venting their anger at another denomination.
The situation is the most serious in Rajasthan. In fact it is fast aggravating because political elements in control of the government are trying to put various people groups against each other to divert attention from policy failure. The BJP government in Rajasthan has encouraged and deepened the divide between groups, as the party did in Punjab where it is a partner in the ruling coalition.
The nation seems sundered on the issue of reservations in education and employment for various castes and tribes – a Constitutional guarantee to create a level playing for people who, after millennia of oppression and suppression under the caste system would, otherwise, not have been able to enjoy the development opportunities in Independent India. Instead of explaining the necessity of affirmative action, the Governments, particularly those professing a monopolistic religious and cultural ideology, have repeatedly changed the rules to the disadvantage of the people. Christians of Schedule Caste origins were denied their rights, as were Muslims by limiting affirmative action to just one religion.
In the case of tribals, there has been pernicious manipulation to reduce the presence of some groups, for instance Oraons and other tribals professing Christianity in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh by deliberately extending such benefits to a few favoured groups loyal to their ideology. The Gujjars are victims of the same manipulation. In fact, Governments should assure the people that the cake is large enough, and that everyone benefits and no one suffers when disadvantaged people are given a life-line.
We call upon the government to show a sincere effort at reconciliation and peace through honest discussions with the leaders of the Gujjars.
We also call upon the governments of Rajasthan, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh to extend appropriate financial compensation to the families of those killed in police firing, and alternate employment to the maimed. This is also the time to evolve a national policy on compensation in these cases, instead of the shameful disparities that exist between states, and in the case of Gujarat, between victims depending on their religion. India’s stigma of making difference between communities and religions must not be extended into death.
Released to the Media
A Coalition birthed in 1998 to Protect and Serve the Christian community, Minorities and the Oppressed classes
Collapse of governance a threat to national integrity and security; Governments need to respect Identity of communities, ensure Equity
[The following is the text of the joint Press Statement issued by Dr Joseph D Souza, President of the All India Christian Council, and Dr John Dayal, Member of the National Integration Council, Government of India, President of the All India Catholic Union, and Secretary General of the All India Christian Council]
The Christian community in the country is deeply grieved at the loss of life of innocent persons in the police firing on members of the Gujjar tribe in the border state of Rajasthan.
This deep tragedy follows close on the heels of the Andhra Pradesh police firing in Hyderabad on Muslim victims of a bomb blast, and on the farm labour of Nandigram in West Bengal. The immediate provocation in each case is different. What is common is an absence of governance at the grassroots, and a trigger happy police. In Andhra, the Chief Minister immediately apologised. In Bengal, the Chief Minister withdrew the appropriation of farm land for Special Economic Zones, which had precipitated the resistance movement. In Rajasthan, the chief minister is yet to show that she is concerned. In Punjab earlier, the state chief minister and his government also chose to remain quiescent while mobs ruled the roads venting their anger at another denomination.
The situation is the most serious in Rajasthan. In fact it is fast aggravating because political elements in control of the government are trying to put various people groups against each other to divert attention from policy failure. The BJP government in Rajasthan has encouraged and deepened the divide between groups, as the party did in Punjab where it is a partner in the ruling coalition.
The nation seems sundered on the issue of reservations in education and employment for various castes and tribes – a Constitutional guarantee to create a level playing for people who, after millennia of oppression and suppression under the caste system would, otherwise, not have been able to enjoy the development opportunities in Independent India. Instead of explaining the necessity of affirmative action, the Governments, particularly those professing a monopolistic religious and cultural ideology, have repeatedly changed the rules to the disadvantage of the people. Christians of Schedule Caste origins were denied their rights, as were Muslims by limiting affirmative action to just one religion.
In the case of tribals, there has been pernicious manipulation to reduce the presence of some groups, for instance Oraons and other tribals professing Christianity in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh by deliberately extending such benefits to a few favoured groups loyal to their ideology. The Gujjars are victims of the same manipulation. In fact, Governments should assure the people that the cake is large enough, and that everyone benefits and no one suffers when disadvantaged people are given a life-line.
We call upon the government to show a sincere effort at reconciliation and peace through honest discussions with the leaders of the Gujjars.
We also call upon the governments of Rajasthan, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh to extend appropriate financial compensation to the families of those killed in police firing, and alternate employment to the maimed. This is also the time to evolve a national policy on compensation in these cases, instead of the shameful disparities that exist between states, and in the case of Gujarat, between victims depending on their religion. India’s stigma of making difference between communities and religions must not be extended into death.
Released to the Media
A Coalition birthed in 1998 to Protect and Serve the Christian community, Minorities and the Oppressed classes
Christians grieved at Gujjar deaths in firing by Rajasthan Police
ALL INDIA CHRISTIAN COUNCIL
President: Dr. Joseph D'souza Secretary General: Dr. John Dayal
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Media coverage of historic Christian protest in New Delhi
Some Coverage of a Historic Christian Rally in New Delhi on 29th May 2007
Thousands of Christians, Dalits court arrest in Delhi
(http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=44634)New Delhi, May 29 (IANS) At least 4,000 Christians, Dalits and rights activists from across the country courted arrest here Tuesday while protesting against the "silence" of the government on the alleged rise in anti-Christian attacks.
At a rally, "Stop Violence on Christians", held at Jantar Mantar here, Christian and Dalit leaders, including All India Christian Council (AICC) president Joseph D’Souza, National Integration Council member John Dayal, Justice Party president Udit Raj and Mount Carmel School principal V.K. Williams, warned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that his silence could lead to killing of innocent people at the hands of communal forces.
"The protest is in the wake of attacks on Pastor Walter Masih in Jaipur, Rajasthan on April 19 and priests Ramesh Gopargode and Ajit Belavi on May 7 in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, and a high incidence of communal assaults this year thus far," Madhu Chandra, an AICC leader, told IANS.
Chandra said that in 2006, the AICC recorded at least one incident of anti-Christian attack every third day, "but this rose to one attack every alternate day during the first four months of this year".
The participants, who were from several states including Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh, shouted slogans against the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, saying, "UPA government, wake up and stop atrocities on Christians."
Also present at the rally were victims of communal violence, including Masih and two Christians from Himachal Pradesh, Bernard Christopher and Ravinder Gautam, who were allegedly tonsured and forcibly "reconverted" to Hinduism in Kullu district May 23.
Dayal said Christianity had been reduced to a "daylight religion", because "the people of the community feel unsafe after sunset".
Expressing disappointment with the Congress party that leads the UPA, Dayal added that it was no longer only the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that should be blamed for anti-Christian agenda. "Look at the Congress-government in Himachal Pradesh, which enacted the anti-conversion law," he said.
Dalit leader Raj told the Christians not to trust any political party including the Congress saying, "You must have hopes only from yourselves."
Offering Dalits' support to the Christian community, Raj added that they should "learn to identify their friends".
The crowd left the Parliament Street police station, where they courted arrest, at 2.15 p.m. after an official announced that there were not enough jails to keep such a huge number of people.
Christians in Mumbai also staged a rally at Azad Maidan to show solidarity with the protesters here.
IANS
» 05/29/2007 15:45INDIAIn Delhi 4,000 Christians arrested in peaceful protest against violencePolice take into custody almost everyone in today’s big rally in the capital. Protesters took to the streets demanding respect for their human and constitutional rights.
Delhi (AsiaNews) - More than 4,000 protestors marched through the streets of India's capital today to call for the Union Government of India to break its silence on violence against Christians across the country have been arrested by the police.
The rally, called "Stop Violence On Christians", was organised after two recently televised attacks on Christians and an increase of anti-Christian incidents in the first few months of 2007.
The rally started at 10am at Jantar Mantar near the Parliament in New Delhi. Rally organisers had expected 2,000 people, but attendance was estimated at 5,000. Speeches demanded human dignity and constitutional rights for the Christian community and other repressed minorities. Minorities are facing harassment from Hindutva fundamentalists and, in many cases, local government officials.
The Station House Officer, Parliament Street Police Station, confirmed he had "arrested" approximately 4,000 people at 1:05pm and released them at 2:10pm.
"This was the first time since November 1997 that such large numbers of Christians have been arrested in the Parliament Street Police Station. It was incredible to see Catholic nuns, Protestant pastors, civil society activists and more singing Christian songs of liberation within the police station," said John Dayal, Secretary General, All India Christian Council, and President, All India Catholic Union..F. 00889190153 All rights reserved. Content on this site is made available for personal, non-commercial use only. You may not reproduce, republish, sell or otherwise distribute the content or any modified or altered versions of it without the express written ago)
\n\u003cdiv\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:center\" align\u003d\"center\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"2\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:11pt\"\>\u003cimg height\u003d\"96\" src\u003d\"/mail/?attid\u003d0.0.1&disp\u003demb&view\u003datt&th\u003d112d7f984048d80f\" width\u003d\"659\"\>\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"line-height:80%;text-align:justify\" align\u003d\"center\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Arial\" size\u003d\"2\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\> \u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:center\" align\u003d\"center\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"4\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:14pt\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>For immediate release\u003c/span\>\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:center\" align\u003d\"center\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"4\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:14pt\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>\u003c/span\>Thousands of Christians “Arrested” in Peaceful \nProtest Against Growing Anti-Christian Violence Across \nIndia\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:center\" align\u003d\"center\"\>\u003ci\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"2\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:11pt;font-style:italic\"\>Muslim, \nDalit, Women, Student, and Christian groups unite in \nrally\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/i\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:center\" align\u003d\"center\"\>\u003ci\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"2\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:11pt;font-style:italic\"\>near \nIndia’s Parliament in New Delhi\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/i\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>NEW DELHI, INDIA – May 29, 2007: More than \n4,000 protestors marched through the streets of India’s capital today to call \nfor the Union Government of India to break its silence on violence against \nChristians across the country. The rally, called “Stop Violence On Christians”, \nwas organised after two recently televised attacks on Christians and an increase \nof anti-Christian incidents in the first few months of 2007.\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>",1]
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For immediate release
Thousands of Christians “Arrested” in Peaceful Protest Against Growing Anti-Christian Violence Across India
Muslim, Dalit, Women, Student, and Christian groups unite in rally
near India’s Parliament in New Delhi
NEW DELHI, INDIA – May 29, 2007: More than 4,000 protestors marched through the streets of India’s capital today to call for the Union Government of India to break its silence on violence against Christians across the country. The rally, called “Stop Violence On Christians”, was organised after two recently televised attacks on Christians and an increase of anti-Christian incidents in the first few months of 2007.
\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\> \u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cimg style\u003d\"width:0px\" height\u003d\"0\" src\u003d\"/mail/?attid\u003d0.0.2&disp\u003demb&view\u003datt&th\u003d112d7f984048d80f\" width\u003d\"0\"\>\u003cimg style\u003d\"width:347px\" height\u003d\"225\" alt\u003d\"\" hspace\u003d\"5\" src\u003d\"/mail/?attid\u003d0.0.3&disp\u003demb&view\u003datt&th\u003d112d7f984048d80f\" width\u003d\"347\" align\u003d\"right\" vspace\u003d\"5\" border\u003d\"0\"\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>The rally started at 10am at Jantar Mantar \nnear the Parliament in New Delhi. Rally organisers had expected 2,000 people, \nbut attendance was estimated at 5,000. Speeches demanded human dignity and \nconstitutional rights for the Christian community and other repressed \nminorities. Minorities are facing harassment from Hindutva fundamentalists and, \nin many cases, local government officials.\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>The Station House Officer, Parliament \nStreet Police Station, said he had “arrested” approximately 4,000 people at \n1:05pm and released them at 2:10pm. It is standard practice for protestors who \nobstruct traffic to be detoured into the police station yard. They are \ntemporarily detained for their own protection and allowed to state their demands \nto police authorities. \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>“This was the first time since November \n1997 that such large numbers of Christians have been arrested in the Parliament \nStreet Police Station. It was incredible to see Catholic nuns, Protestant \npastors, civil society activists and more singing Christian songs of liberation \nwithin the police station,” said John Dayal, Secretary General, All India \nChristian Council.",1]
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The rally started at 10am at Jantar Mantar near the Parliament in New Delhi. Rally organisers had expected 2,000 people, but attendance was estimated at 5,000. Speeches demanded human dignity and constitutional rights for the Christian community and other repressed minorities. Minorities are facing harassment from Hindutva fundamentalists and, in many cases, local government officials.
The Station House Officer, Parliament Street Police Station, said he had “arrested” approximately 4,000 people at 1:05pm and released them at 2:10pm. It is standard practice for protestors who obstruct traffic to be detoured into the police station yard. They are temporarily detained for their own protection and allowed to state their demands to police authorities.
“This was the first time since November 1997 that such large numbers of Christians have been arrested in the Parliament Street Police Station. It was incredible to see Catholic nuns, Protestant pastors, civil society activists and more singing Christian songs of liberation within the police station,” said John Dayal, Secretary General, All India Christian Council.
\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>Large numbers of Catholics and Evangelicals \nwere joined by Muslims, Buddhists and progressive Hindus, leaders of various \nwomen’s organisations, students groups from several universities, and Christian \nlawyers, teachers, and professors. Rally organisers reported attendees from at \nleast seven states in India.\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>Dr. Joseph D’souza, President, All India \nChristian Council, said, “The diversity of protestors, from several religious \ncommunities, different Christian denominations, and even civil society groups, \nshow that India’s citizens want a truly secular India. People should be able to \npractice their faith without violent attacks. The government’s silence in the \nface of recent anti-Christian incidents is not only an injustice, it is \ndangerous.” \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>Christian leaders fear copycat attacks \ncould come in the future due to silence by government authorities after recently \ntelevised beatings of pastors. Throughout the morning crowds chanted, “Prime \nMinister, your silence kills”. \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>At 12:15pm, crowds began a march to present \na memorandum of demands to the Prime Minister of India. However, a majority of \nthe attendees were detained at the Parliament Street Police Station. Organisers \nsaid that they decided not to submit the memorandum as originally planned. \nInstead, it will be released as an open letter to the \ngovernment.",1]
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Large numbers of Catholics and Evangelicals were joined by Muslims, Buddhists and progressive Hindus, leaders of various women’s organisations, students groups from several universities, and Christian lawyers, teachers, and professors. Rally organisers reported attendees from at least seven states in India.
Dr. Joseph D’souza, President, All India Christian Council, said, “The diversity of protestors, from several religious communities, different Christian denominations, and even civil society groups, show that India’s citizens want a truly secular India. People should be able to practice their faith without violent attacks. The government’s silence in the face of recent anti-Christian incidents is not only an injustice, it is dangerous.”
Christian leaders fear copycat attacks could come in the future due to silence by government authorities after recently televised beatings of pastors. Throughout the morning crowds chanted, “Prime Minister, your silence kills”.
At 12:15pm, crowds began a march to present a memorandum of demands to the Prime Minister of India. However, a majority of the attendees were detained at the Parliament Street Police Station. Organisers said that they decided not to submit the memorandum as originally planned. Instead, it will be released as an open letter to the government.
\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>Recent victims of anti-Christian violence \nspoke, such as Rev. Walter Masih from Jaipur, Rajasthan, whose beating by masked \nattackers on April 29, 2007 was broadcast nationally. Rev. Masih walks with a \nlimp due to the attack and shared his experience with the crowd inside the \npolice station with the help of a police PA system. \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>Throughout the day, other speakers \nprotested the recent wave of violence, demanded immediate implementation of the \nMisra Commission recommendations, and even proposed new legislation. \n\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>Bishop Karam Masih, Bishop of Delhi, Church \nof North India (CNI), said, “Today I don’t come as a CNI leader. I come as a \nChristian. All denominations should unite until all the anti-Christian \natrocities stop.”\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cimg style\u003d\"width:0px\" height\u003d\"0\" src\u003d\"/mail/?attid\u003d0.0.4&disp\u003demb&view\u003datt&th\u003d112d7f984048d80f\" width\u003d\"0\"\>\u003cimg style\u003d\"width:395px\" height\u003d\"275\" alt\u003d\"\" hspace\u003d\"5\" src\u003d\"/mail/?attid\u003d0.0.5&disp\u003demb&view\u003datt&th\u003d112d7f984048d80f\" width\u003d\"395\" align\u003d\"left\" vspace\u003d\"5\" border\u003d\"0\"\>Dr. Ms. \nBegum Fatima Shahmaz, India Peace Organisation, said, “Those parties and groups \nwho are persecuting Christians should be treated as terrorists. It is \nunacceptable to attack others based on a difference in spiritual beliefs.”",1]
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Recent victims of anti-Christian violence spoke, such as Rev. Walter Masih from Jaipur, Rajasthan, whose beating by masked attackers on April 29, 2007 was broadcast nationally. Rev. Masih walks with a limp due to the attack and shared his experience with the crowd inside the police station with the help of a police PA system.
Throughout the day, other speakers protested the recent wave of violence, demanded immediate implementation of the Misra Commission recommendations, and even proposed new legislation.
Bishop Karam Masih, Bishop of Delhi, Church of North India (CNI), said, “Today I don’t come as a CNI leader. I come as a Christian. All denominations should unite until all the anti-Christian atrocities stop.”
Dr. Ms. Begum Fatima Shahmaz, India Peace Organisation, said, “Those parties and groups who are persecuting Christians should be treated as terrorists. It is unacceptable to attack others based on a difference in spiritual beliefs.”
Dr. Udit Raj, National Chairman, All India Confederation of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes Organisations, said, “Today there is a special unity of Christians and Dalits around the country. We, Dalits, have been attacked for thousands of years and you have been recently attacked. Christians have given much to this country so I want to teach you how to be united, and, if you are united, we can stop the attacks.”
Mr. Mudra Rakshas, noted Hindi writer and theatre artist, said, “Because of the increasing attacks, we need a new law that tells police how they should handle people who are mistreating Christians. We should agitate until the new law comes.”
The Misra Commission, officially called the National Commission for Religious & Linguistic Minorities, recommended last week that the Union Government change a 1950 law which restricts government benefits to Scheduled Castes who are Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist. Millions of poor Dalit Muslims and Dalit Christians would benefit from the change and the recommendations will likely affect pending cases before the Supreme Court of India.
The All India Christian Council (aicc) was a co-sponsor of the rally. Other organisers included several Christian groups and the All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations.
\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>The aicc said meetings similar to the Delhi \ngathering were planned for today in Mumbai and smaller cities like Nagpur and \nPune. They also confirmed that yesterday, in 23 of 25 districts in Andhra \nPradesh, protest marches were held under the leadership of local aicc \nchapters.\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>In 2006, there was an incident of \nharassment or violence against Christians approximately once every three days. \nIn the first four months of 2007, there has been an attack every other day on \naverage, according to records kept by the aicc. In addition to the televised \nattack on Rev. Masih, an attack by Hindutva activists on two pastors in \nKolhapur, Maharashtra, was televised on May 9, 2007. \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>The All India Christian Council \n(\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.aiccindia.org\" target\u003d\"_blank\" onclick\u003d\"return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)\"\>www.aiccindia.org\u003c/a\>), birthed in 1998, exists to protect and serve the Christian \ncommunity, minorities, and the oppressed castes. The aicc is a coalition of \nthousands of Indian denominations, organizations, and lay \nleaders.\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:right\" align\u003d\"right\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>Release \nby\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:right\" align\u003d\"right\"\>",1]
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The aicc said meetings similar to the Delhi gathering were planned for today in Mumbai and smaller cities like Nagpur and Pune. They also confirmed that yesterday, in 23 of 25 districts in Andhra Pradesh, protest marches were held under the leadership of local aicc chapters.
In 2006, there was an incident of harassment or violence against Christians approximately once every three days. In the first four months of 2007, there has been an attack every other day on average, according to records kept by the aicc. In addition to the televised attack on Rev. Masih, an attack by Hindutva activists on two pastors in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, was televised on May 9, 2007.
The All India Christian Council (www.aiccindia.org), birthed in 1998, exists to protect and serve the Christian community, minorities, and the oppressed castes. The aicc is a coalition of thousands of Indian denominations, organizations, and lay leaders.
Release by Rev. Madhu Chandra
Thousands of Christians, Dalits court arrest in Delhi
(http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=local&newsid=44634)New Delhi, May 29 (IANS) At least 4,000 Christians, Dalits and rights activists from across the country courted arrest here Tuesday while protesting against the "silence" of the government on the alleged rise in anti-Christian attacks.
At a rally, "Stop Violence on Christians", held at Jantar Mantar here, Christian and Dalit leaders, including All India Christian Council (AICC) president Joseph D’Souza, National Integration Council member John Dayal, Justice Party president Udit Raj and Mount Carmel School principal V.K. Williams, warned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that his silence could lead to killing of innocent people at the hands of communal forces.
"The protest is in the wake of attacks on Pastor Walter Masih in Jaipur, Rajasthan on April 19 and priests Ramesh Gopargode and Ajit Belavi on May 7 in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, and a high incidence of communal assaults this year thus far," Madhu Chandra, an AICC leader, told IANS.
Chandra said that in 2006, the AICC recorded at least one incident of anti-Christian attack every third day, "but this rose to one attack every alternate day during the first four months of this year".
The participants, who were from several states including Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Punjab, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh, shouted slogans against the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, saying, "UPA government, wake up and stop atrocities on Christians."
Also present at the rally were victims of communal violence, including Masih and two Christians from Himachal Pradesh, Bernard Christopher and Ravinder Gautam, who were allegedly tonsured and forcibly "reconverted" to Hinduism in Kullu district May 23.
Dayal said Christianity had been reduced to a "daylight religion", because "the people of the community feel unsafe after sunset".
Expressing disappointment with the Congress party that leads the UPA, Dayal added that it was no longer only the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that should be blamed for anti-Christian agenda. "Look at the Congress-government in Himachal Pradesh, which enacted the anti-conversion law," he said.
Dalit leader Raj told the Christians not to trust any political party including the Congress saying, "You must have hopes only from yourselves."
Offering Dalits' support to the Christian community, Raj added that they should "learn to identify their friends".
The crowd left the Parliament Street police station, where they courted arrest, at 2.15 p.m. after an official announced that there were not enough jails to keep such a huge number of people.
Christians in Mumbai also staged a rally at Azad Maidan to show solidarity with the protesters here.
IANS
» 05/29/2007 15:45INDIAIn Delhi 4,000 Christians arrested in peaceful protest against violencePolice take into custody almost everyone in today’s big rally in the capital. Protesters took to the streets demanding respect for their human and constitutional rights.
Delhi (AsiaNews) - More than 4,000 protestors marched through the streets of India's capital today to call for the Union Government of India to break its silence on violence against Christians across the country have been arrested by the police.
The rally, called "Stop Violence On Christians", was organised after two recently televised attacks on Christians and an increase of anti-Christian incidents in the first few months of 2007.
The rally started at 10am at Jantar Mantar near the Parliament in New Delhi. Rally organisers had expected 2,000 people, but attendance was estimated at 5,000. Speeches demanded human dignity and constitutional rights for the Christian community and other repressed minorities. Minorities are facing harassment from Hindutva fundamentalists and, in many cases, local government officials.
The Station House Officer, Parliament Street Police Station, confirmed he had "arrested" approximately 4,000 people at 1:05pm and released them at 2:10pm.
"This was the first time since November 1997 that such large numbers of Christians have been arrested in the Parliament Street Police Station. It was incredible to see Catholic nuns, Protestant pastors, civil society activists and more singing Christian songs of liberation within the police station," said John Dayal, Secretary General, All India Christian Council, and President, All India Catholic Union..F. 00889190153 All rights reserved. Content on this site is made available for personal, non-commercial use only. You may not reproduce, republish, sell or otherwise distribute the content or any modified or altered versions of it without the express written ago)
\n\u003cdiv\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:center\" align\u003d\"center\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"2\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:11pt\"\>\u003cimg height\u003d\"96\" src\u003d\"/mail/?attid\u003d0.0.1&disp\u003demb&view\u003datt&th\u003d112d7f984048d80f\" width\u003d\"659\"\>\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"line-height:80%;text-align:justify\" align\u003d\"center\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Arial\" size\u003d\"2\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\> \u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:center\" align\u003d\"center\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"4\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:14pt\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>For immediate release\u003c/span\>\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:center\" align\u003d\"center\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"4\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:14pt\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>\u003c/span\>Thousands of Christians “Arrested” in Peaceful \nProtest Against Growing Anti-Christian Violence Across \nIndia\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:center\" align\u003d\"center\"\>\u003ci\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"2\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:11pt;font-style:italic\"\>Muslim, \nDalit, Women, Student, and Christian groups unite in \nrally\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/i\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:center\" align\u003d\"center\"\>\u003ci\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"2\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:11pt;font-style:italic\"\>near \nIndia’s Parliament in New Delhi\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/i\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>NEW DELHI, INDIA – May 29, 2007: More than \n4,000 protestors marched through the streets of India’s capital today to call \nfor the Union Government of India to break its silence on violence against \nChristians across the country. The rally, called “Stop Violence On Christians”, \nwas organised after two recently televised attacks on Christians and an increase \nof anti-Christian incidents in the first few months of 2007.\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>",1]
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For immediate release
Thousands of Christians “Arrested” in Peaceful Protest Against Growing Anti-Christian Violence Across India
Muslim, Dalit, Women, Student, and Christian groups unite in rally
near India’s Parliament in New Delhi
NEW DELHI, INDIA – May 29, 2007: More than 4,000 protestors marched through the streets of India’s capital today to call for the Union Government of India to break its silence on violence against Christians across the country. The rally, called “Stop Violence On Christians”, was organised after two recently televised attacks on Christians and an increase of anti-Christian incidents in the first few months of 2007.
\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\> \u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cimg style\u003d\"width:0px\" height\u003d\"0\" src\u003d\"/mail/?attid\u003d0.0.2&disp\u003demb&view\u003datt&th\u003d112d7f984048d80f\" width\u003d\"0\"\>\u003cimg style\u003d\"width:347px\" height\u003d\"225\" alt\u003d\"\" hspace\u003d\"5\" src\u003d\"/mail/?attid\u003d0.0.3&disp\u003demb&view\u003datt&th\u003d112d7f984048d80f\" width\u003d\"347\" align\u003d\"right\" vspace\u003d\"5\" border\u003d\"0\"\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>The rally started at 10am at Jantar Mantar \nnear the Parliament in New Delhi. Rally organisers had expected 2,000 people, \nbut attendance was estimated at 5,000. Speeches demanded human dignity and \nconstitutional rights for the Christian community and other repressed \nminorities. Minorities are facing harassment from Hindutva fundamentalists and, \nin many cases, local government officials.\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>The Station House Officer, Parliament \nStreet Police Station, said he had “arrested” approximately 4,000 people at \n1:05pm and released them at 2:10pm. It is standard practice for protestors who \nobstruct traffic to be detoured into the police station yard. They are \ntemporarily detained for their own protection and allowed to state their demands \nto police authorities. \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>“This was the first time since November \n1997 that such large numbers of Christians have been arrested in the Parliament \nStreet Police Station. It was incredible to see Catholic nuns, Protestant \npastors, civil society activists and more singing Christian songs of liberation \nwithin the police station,” said John Dayal, Secretary General, All India \nChristian Council.",1]
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The rally started at 10am at Jantar Mantar near the Parliament in New Delhi. Rally organisers had expected 2,000 people, but attendance was estimated at 5,000. Speeches demanded human dignity and constitutional rights for the Christian community and other repressed minorities. Minorities are facing harassment from Hindutva fundamentalists and, in many cases, local government officials.
The Station House Officer, Parliament Street Police Station, said he had “arrested” approximately 4,000 people at 1:05pm and released them at 2:10pm. It is standard practice for protestors who obstruct traffic to be detoured into the police station yard. They are temporarily detained for their own protection and allowed to state their demands to police authorities.
“This was the first time since November 1997 that such large numbers of Christians have been arrested in the Parliament Street Police Station. It was incredible to see Catholic nuns, Protestant pastors, civil society activists and more singing Christian songs of liberation within the police station,” said John Dayal, Secretary General, All India Christian Council.
\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>Large numbers of Catholics and Evangelicals \nwere joined by Muslims, Buddhists and progressive Hindus, leaders of various \nwomen’s organisations, students groups from several universities, and Christian \nlawyers, teachers, and professors. Rally organisers reported attendees from at \nleast seven states in India.\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>Dr. Joseph D’souza, President, All India \nChristian Council, said, “The diversity of protestors, from several religious \ncommunities, different Christian denominations, and even civil society groups, \nshow that India’s citizens want a truly secular India. People should be able to \npractice their faith without violent attacks. The government’s silence in the \nface of recent anti-Christian incidents is not only an injustice, it is \ndangerous.” \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>Christian leaders fear copycat attacks \ncould come in the future due to silence by government authorities after recently \ntelevised beatings of pastors. Throughout the morning crowds chanted, “Prime \nMinister, your silence kills”. \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>At 12:15pm, crowds began a march to present \na memorandum of demands to the Prime Minister of India. However, a majority of \nthe attendees were detained at the Parliament Street Police Station. Organisers \nsaid that they decided not to submit the memorandum as originally planned. \nInstead, it will be released as an open letter to the \ngovernment.",1]
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Large numbers of Catholics and Evangelicals were joined by Muslims, Buddhists and progressive Hindus, leaders of various women’s organisations, students groups from several universities, and Christian lawyers, teachers, and professors. Rally organisers reported attendees from at least seven states in India.
Dr. Joseph D’souza, President, All India Christian Council, said, “The diversity of protestors, from several religious communities, different Christian denominations, and even civil society groups, show that India’s citizens want a truly secular India. People should be able to practice their faith without violent attacks. The government’s silence in the face of recent anti-Christian incidents is not only an injustice, it is dangerous.”
Christian leaders fear copycat attacks could come in the future due to silence by government authorities after recently televised beatings of pastors. Throughout the morning crowds chanted, “Prime Minister, your silence kills”.
At 12:15pm, crowds began a march to present a memorandum of demands to the Prime Minister of India. However, a majority of the attendees were detained at the Parliament Street Police Station. Organisers said that they decided not to submit the memorandum as originally planned. Instead, it will be released as an open letter to the government.
\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>Recent victims of anti-Christian violence \nspoke, such as Rev. Walter Masih from Jaipur, Rajasthan, whose beating by masked \nattackers on April 29, 2007 was broadcast nationally. Rev. Masih walks with a \nlimp due to the attack and shared his experience with the crowd inside the \npolice station with the help of a police PA system. \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>Throughout the day, other speakers \nprotested the recent wave of violence, demanded immediate implementation of the \nMisra Commission recommendations, and even proposed new legislation. \n\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>Bishop Karam Masih, Bishop of Delhi, Church \nof North India (CNI), said, “Today I don’t come as a CNI leader. I come as a \nChristian. All denominations should unite until all the anti-Christian \natrocities stop.”\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cimg style\u003d\"width:0px\" height\u003d\"0\" src\u003d\"/mail/?attid\u003d0.0.4&disp\u003demb&view\u003datt&th\u003d112d7f984048d80f\" width\u003d\"0\"\>\u003cimg style\u003d\"width:395px\" height\u003d\"275\" alt\u003d\"\" hspace\u003d\"5\" src\u003d\"/mail/?attid\u003d0.0.5&disp\u003demb&view\u003datt&th\u003d112d7f984048d80f\" width\u003d\"395\" align\u003d\"left\" vspace\u003d\"5\" border\u003d\"0\"\>Dr. Ms. \nBegum Fatima Shahmaz, India Peace Organisation, said, “Those parties and groups \nwho are persecuting Christians should be treated as terrorists. It is \nunacceptable to attack others based on a difference in spiritual beliefs.”",1]
);
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Recent victims of anti-Christian violence spoke, such as Rev. Walter Masih from Jaipur, Rajasthan, whose beating by masked attackers on April 29, 2007 was broadcast nationally. Rev. Masih walks with a limp due to the attack and shared his experience with the crowd inside the police station with the help of a police PA system.
Throughout the day, other speakers protested the recent wave of violence, demanded immediate implementation of the Misra Commission recommendations, and even proposed new legislation.
Bishop Karam Masih, Bishop of Delhi, Church of North India (CNI), said, “Today I don’t come as a CNI leader. I come as a Christian. All denominations should unite until all the anti-Christian atrocities stop.”
Dr. Ms. Begum Fatima Shahmaz, India Peace Organisation, said, “Those parties and groups who are persecuting Christians should be treated as terrorists. It is unacceptable to attack others based on a difference in spiritual beliefs.”
Dr. Udit Raj, National Chairman, All India Confederation of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes Organisations, said, “Today there is a special unity of Christians and Dalits around the country. We, Dalits, have been attacked for thousands of years and you have been recently attacked. Christians have given much to this country so I want to teach you how to be united, and, if you are united, we can stop the attacks.”
Mr. Mudra Rakshas, noted Hindi writer and theatre artist, said, “Because of the increasing attacks, we need a new law that tells police how they should handle people who are mistreating Christians. We should agitate until the new law comes.”
The Misra Commission, officially called the National Commission for Religious & Linguistic Minorities, recommended last week that the Union Government change a 1950 law which restricts government benefits to Scheduled Castes who are Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist. Millions of poor Dalit Muslims and Dalit Christians would benefit from the change and the recommendations will likely affect pending cases before the Supreme Court of India.
The All India Christian Council (aicc) was a co-sponsor of the rally. Other organisers included several Christian groups and the All India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations.
\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>The aicc said meetings similar to the Delhi \ngathering were planned for today in Mumbai and smaller cities like Nagpur and \nPune. They also confirmed that yesterday, in 23 of 25 districts in Andhra \nPradesh, protest marches were held under the leadership of local aicc \nchapters.\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>In 2006, there was an incident of \nharassment or violence against Christians approximately once every three days. \nIn the first four months of 2007, there has been an attack every other day on \naverage, according to records kept by the aicc. In addition to the televised \nattack on Rev. Masih, an attack by Hindutva activists on two pastors in \nKolhapur, Maharashtra, was televised on May 9, 2007. \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>The All India Christian Council \n(\u003ca href\u003d\"http://www.aiccindia.org\" target\u003d\"_blank\" onclick\u003d\"return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)\"\>www.aiccindia.org\u003c/a\>), birthed in 1998, exists to protect and serve the Christian \ncommunity, minorities, and the oppressed castes. The aicc is a coalition of \nthousands of Indian denominations, organizations, and lay \nleaders.\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:justify\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\> \u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:right\" align\u003d\"right\"\>\u003cfont face\u003d\"Times New Roman\" size\u003d\"3\"\>\u003cspan style\u003d\"font-size:12pt\"\>Release \nby\u003c/span\>\u003c/font\>\u003c/p\>\n\u003cp style\u003d\"text-align:right\" align\u003d\"right\"\>",1]
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The aicc said meetings similar to the Delhi gathering were planned for today in Mumbai and smaller cities like Nagpur and Pune. They also confirmed that yesterday, in 23 of 25 districts in Andhra Pradesh, protest marches were held under the leadership of local aicc chapters.
In 2006, there was an incident of harassment or violence against Christians approximately once every three days. In the first four months of 2007, there has been an attack every other day on average, according to records kept by the aicc. In addition to the televised attack on Rev. Masih, an attack by Hindutva activists on two pastors in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, was televised on May 9, 2007.
The All India Christian Council (www.aiccindia.org), birthed in 1998, exists to protect and serve the Christian community, minorities, and the oppressed castes. The aicc is a coalition of thousands of Indian denominations, organizations, and lay leaders.
Release by Rev. Madhu Chandra
Activist-Author VB Rawat’s review article on the plight of christians in secular india, andJohn Dayal’s Book “Equity’, which interrogates freedom of f
Monday, May 28, 2007
Equity of Faith in Secular India ?
Review ArticleChristians: A Faith under assault in Secular IndiaBy Vidya Bhushan RawatChristians from all over India are gathering to protest against the Hindutva assault on their faiths in different parts of the country. On May 29th, 2007, when they all assemble at Jantar Mantar seeking government’s intervention to protect their institutions and people, it would remind all of us that in plural society, every one need to appreciate the contribution of linguistic and religious minorities in its development. The gathering of the Christians therefore should not be seen in isolation and must have support from all of us who believe that best bet for India’s survival is cohesiveness of different ethnic, religious, secular groups. In the past few months, the goons of the Hindutva have targeted the community and their faith leaders in various north Indian states particularly Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Orissa, Chhatisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Gujarat. States like Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh where Christian population is abysmally low are bringing out special laws to prohibit conversion. Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhatishgarh, Jharkhand have already enacted laws prohibiting conversion. It is these states where extra constitutional groups of the Hindutva have taken it on themselves to do not only moral policing over people’s behavior but also convert the tribal and dalits back to brahmanical fold. With Hindutva devotees at the seats of power, the goons are having free day to kill any one at their will. The assaults on Christian institutions have wider implications. The freedom of the gangs of Hindutva has become agony for all peace loving people including the minorities. We must also understand that minorities suffer from certain dilemmas and such assault isolate them further and strengthen the theocratic leadership in the community. Moreover, the assault on Muslims and Christians is deliberate to suppress the internal contradictions with in the Varna system. With UP gone out of their hand, the Sangh Parivar would re-launch its assault on the Muslims and Christians so that the assertion of Dalits, adivasis and backward classes is diverted against the ‘enemies’ and Brahmins and brahmindom have an unchallenged supremacy in the broader Hindu Samaj.In many of these states the Bharatiya Janata Party, the political wing of the Hindutva’s discriminating and destructive ideology, is in power. Much before they slaughtered Muslims in Gujarat in 2002, it was the Christians, their churches and their educational institutions, which were targeted by the Hindutva’s lumpen organizations. This unaccountability of the Hindutva and its various offshoots emerge from the open encouragement and support from the ruling parties in these states. It is not only outrageous but also unconstitutional that the state governments run by the Bharatiya Janata Party behave conspicuously and in double speak justifying these assaults in the name of intrusion of foreign culture and threat to India’s unity.Look, what happened in Gujarat today where the Kolis are up in the street seeking justice. Narendra Modi never loses sight of targeting the Muslims and Christians, whom he fears, are proselytizing the tribal by throwing money at them. Absolutely farcical Mr. Modi, Gujarati Banias and Brahmins have enough money to buy equally great product as the evangelical groups, so please suggest them to go in the villages, sit with the Dalits and tribals, share their agonies and pains. But we know it well, that is impossible in brahmanical Gujarat who used the multiculturalism of the west for their benefits but became Hindu chauvinists when the issue of multiculturalism cropped up in their own state. In other way, Gujarat’s psyche has become totally brahmanised and a mere change of Narendra Modi would not work. An assertion of Dalits, Adivasis and backward communities (Gujarat’s backward are Hinduised), for their political rights in coalition with Muslims and Christians, would pave the way for throwing a challenge against the current Hindutva culture prevailing in the state.One of the issues that John Dayal has raised in his book is the issue of right to profess the faith of your choice. The Hindutva groups obviously are not comfortable with it as they feel it as a threat. But conversion is a political tool and apolitical conversion has cost Dalits a lot. The first conversion that jolted the brahmanical structure was not in 1951 when Baba Saheb Ambedkar embraced Buddhism in 1951 but the 1982 conversion of hundreds of Dalits to Islam in Meenakhsipuram, in Tamilnadu. For Hindutva every body who is dissatisfied with their faith has been paid handsome amount of money to convert. Unfortunately, that is where the problem lies, as most of the converts are still much below the poverty line. If conversion had fetched good money and good life in monitory terms, I am sure the Brahmins, Banias and other upper caste Hindus would have been the first to grab the opportunity.We also tend to ignore the fact that the government has itself divided various Dalit communities. It has knowingly done the biggest conversion in the history of India for including Dalits, tribal, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains and all those who are not a Muslim or Christian, into a Hindu category. That has been the biggest blunder and conversion in the history of India and must be opposed with as all these communities have their distinct cultural identities. Opposition to Dalit converts come from that fact Dalits are considered as Hindus. So the government, the Hindu reformist want them to first face the untouchability and social oppression again to get the benefit of the reservation?Despite my deep antipathy for Justice Rang Nath Mishra for the horrible and politically motivated report that he presented for the 1984 victims, the latest efforts by the Mishra Commission need our support, because it strengthen defend the right of an individual to profess any faith at the personal level without loosing his fundamental right. Asha Das’s objections must be rejected before it takes dangerous turn. Nevertheless, it is also essential for the Church and Christian leaders to introspect about their Dalit agenda. It is easier for them to ask from the government for the rights of the Dalit Christians but at the same point of time, let them come out categorically as what efforts have they made to empower Dalits with in their community. A Community which has in its possession India’s best known colleges, medical colleges, Engineering colleges, media institutions, academic institutions etc. What percentage of reservation has been given to Dalits and tribals in these institutions? If Christians were really willing to mobilize the Dalits on their side, empty slogans would not work. They have to be seen to be working for the Dalits. They cannot expect Dalits to follow their upper caste leadership.Christians are not hated in power structure even when the Hindutva thugs target their priests. One of the reason for that is that the growing feeling that Christian own large educational institutions which actually strengthen the Hindutva. The bitterest critique of Christendom comes from those who were educated at these prestigious institutions. They will not targets prestigious institutions in Delhi, Mumbai or elsewhere because most of their family members come out from these colleges. We must understand the philosophy behind this as my friend Ram Puniyani often suggest. That the RSS and its Parivar have most of their ideologues coming from these institutions but when the church and its educational institutions goes in the villages and teach English and modern education to Adivasis and Dalits, that raises eyebrows. Education would open the mind of these people and will instigate them to challenge the racist philosophy of Hindutva. Tomorrow they will challenge the concept of merit of the upper castes? Unfortunately, this is not the case. Barring a few exceptions, things have not worked. Education is for profiteering and not much has been done at the village level. There have been compromises from the Christian leadership on this issue and their stand on the emancipation of Dalits and reservation.Amid all this, one person who has unequivocally and uncompromisingly spoke against Hindutva and its fundamentalist ideology is, Dr John Dayal. For the past few years, he has been very active putting the political agenda of the community and taking a strong action line against the communal outfits though it is also a known fact that for his strong secular approach and convictions he is not the best person of the religious leadership.‘A Matter of Equity: Freedom of Faith in Secular India’, is an outstanding work of John Dayal. Though a large number of articles have been compiled and updated for what were published in the Indian Currents yet bringing them all together with other important documents, this book serve a great purpose for all those who are interested to know about the Christian community and its work in India as well as the vitriolic campaign of the Sangh Parivar against the Christian Educational InstitutionsJohn Dayal has not only been a critique of the Sangh Parivar and its goons but he has asked the Church also to look for its role. He had documented major violence against Christians in the last 10 years. May he get the strength to document and assist other secular groups also, those who may not like the evangelical groups very much like their disliking for the Muslim and Hindu radical groups. Yes, John Dayal is Christian community’s secular face who has stood against all kind of oppression, for the freedom of expression, which he has so wonderfully documented in his book with Ajoy Bose as well as his campaign against the fascist government of Narendra Modi in Gujarat. Therefore, it is not surprising that while many of the Church friends were not happy with this uncompromising man who has no interest of ‘protecting’ his prime location institutions. Hence those uncompromising men actually help the community more than those who pretend to help them in the name of ‘protecting’ their community identity. And these points reflect sharply in his analysis when he says that National Minorities Commission does not really care about the rights of the Christians.Some of the chapters in the book are great essays and shows John Dayal’s grasp over the problem and his efforts to link the Christian community with the varied secular groups.‘A Christian perspective to National Integration’ is one such excellent essay in the book where Dayal ask to create for awareness for Human Rights and developing civil society, which according to him ‘call for sacrifice’.The article ‘ Ignorance, Bigotry and bloodshed: Perspective of confrontation, coexistence and Peace in India and South Asia,’ is simply superb and need to be read by all those who wish to know the birth of various ethnic-religious identities in India and South Asia. It also helps understand the culture of appreciation towards those who are not ‘like’ us and differ with one another on not only in outlook and perception but also language and religion.Another important message was the ‘liberation theology’ of the Church which liberated the Shanar women in Travancore and Tirunalveli district of erstwhile Travancore state, where the Dalit women were prohibited from covering their breasts. The missionaries helped them a life of dignity and self-respect. An unknown story of Sophie James Joseph, who was a nurse in St. Stephen’s hospital and saved life of a Sikh family when they were butchered by the upper caste thugs of the Congress party in the aftermath of the assassination of Indira Gandhi.The Christian community needs to heed his advice to introspect its own work among the Dalits. He writes: ‘ How have we responded to the demands of Dalits. Not low cost schools for low caste people but high quality English schools which will allow the Dalit Children to find their place under the sun in modern age. The answer has to be given soon.’ This call was made by Dayal in September 2001 but seven years onwards he need to ask the church again and the catholic groups again whether their call for right to convert and rights of the Christian Dalit is confined to number games only? What substantial work has the church institutions done during the past 7 years to uplift the Dalits. The Christian Institutions have enormous powers and strength to help the Dalits. Two months back. Ambrose Pinto, principal of St Joseph’s College Banglore revealed to me how his college has reserved seats for Dalits, OBCs and minorities and that it still remain one of the best colleges of Banglore. And there is no dent to its meritocracy, perhaps a right answer for the principal of St Stephan’s College, which constructed the brahmanical think tank of India and officially went against the policy of reservation of the Dalits and OBCs in the Supreme Court, under the pretext of being a minority institution. The Church institutions must respond as how many seats are being reserved for the Dalits and tribal in its elite institutions and how much help is being offered for that.Another superb piece from John Dayal comes in the form of ‘Hindutva’s Dollar Trail’, which exposes the funding mechanism of the hate campaigners of the Sangh Parivar. That India Development and Relief Fund ( IDRF) has been supplying the funds to Vikas Bharati and 9 other offshoots of the Sangh parivar is a shocking revelation. Between 1994-2000 it contributed 3.2 million USD to these hate mongers in India. The government of India must look into it and must find more details of such organizations which spread communal hatred in communities in India. Such funds must be treated as per the terrorist funding against which the US administration and UK are waging a decisive battle. Unfortunate part is that the Christian world is deeply divided today and still consider Islam as their enemy number one and hence other hate mongers get benefit of these things. Even in Britain, the right wing Hindu groups have got great protection from those in power. Interestingly, for the Sangh Zealots, there is another interesting revelation in the book. The 106 % growth of Indian population predominantly upper caste Hindus between 1990-2000. Sangh Parivar is too much disturbed with Christian growth rate while unable to understand that if conversion was taking place that strongly the population of the community would not have reduced during the past five years.While the government is going strongly in providing data related to the condition of Muslims in India. Muslims have been discriminated in administration and political system with the ‘sin’ of creating Pakistan. It would be grossly wrong not to find out the problems of the Christian population in India, a majority of whom happens to be Dalits and tribal. The recent NSSO data have revealed that the poverty in Christian community is far below than that of the Muslims. While Muslim being the second majority of the country must get their due share in power structure, we must also ask the government to appoint a similar condition to study the condition of Christians as they are the main victims of the Sangh Parivar’s violence against themThe Christian community must introspect why it is unable to counter Sangh Parivar’s propaganda and assault on its churches and machinery. It must learn a lesson or two from its Muslim brethrens. Muslims are a politically mobile community in India particularly in Uttar-Pradesh and Bihar. Their political understanding is far superior to other communities. Muslims have depended on their own work and never on any government dole out and therefore can still live their life in greater dignity. Christians on the other hand remained highly apolitical community. People like John Dayal are in a minority in the community for they speak the truth without feeling guilty or apprehensive of the Sangh Parivar and its goons. Ofcourse, the price has been bigger in the form of target and attacks but they have remained uncompromising. The Christians by and large remain part of power structure particularly the upper caste elite of them and therefore do not hesitate even in compromising the interest of the community. John Dayal remain exception among its elite who we can find at every platform from those speaking against communalism to fight against unsustainable globalisation or assault on Dalits and tribal or special economic Zone.It is therefore important for the religious groups to leave the space for the political people to lead the movement for the human rights of its people in India. A community under theocratic leadership cannot fight its battle of survival, which is essentially political. And hence John Dayal’s words need to be heard with great care.Name of the Book: A matter of Equity: Freedom of Faith in Secular IndiaAuthor : John DayalAnamika Publishers & DistributorsYear of Publication : 2007Page: 487Price : Rs 800 ( Hard Cover)
http://manukhsi.blogspot.com/2007/05/equity-of-faith-in-secular-india.html
Equity of Faith in Secular India ?
Review ArticleChristians: A Faith under assault in Secular IndiaBy Vidya Bhushan RawatChristians from all over India are gathering to protest against the Hindutva assault on their faiths in different parts of the country. On May 29th, 2007, when they all assemble at Jantar Mantar seeking government’s intervention to protect their institutions and people, it would remind all of us that in plural society, every one need to appreciate the contribution of linguistic and religious minorities in its development. The gathering of the Christians therefore should not be seen in isolation and must have support from all of us who believe that best bet for India’s survival is cohesiveness of different ethnic, religious, secular groups. In the past few months, the goons of the Hindutva have targeted the community and their faith leaders in various north Indian states particularly Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Orissa, Chhatisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Gujarat. States like Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh where Christian population is abysmally low are bringing out special laws to prohibit conversion. Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhatishgarh, Jharkhand have already enacted laws prohibiting conversion. It is these states where extra constitutional groups of the Hindutva have taken it on themselves to do not only moral policing over people’s behavior but also convert the tribal and dalits back to brahmanical fold. With Hindutva devotees at the seats of power, the goons are having free day to kill any one at their will. The assaults on Christian institutions have wider implications. The freedom of the gangs of Hindutva has become agony for all peace loving people including the minorities. We must also understand that minorities suffer from certain dilemmas and such assault isolate them further and strengthen the theocratic leadership in the community. Moreover, the assault on Muslims and Christians is deliberate to suppress the internal contradictions with in the Varna system. With UP gone out of their hand, the Sangh Parivar would re-launch its assault on the Muslims and Christians so that the assertion of Dalits, adivasis and backward classes is diverted against the ‘enemies’ and Brahmins and brahmindom have an unchallenged supremacy in the broader Hindu Samaj.In many of these states the Bharatiya Janata Party, the political wing of the Hindutva’s discriminating and destructive ideology, is in power. Much before they slaughtered Muslims in Gujarat in 2002, it was the Christians, their churches and their educational institutions, which were targeted by the Hindutva’s lumpen organizations. This unaccountability of the Hindutva and its various offshoots emerge from the open encouragement and support from the ruling parties in these states. It is not only outrageous but also unconstitutional that the state governments run by the Bharatiya Janata Party behave conspicuously and in double speak justifying these assaults in the name of intrusion of foreign culture and threat to India’s unity.Look, what happened in Gujarat today where the Kolis are up in the street seeking justice. Narendra Modi never loses sight of targeting the Muslims and Christians, whom he fears, are proselytizing the tribal by throwing money at them. Absolutely farcical Mr. Modi, Gujarati Banias and Brahmins have enough money to buy equally great product as the evangelical groups, so please suggest them to go in the villages, sit with the Dalits and tribals, share their agonies and pains. But we know it well, that is impossible in brahmanical Gujarat who used the multiculturalism of the west for their benefits but became Hindu chauvinists when the issue of multiculturalism cropped up in their own state. In other way, Gujarat’s psyche has become totally brahmanised and a mere change of Narendra Modi would not work. An assertion of Dalits, Adivasis and backward communities (Gujarat’s backward are Hinduised), for their political rights in coalition with Muslims and Christians, would pave the way for throwing a challenge against the current Hindutva culture prevailing in the state.One of the issues that John Dayal has raised in his book is the issue of right to profess the faith of your choice. The Hindutva groups obviously are not comfortable with it as they feel it as a threat. But conversion is a political tool and apolitical conversion has cost Dalits a lot. The first conversion that jolted the brahmanical structure was not in 1951 when Baba Saheb Ambedkar embraced Buddhism in 1951 but the 1982 conversion of hundreds of Dalits to Islam in Meenakhsipuram, in Tamilnadu. For Hindutva every body who is dissatisfied with their faith has been paid handsome amount of money to convert. Unfortunately, that is where the problem lies, as most of the converts are still much below the poverty line. If conversion had fetched good money and good life in monitory terms, I am sure the Brahmins, Banias and other upper caste Hindus would have been the first to grab the opportunity.We also tend to ignore the fact that the government has itself divided various Dalit communities. It has knowingly done the biggest conversion in the history of India for including Dalits, tribal, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains and all those who are not a Muslim or Christian, into a Hindu category. That has been the biggest blunder and conversion in the history of India and must be opposed with as all these communities have their distinct cultural identities. Opposition to Dalit converts come from that fact Dalits are considered as Hindus. So the government, the Hindu reformist want them to first face the untouchability and social oppression again to get the benefit of the reservation?Despite my deep antipathy for Justice Rang Nath Mishra for the horrible and politically motivated report that he presented for the 1984 victims, the latest efforts by the Mishra Commission need our support, because it strengthen defend the right of an individual to profess any faith at the personal level without loosing his fundamental right. Asha Das’s objections must be rejected before it takes dangerous turn. Nevertheless, it is also essential for the Church and Christian leaders to introspect about their Dalit agenda. It is easier for them to ask from the government for the rights of the Dalit Christians but at the same point of time, let them come out categorically as what efforts have they made to empower Dalits with in their community. A Community which has in its possession India’s best known colleges, medical colleges, Engineering colleges, media institutions, academic institutions etc. What percentage of reservation has been given to Dalits and tribals in these institutions? If Christians were really willing to mobilize the Dalits on their side, empty slogans would not work. They have to be seen to be working for the Dalits. They cannot expect Dalits to follow their upper caste leadership.Christians are not hated in power structure even when the Hindutva thugs target their priests. One of the reason for that is that the growing feeling that Christian own large educational institutions which actually strengthen the Hindutva. The bitterest critique of Christendom comes from those who were educated at these prestigious institutions. They will not targets prestigious institutions in Delhi, Mumbai or elsewhere because most of their family members come out from these colleges. We must understand the philosophy behind this as my friend Ram Puniyani often suggest. That the RSS and its Parivar have most of their ideologues coming from these institutions but when the church and its educational institutions goes in the villages and teach English and modern education to Adivasis and Dalits, that raises eyebrows. Education would open the mind of these people and will instigate them to challenge the racist philosophy of Hindutva. Tomorrow they will challenge the concept of merit of the upper castes? Unfortunately, this is not the case. Barring a few exceptions, things have not worked. Education is for profiteering and not much has been done at the village level. There have been compromises from the Christian leadership on this issue and their stand on the emancipation of Dalits and reservation.Amid all this, one person who has unequivocally and uncompromisingly spoke against Hindutva and its fundamentalist ideology is, Dr John Dayal. For the past few years, he has been very active putting the political agenda of the community and taking a strong action line against the communal outfits though it is also a known fact that for his strong secular approach and convictions he is not the best person of the religious leadership.‘A Matter of Equity: Freedom of Faith in Secular India’, is an outstanding work of John Dayal. Though a large number of articles have been compiled and updated for what were published in the Indian Currents yet bringing them all together with other important documents, this book serve a great purpose for all those who are interested to know about the Christian community and its work in India as well as the vitriolic campaign of the Sangh Parivar against the Christian Educational InstitutionsJohn Dayal has not only been a critique of the Sangh Parivar and its goons but he has asked the Church also to look for its role. He had documented major violence against Christians in the last 10 years. May he get the strength to document and assist other secular groups also, those who may not like the evangelical groups very much like their disliking for the Muslim and Hindu radical groups. Yes, John Dayal is Christian community’s secular face who has stood against all kind of oppression, for the freedom of expression, which he has so wonderfully documented in his book with Ajoy Bose as well as his campaign against the fascist government of Narendra Modi in Gujarat. Therefore, it is not surprising that while many of the Church friends were not happy with this uncompromising man who has no interest of ‘protecting’ his prime location institutions. Hence those uncompromising men actually help the community more than those who pretend to help them in the name of ‘protecting’ their community identity. And these points reflect sharply in his analysis when he says that National Minorities Commission does not really care about the rights of the Christians.Some of the chapters in the book are great essays and shows John Dayal’s grasp over the problem and his efforts to link the Christian community with the varied secular groups.‘A Christian perspective to National Integration’ is one such excellent essay in the book where Dayal ask to create for awareness for Human Rights and developing civil society, which according to him ‘call for sacrifice’.The article ‘ Ignorance, Bigotry and bloodshed: Perspective of confrontation, coexistence and Peace in India and South Asia,’ is simply superb and need to be read by all those who wish to know the birth of various ethnic-religious identities in India and South Asia. It also helps understand the culture of appreciation towards those who are not ‘like’ us and differ with one another on not only in outlook and perception but also language and religion.Another important message was the ‘liberation theology’ of the Church which liberated the Shanar women in Travancore and Tirunalveli district of erstwhile Travancore state, where the Dalit women were prohibited from covering their breasts. The missionaries helped them a life of dignity and self-respect. An unknown story of Sophie James Joseph, who was a nurse in St. Stephen’s hospital and saved life of a Sikh family when they were butchered by the upper caste thugs of the Congress party in the aftermath of the assassination of Indira Gandhi.The Christian community needs to heed his advice to introspect its own work among the Dalits. He writes: ‘ How have we responded to the demands of Dalits. Not low cost schools for low caste people but high quality English schools which will allow the Dalit Children to find their place under the sun in modern age. The answer has to be given soon.’ This call was made by Dayal in September 2001 but seven years onwards he need to ask the church again and the catholic groups again whether their call for right to convert and rights of the Christian Dalit is confined to number games only? What substantial work has the church institutions done during the past 7 years to uplift the Dalits. The Christian Institutions have enormous powers and strength to help the Dalits. Two months back. Ambrose Pinto, principal of St Joseph’s College Banglore revealed to me how his college has reserved seats for Dalits, OBCs and minorities and that it still remain one of the best colleges of Banglore. And there is no dent to its meritocracy, perhaps a right answer for the principal of St Stephan’s College, which constructed the brahmanical think tank of India and officially went against the policy of reservation of the Dalits and OBCs in the Supreme Court, under the pretext of being a minority institution. The Church institutions must respond as how many seats are being reserved for the Dalits and tribal in its elite institutions and how much help is being offered for that.Another superb piece from John Dayal comes in the form of ‘Hindutva’s Dollar Trail’, which exposes the funding mechanism of the hate campaigners of the Sangh Parivar. That India Development and Relief Fund ( IDRF) has been supplying the funds to Vikas Bharati and 9 other offshoots of the Sangh parivar is a shocking revelation. Between 1994-2000 it contributed 3.2 million USD to these hate mongers in India. The government of India must look into it and must find more details of such organizations which spread communal hatred in communities in India. Such funds must be treated as per the terrorist funding against which the US administration and UK are waging a decisive battle. Unfortunate part is that the Christian world is deeply divided today and still consider Islam as their enemy number one and hence other hate mongers get benefit of these things. Even in Britain, the right wing Hindu groups have got great protection from those in power. Interestingly, for the Sangh Zealots, there is another interesting revelation in the book. The 106 % growth of Indian population predominantly upper caste Hindus between 1990-2000. Sangh Parivar is too much disturbed with Christian growth rate while unable to understand that if conversion was taking place that strongly the population of the community would not have reduced during the past five years.While the government is going strongly in providing data related to the condition of Muslims in India. Muslims have been discriminated in administration and political system with the ‘sin’ of creating Pakistan. It would be grossly wrong not to find out the problems of the Christian population in India, a majority of whom happens to be Dalits and tribal. The recent NSSO data have revealed that the poverty in Christian community is far below than that of the Muslims. While Muslim being the second majority of the country must get their due share in power structure, we must also ask the government to appoint a similar condition to study the condition of Christians as they are the main victims of the Sangh Parivar’s violence against themThe Christian community must introspect why it is unable to counter Sangh Parivar’s propaganda and assault on its churches and machinery. It must learn a lesson or two from its Muslim brethrens. Muslims are a politically mobile community in India particularly in Uttar-Pradesh and Bihar. Their political understanding is far superior to other communities. Muslims have depended on their own work and never on any government dole out and therefore can still live their life in greater dignity. Christians on the other hand remained highly apolitical community. People like John Dayal are in a minority in the community for they speak the truth without feeling guilty or apprehensive of the Sangh Parivar and its goons. Ofcourse, the price has been bigger in the form of target and attacks but they have remained uncompromising. The Christians by and large remain part of power structure particularly the upper caste elite of them and therefore do not hesitate even in compromising the interest of the community. John Dayal remain exception among its elite who we can find at every platform from those speaking against communalism to fight against unsustainable globalisation or assault on Dalits and tribal or special economic Zone.It is therefore important for the religious groups to leave the space for the political people to lead the movement for the human rights of its people in India. A community under theocratic leadership cannot fight its battle of survival, which is essentially political. And hence John Dayal’s words need to be heard with great care.Name of the Book: A matter of Equity: Freedom of Faith in Secular IndiaAuthor : John DayalAnamika Publishers & DistributorsYear of Publication : 2007Page: 487Price : Rs 800 ( Hard Cover)
http://manukhsi.blogspot.com/2007/05/equity-of-faith-in-secular-india.html
Monday, May 28, 2007
The tragedy in SEZs and purblind Develoment dreams
Peoples' Tribunal on Nandigram
An All India Citizens' Initiative
45 Beniatola Lane, 3rd Floor, Kolkata-700009 Ph. & Fax +91 033 2219 2902 Mob. 09433728792
PRESS RELEASE
28 May, Kolkata
In its interim report, the independent People's Tribunal on Nandigram has recommended, among other measures, the setting up of special Human Rights Courts to ensure speedy justice in all cases of human rights violations in Nandigram and adjoining areas.
The Tribunal, organized by the All India Citizens Initiative, heard depositions from victims, witnesses, social activists, intellectuals, doctors, human rights groups and other concerned organisations here today. The hearings were held in both Nandigram and Kolkata from 26-28 May and headed by Justice S.N.Bhargava, former Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court.
Tribunal members, which included Prabhash Joshi (Editorial Advisor, Jansatta), Lalita Ramdas ( Social Activist), John Dayal (Member, National Integration Council) and Jyotirmoy Samajder (Psychiatrist), visited the site of police firing and other places in the Nandigram area relevant to understanding the circumstances and nature of the violence.
Meanwhile Mr. Anup Agarwal, the District Magistrate of Midnapur (East) issued a letter to the organizers of the Tribunal asking under what 'law of the land' such a Tribunal was being organized. The All India Citizen's Initiative in its reply said that the Tribunal had been organized under Article 51 of the Constitution, which calls upon every citizen of India " to promote harmony and spirit of brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious, linguistic, regional and social diversities". It must be mentioned here that all concerned official agencies were informed of the Tribunal and requested to depose before it but none of them turned up.
The Tribunal received over 39 oral and 142 written depositions at the hearings held at primary schools in Gokulnagar and Sonachura and the University Institute Hall in Kolkata. While a final report of its findings is still being prepared the Tribunal has the following observations to make, based on prima facie evidence as well as depositions made before it:
- There is no doubt at all that grave violations of human rights have been committed against the villagers of Nandigram;
- There seems to be a disturbingly large number of reports of sexual violence against women;
- There is an urgent need for a thorough, independent investigation of the events of 14 March 2007, especially with a view to ensuring justice for all those whose rights have been violated;
- There are still a significant number of people in the area who need immediate medical attention for various problems related to the violence;
- From all accounts no steps have been taken by the state machinery to provide compensation for the dead and injured so far.
- The education and normal activities of school going children in both Nandigram and adjoining areas such as Khejuri have been seriously affected due to both past and ongoing disturbances.
Based on these observations the Tribunal would therefore like to make the following preliminary recommendations:
- Special Human Rights Courts should be set up in West Bengal at the earliest to deal with all cases of human rights violations that have occurred in Nandigram and adjoining areas;
- Stringent punishment needs to be meted out to all public officials and others guilty of violation of human rights or administrative lapses leading to such violations;
- There should be adequate compensation and social rehabilitation provided to families of all those killed or injured in the violence of 14 March 2007, as well as in the period before and after this date.
- Many of those injured were men and women working as wage labour in agriculture and other sectors. They are no longer able to continue working and must be also be provided alternate employment;
- There should be special compensation and social rehabilitation provided to all victims of rape or molestation in Nandigram and adjoining areas;
- Steps should be taken immediately to trace all those who are supposed to have gone 'missing' in the aftermath of the violence in Nandigram and adjoining areas;
- Free and competent medical treatment should be provided by the state government for all those physically or mentally affected by the violence;
- Urgent relief needs to be provided to all those whose livelihoods have been severely affected by the turmoil since January 2007.
- Immediate steps should be taken to stop ongoing violence in Nandigram and adjoining areas and every effort made, in a sincere manner, to bring peace among all factions involved. The services of non-governmental and civil society organizations should be utilized in the peace process if necessary;
- All necessary precautions need to be taken to prevent the occurrence of such events in future in other parts of West Bengal.
The Tribunal will continue working on a final report of its findings and present them to various concerned agencies for further action.
An All India Citizens' Initiative
45 Beniatola Lane, 3rd Floor, Kolkata-700009 Ph. & Fax +91 033 2219 2902 Mob. 09433728792
PRESS RELEASE
28 May, Kolkata
In its interim report, the independent People's Tribunal on Nandigram has recommended, among other measures, the setting up of special Human Rights Courts to ensure speedy justice in all cases of human rights violations in Nandigram and adjoining areas.
The Tribunal, organized by the All India Citizens Initiative, heard depositions from victims, witnesses, social activists, intellectuals, doctors, human rights groups and other concerned organisations here today. The hearings were held in both Nandigram and Kolkata from 26-28 May and headed by Justice S.N.Bhargava, former Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court.
Tribunal members, which included Prabhash Joshi (Editorial Advisor, Jansatta), Lalita Ramdas ( Social Activist), John Dayal (Member, National Integration Council) and Jyotirmoy Samajder (Psychiatrist), visited the site of police firing and other places in the Nandigram area relevant to understanding the circumstances and nature of the violence.
Meanwhile Mr. Anup Agarwal, the District Magistrate of Midnapur (East) issued a letter to the organizers of the Tribunal asking under what 'law of the land' such a Tribunal was being organized. The All India Citizen's Initiative in its reply said that the Tribunal had been organized under Article 51 of the Constitution, which calls upon every citizen of India " to promote harmony and spirit of brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious, linguistic, regional and social diversities". It must be mentioned here that all concerned official agencies were informed of the Tribunal and requested to depose before it but none of them turned up.
The Tribunal received over 39 oral and 142 written depositions at the hearings held at primary schools in Gokulnagar and Sonachura and the University Institute Hall in Kolkata. While a final report of its findings is still being prepared the Tribunal has the following observations to make, based on prima facie evidence as well as depositions made before it:
- There is no doubt at all that grave violations of human rights have been committed against the villagers of Nandigram;
- There seems to be a disturbingly large number of reports of sexual violence against women;
- There is an urgent need for a thorough, independent investigation of the events of 14 March 2007, especially with a view to ensuring justice for all those whose rights have been violated;
- There are still a significant number of people in the area who need immediate medical attention for various problems related to the violence;
- From all accounts no steps have been taken by the state machinery to provide compensation for the dead and injured so far.
- The education and normal activities of school going children in both Nandigram and adjoining areas such as Khejuri have been seriously affected due to both past and ongoing disturbances.
Based on these observations the Tribunal would therefore like to make the following preliminary recommendations:
- Special Human Rights Courts should be set up in West Bengal at the earliest to deal with all cases of human rights violations that have occurred in Nandigram and adjoining areas;
- Stringent punishment needs to be meted out to all public officials and others guilty of violation of human rights or administrative lapses leading to such violations;
- There should be adequate compensation and social rehabilitation provided to families of all those killed or injured in the violence of 14 March 2007, as well as in the period before and after this date.
- Many of those injured were men and women working as wage labour in agriculture and other sectors. They are no longer able to continue working and must be also be provided alternate employment;
- There should be special compensation and social rehabilitation provided to all victims of rape or molestation in Nandigram and adjoining areas;
- Steps should be taken immediately to trace all those who are supposed to have gone 'missing' in the aftermath of the violence in Nandigram and adjoining areas;
- Free and competent medical treatment should be provided by the state government for all those physically or mentally affected by the violence;
- Urgent relief needs to be provided to all those whose livelihoods have been severely affected by the turmoil since January 2007.
- Immediate steps should be taken to stop ongoing violence in Nandigram and adjoining areas and every effort made, in a sincere manner, to bring peace among all factions involved. The services of non-governmental and civil society organizations should be utilized in the peace process if necessary;
- All necessary precautions need to be taken to prevent the occurrence of such events in future in other parts of West Bengal.
The Tribunal will continue working on a final report of its findings and present them to various concerned agencies for further action.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Bogus case based on a bogus law -- that is Gujarat for you
State hears from court on conversion case
Gujarat High Court issued notices to home secretary, law secretary, Director General of Police, Superintendent of Police (Anand), and senior sub-inspector of police at Anand town police station
Express News Service
Ahmedabad, May 23: The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the state government in connection with the registration of a criminal offence against Anand-based, Alpha Bible College. Acting upon the complaint of one Vijay Kumar Vankar, senior sub inspector of police at the Anand Town Police Station, M D Lathiya — had registered an FIR on the basis of a non-existent law against two trustees of the college. The notices issued by Justice Anant S Dave, are returnable on May 25. The notices were issued to the home secretary, law secretary, director general of police, superintendent of police (Anand district), and the senior sub inspector of police at Anand town police station. The notices were issued on a petition jointly filed by Samson Christian of the All India Christian Council and Govind Swamy, director of Alpha Charitable Trust Ullganathan. The petitioners demanded the quashing of the FIR and disciplinary action against Lathiya. The petitioners stated that the case was bogus as the offence was registered on charges of violating the provisions of the Gujarat Freedom for Religion Act, 2003, which is yet not implemented. The petition argued that booking the case had adversely affected the reputation of the institution and exposed it to a danger of being attacked. The petition further stated that Lathiya not only registered a complaint under a law, which was yet not implemented but also appeared to have made full use of the media for gaining publicity. The petitioners also submitted that the case was registered with the aim of creating an atmosphere in which a specific political outfit could gain mileage as the state assembly elections were drawing near.
Gujarat High Court issued notices to home secretary, law secretary, Director General of Police, Superintendent of Police (Anand), and senior sub-inspector of police at Anand town police station
Express News Service
Ahmedabad, May 23: The Gujarat High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to the state government in connection with the registration of a criminal offence against Anand-based, Alpha Bible College. Acting upon the complaint of one Vijay Kumar Vankar, senior sub inspector of police at the Anand Town Police Station, M D Lathiya — had registered an FIR on the basis of a non-existent law against two trustees of the college. The notices issued by Justice Anant S Dave, are returnable on May 25. The notices were issued to the home secretary, law secretary, director general of police, superintendent of police (Anand district), and the senior sub inspector of police at Anand town police station. The notices were issued on a petition jointly filed by Samson Christian of the All India Christian Council and Govind Swamy, director of Alpha Charitable Trust Ullganathan. The petitioners demanded the quashing of the FIR and disciplinary action against Lathiya. The petitioners stated that the case was bogus as the offence was registered on charges of violating the provisions of the Gujarat Freedom for Religion Act, 2003, which is yet not implemented. The petition argued that booking the case had adversely affected the reputation of the institution and exposed it to a danger of being attacked. The petition further stated that Lathiya not only registered a complaint under a law, which was yet not implemented but also appeared to have made full use of the media for gaining publicity. The petitioners also submitted that the case was registered with the aim of creating an atmosphere in which a specific political outfit could gain mileage as the state assembly elections were drawing near.
The Asian Age Political Editor Ms Seema Mustafa reviews John Dayal's Book "Equity --Freedom of Faith in Secular India"
Review of John Dayal’s book in Asian AgeWednesday, May 23, 2007
Asianage.comAsian Age, New Delhi Edition
Secularism from a Christian perspective
Seema Mustafa
There are some books that do not make it to the better known list because of the inability of publishers to push it through the crowded and competitive publishing world, but that definitely deserve to be in the spotlights.
John Dayal's A Matter of Equity: Freedom of Faith in Secular India is certainly one such book that is an excellent documentation of recent politics concerning the Christian community and the fundamentalist Hindutva organisations in India and even abroad.
In the process John, a veteran journalist and documentary filmmaker who is now active in Christian organisations, has tried to prod the conscience of the Christian community by alerting it to the dangers of communalism that have to be countered regardless of who these hit. It is a valuable book because it is probably one of the very few written on secularism from a Christian perspective.
At the very onset John Dayal makes it clear that "the Hindu is as peaceful as the Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Jew, atheist or animist in this country.
The Hindutva ideologue and activist of the RSS and its agencies.....is as much a bigot and terrorist as a member of any other fundamentalist terror group anywhere in the world which believes in violence..." The book seeks to expose the falsehoods that are used as the basis for communal propaganda against religions, and effectively links the divisive politics within to the politics of the region and the growing power of the United States.
The role of the Church is also examined by the author in some detail who uses statistics and facts to shatter many of the myths concerning the minorities in India. It is a well researched and skilfully written book, covering ambitious ground as it seeks to expose the Hindutva brigade and its supposed commitment to religiosity.
A few chapters in the book stand out: The Mythology of Hate that examines and exposes the Pakistan angle as used to whip up hatred within India; Hindutva's Dollar Trail where the author successfully reveals the links between the fanatics and the US and the non resident Indian community; and Stop This Madness in Gujarat that raises some pertinent questions while offering interesting political solutions.
The one fault with the book is that it packs too many facts in short chapters, often not allowing the reader to gain a full perspective of the issue being discussed.So while the statistics, quotes and reports do add to the legitimacy of the argument, occasionally the argument itself gets clouded under the weight of the facts.
However, this probably holds true for those not familiar with the subject and as the author would in all probability argue: it was important to bring in the facts to counter the propaganda, as otherwise the argument for secularism might not have held its own.
It is a good book from a journalist who writes simply, presents the case precisely, and more importantly does not hesitate to speak out. This is particularly refreshing in an age where the honest word is not often spoken, and writers hesitate to call a spade a spade.
John Dayal has not done that, and the strength of the book lies in its brutal honesty made all the more stark by the simplicity of style and the depth of information. It is priced too high at Rs 800 though, and not many who should possess a copy will be able to afford it. Perhaps a paper back edition is called for.
-----------The book can be had fromcatholicunion@gmail.com, post paid in India [price Rs 800.oo by DD/checuqe}and in US/UK. Europe USD 60,00
Asianage.comAsian Age, New Delhi Edition
Secularism from a Christian perspective
Seema Mustafa
There are some books that do not make it to the better known list because of the inability of publishers to push it through the crowded and competitive publishing world, but that definitely deserve to be in the spotlights.
John Dayal's A Matter of Equity: Freedom of Faith in Secular India is certainly one such book that is an excellent documentation of recent politics concerning the Christian community and the fundamentalist Hindutva organisations in India and even abroad.
In the process John, a veteran journalist and documentary filmmaker who is now active in Christian organisations, has tried to prod the conscience of the Christian community by alerting it to the dangers of communalism that have to be countered regardless of who these hit. It is a valuable book because it is probably one of the very few written on secularism from a Christian perspective.
At the very onset John Dayal makes it clear that "the Hindu is as peaceful as the Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Jew, atheist or animist in this country.
The Hindutva ideologue and activist of the RSS and its agencies.....is as much a bigot and terrorist as a member of any other fundamentalist terror group anywhere in the world which believes in violence..." The book seeks to expose the falsehoods that are used as the basis for communal propaganda against religions, and effectively links the divisive politics within to the politics of the region and the growing power of the United States.
The role of the Church is also examined by the author in some detail who uses statistics and facts to shatter many of the myths concerning the minorities in India. It is a well researched and skilfully written book, covering ambitious ground as it seeks to expose the Hindutva brigade and its supposed commitment to religiosity.
A few chapters in the book stand out: The Mythology of Hate that examines and exposes the Pakistan angle as used to whip up hatred within India; Hindutva's Dollar Trail where the author successfully reveals the links between the fanatics and the US and the non resident Indian community; and Stop This Madness in Gujarat that raises some pertinent questions while offering interesting political solutions.
The one fault with the book is that it packs too many facts in short chapters, often not allowing the reader to gain a full perspective of the issue being discussed.So while the statistics, quotes and reports do add to the legitimacy of the argument, occasionally the argument itself gets clouded under the weight of the facts.
However, this probably holds true for those not familiar with the subject and as the author would in all probability argue: it was important to bring in the facts to counter the propaganda, as otherwise the argument for secularism might not have held its own.
It is a good book from a journalist who writes simply, presents the case precisely, and more importantly does not hesitate to speak out. This is particularly refreshing in an age where the honest word is not often spoken, and writers hesitate to call a spade a spade.
John Dayal has not done that, and the strength of the book lies in its brutal honesty made all the more stark by the simplicity of style and the depth of information. It is priced too high at Rs 800 though, and not many who should possess a copy will be able to afford it. Perhaps a paper back edition is called for.
-----------The book can be had fromcatholicunion@gmail.com, post paid in India [price Rs 800.oo by DD/checuqe}and in US/UK. Europe USD 60,00
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
First Victory for Dalit Christians, long battle ahead
Dalit Christians welcome Misra Report
Chennai, May 22: National Integration Council member Dr John Dayal, President of the AICU and secy general, All India Christian Councul, Union of Dalit Movements India national coordinator Advocate Edward M Arokiadoss andothers have welcomed the recommendations of the Justice Misra Commission accepting the grant of Scheduled Caste status to Christians and Muslims of Dalit origin.In a press statement here, Ad Arokiadoss, Catholic Union leader Lion C Francis and National Integration Council member Dr John Dayal, President AICU, expressed the hope that the Supreme Court will also accept the demand of Dalit Christians when it begins hearing on their writ in July.The Dalit Christian leaders were in Chennai from their meeting in Yellagiri which called for a sustained mass movement to see that the government finally implemented the recommendations of the National Commission for Religious and Linguistic minorities headed by retired Supreme court chief justice Rangnath Misra.The Union and its allied organizations also condemned NCRLM secretary Asha Das’s negative report that spoke of the orthodox mentality which wanted to deny the Dalits their rights under the Christians.It may be recalled that the National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities has backed the demand for extending reservation benefits to Dalit converts to Christianity and Islam. The panel has said that a clause in Constitution (SCs) Order of 1950, which restricts the SC net to Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists, should be dropped to delink SC status from religion. NCRLM Member secretary Asha Das has dissent, arguing that extending SC status to Christians and Muslims would amount to inserting caste in religions, which don't recognise it. She has questioned the propriety of Parliament or judiciary to change the tenets of religion. The ticklish issue is at the prime minister's doorsteps, to which the NCRLM has submitted the report. The Sachar panel, which was asked to go into the matter, left the decision for NCRLM. The Dalits have faced vehement opposition from the saffron brigade who argue that it would encourage religious conversions of Hindus since exclusion of Dalit converts from SC list acts as a deterrent. “We support the demand raised by Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz and Rajya Sabha MP Anwar Ali that 1950 Presidential Order barring Muslims and Christians from SC list be revoked immediately to ensure them SC status and benefits.” The statement said. Th National Commission headed by Justice Rangnath Misra and comprising Tahir Mahmood, Mohinder Singh and Anil Wilson, has termed the exclusion of Dalits from SC list after conversion out of Hinduism as violative of constitutional guarantee of non-discrimination on religious grounds. The commission was unanimous, barring Asha Das who felt SC list was basically a Hindu issue. Tracing the history of SCs, she said British first categorised 17 occupational groups as "depressed classes" and fixed criterion of social relations to avoid confusion with followers of non-Hindu religions. NCRLM has also said that 15% seats in states and Centre should be reserved for minorities with 10% for Muslims and rest for others. For educational uplift, it has demanded that a law should be enacted to set aside 15% seats in all non-minority institutions for minorities, with 10% for Muslims.
Released to the Press by Adv Arokiadoss and Dr. John Dayal,
Chennai, May 22: National Integration Council member Dr John Dayal, President of the AICU and secy general, All India Christian Councul, Union of Dalit Movements India national coordinator Advocate Edward M Arokiadoss andothers have welcomed the recommendations of the Justice Misra Commission accepting the grant of Scheduled Caste status to Christians and Muslims of Dalit origin.In a press statement here, Ad Arokiadoss, Catholic Union leader Lion C Francis and National Integration Council member Dr John Dayal, President AICU, expressed the hope that the Supreme Court will also accept the demand of Dalit Christians when it begins hearing on their writ in July.The Dalit Christian leaders were in Chennai from their meeting in Yellagiri which called for a sustained mass movement to see that the government finally implemented the recommendations of the National Commission for Religious and Linguistic minorities headed by retired Supreme court chief justice Rangnath Misra.The Union and its allied organizations also condemned NCRLM secretary Asha Das’s negative report that spoke of the orthodox mentality which wanted to deny the Dalits their rights under the Christians.It may be recalled that the National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities has backed the demand for extending reservation benefits to Dalit converts to Christianity and Islam. The panel has said that a clause in Constitution (SCs) Order of 1950, which restricts the SC net to Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists, should be dropped to delink SC status from religion. NCRLM Member secretary Asha Das has dissent, arguing that extending SC status to Christians and Muslims would amount to inserting caste in religions, which don't recognise it. She has questioned the propriety of Parliament or judiciary to change the tenets of religion. The ticklish issue is at the prime minister's doorsteps, to which the NCRLM has submitted the report. The Sachar panel, which was asked to go into the matter, left the decision for NCRLM. The Dalits have faced vehement opposition from the saffron brigade who argue that it would encourage religious conversions of Hindus since exclusion of Dalit converts from SC list acts as a deterrent. “We support the demand raised by Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz and Rajya Sabha MP Anwar Ali that 1950 Presidential Order barring Muslims and Christians from SC list be revoked immediately to ensure them SC status and benefits.” The statement said. Th National Commission headed by Justice Rangnath Misra and comprising Tahir Mahmood, Mohinder Singh and Anil Wilson, has termed the exclusion of Dalits from SC list after conversion out of Hinduism as violative of constitutional guarantee of non-discrimination on religious grounds. The commission was unanimous, barring Asha Das who felt SC list was basically a Hindu issue. Tracing the history of SCs, she said British first categorised 17 occupational groups as "depressed classes" and fixed criterion of social relations to avoid confusion with followers of non-Hindu religions. NCRLM has also said that 15% seats in states and Centre should be reserved for minorities with 10% for Muslims and rest for others. For educational uplift, it has demanded that a law should be enacted to set aside 15% seats in all non-minority institutions for minorities, with 10% for Muslims.
Released to the Press by Adv Arokiadoss and Dr. John Dayal,
Saturday, May 19, 2007
John Dayal AICU-AICC Statement on Hyderabad mosque bomb blast, Punjab violence, Christian persecution
URGENT PRESS STATEMENT
19TH MAY 2007
Violence threat to India’s Secularism, Integrity; Christians pray for Peace, Harmony
The innocent Muslims who were killed in the bomb blast while at prayer in the Mecca Mosque in Hyderabad on Friday, 18 May, are victims of a well-planned challenge to India’s ethos of secularism, and the national integrity born of its plural culture.
A similar conspiracy with a different set of agents is behind the well planned nation-wide assaults on Indian Christian Priests, Pastors, Nuns, Church workers and even their families. This conspiracy tests the legitimacy of the State’s promise of protecting its citizens, and the guarantees of the Constitution on Freedom of faith.
Indian secularism has also been stressed by the sort of confrontation that has this week brought Punjab to the brink of communal violence on a large scale – mercifully contained by saner elements in the two communities. Even here, the State administration seemed paralyzed for too long a time.
The Indian experiment in democracy and secularism is unique in the world. India is a nation of such diversity – racial, ethnic, religious, linguistic and cultural, and the confrontation of caste, class and developmental disparities, that it requires constant vigil on the part of every citizen, and the Government. Jawaharlal Nehru’s reminder seems to have been forgotten.
The success of the Indian democratic experiment is crucial for the world itself – for international peace, and the promise of equity and development for all mankind.
It is essential that political parties, political leadership, the State administration including its armed wings, religious leaders and civil society at large recognise their role in nurturing this still fragile unity.
Hate-filled rhetoric of fundamentalist groups and fanatical gangs of thugs, egged on by political vested interest and unchecked by administrations and police forces, which are subservient to narrow political interests, aggravate the situation.
The Christian community, itself a major victim of persecution, yet prays for peace. The community and its mass organisations call for restraint by groups whose feelings and followers have been injured. Above all it calls for exemplary action by the government. Police forces must act not arbitrarily and in support of bigotry, but fairly, effectively and without fear or favour. The government must come out openly and assure the nation and the smallest and weakest of its communities and groups that it will protect them at all cost, as it will project democracy and secularism.
Christian mass organisations All India Christian Council and the All India Catholic Union, are organizing a prayer and Protest rally in New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on 29th May 2007 to focus attention on their own persecution and the threat to India’s unity, integrity and democracy.
-
Released to the Press on Behalf of the All India Christian Council and the All India catholic Union
Dr. John Dayal
Member: National Integration Council
Government of India
National President: All India Catholic Union (Founded 1919)
Secretary General: All India Christian Council (Founded 1999)
President: United Christian Action, Delhi (Founded 1992
505 Link, 18 IP Extension, Delhi 110092 India
Email: johndayal@vsnl.com
http://groups.google.com/group/JohnDayal
Phone: 91-11-22722262 Mobile 09811021072
19TH MAY 2007
Violence threat to India’s Secularism, Integrity; Christians pray for Peace, Harmony
The innocent Muslims who were killed in the bomb blast while at prayer in the Mecca Mosque in Hyderabad on Friday, 18 May, are victims of a well-planned challenge to India’s ethos of secularism, and the national integrity born of its plural culture.
A similar conspiracy with a different set of agents is behind the well planned nation-wide assaults on Indian Christian Priests, Pastors, Nuns, Church workers and even their families. This conspiracy tests the legitimacy of the State’s promise of protecting its citizens, and the guarantees of the Constitution on Freedom of faith.
Indian secularism has also been stressed by the sort of confrontation that has this week brought Punjab to the brink of communal violence on a large scale – mercifully contained by saner elements in the two communities. Even here, the State administration seemed paralyzed for too long a time.
The Indian experiment in democracy and secularism is unique in the world. India is a nation of such diversity – racial, ethnic, religious, linguistic and cultural, and the confrontation of caste, class and developmental disparities, that it requires constant vigil on the part of every citizen, and the Government. Jawaharlal Nehru’s reminder seems to have been forgotten.
The success of the Indian democratic experiment is crucial for the world itself – for international peace, and the promise of equity and development for all mankind.
It is essential that political parties, political leadership, the State administration including its armed wings, religious leaders and civil society at large recognise their role in nurturing this still fragile unity.
Hate-filled rhetoric of fundamentalist groups and fanatical gangs of thugs, egged on by political vested interest and unchecked by administrations and police forces, which are subservient to narrow political interests, aggravate the situation.
The Christian community, itself a major victim of persecution, yet prays for peace. The community and its mass organisations call for restraint by groups whose feelings and followers have been injured. Above all it calls for exemplary action by the government. Police forces must act not arbitrarily and in support of bigotry, but fairly, effectively and without fear or favour. The government must come out openly and assure the nation and the smallest and weakest of its communities and groups that it will protect them at all cost, as it will project democracy and secularism.
Christian mass organisations All India Christian Council and the All India Catholic Union, are organizing a prayer and Protest rally in New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on 29th May 2007 to focus attention on their own persecution and the threat to India’s unity, integrity and democracy.
-
Released to the Press on Behalf of the All India Christian Council and the All India catholic Union
Dr. John Dayal
Member: National Integration Council
Government of India
National President: All India Catholic Union (Founded 1919)
Secretary General: All India Christian Council (Founded 1999)
President: United Christian Action, Delhi (Founded 1992
505 Link, 18 IP Extension, Delhi 110092 India
Email: johndayal@vsnl.com
http://groups.google.com/group/JohnDayal
Phone: 91-11-22722262 Mobile 09811021072
Friday, May 18, 2007
Christians call for protest rally in New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on 29th May 2007 [Tuesday]
Rally also planned in Mumbai
Over 100 incidents of violence against Christians have taken place this year against Christians – Catholic priests and Nuns, Protestant Pastors and evangelists, and innocent Believers. Christian women have been raped in some states. In other States, innocent Christian workers have been put in jail by unscrupulous Police, while their assailants from the Sangh Parivar, who were filmed indulging in violence and the video-tapes then telecast by national networks, have gone scot free, or have been released on bail.
Appeals to the Chief Ministers and Police hierarchy of the States seem not to have had an affect. Appeals and Open Letters to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, and to UPA Chairperson, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, have also not elicited any response.
The community has no option but to make a public display of its injury, grief, and anger has therefore been decided to hold a Peaceful and Prayerful Protest RallyIn New DelhiAt Jantar Mantar, Parliament StreetFrom 10 o’clock on 29th May, 2007. To urge the government to wake up and act to stop this mindless violence against the most peaceful and microscopic religious Minority in India.
Please attend in large numbers.
This appeal is not only to Christian Churches. It is to the entire civil society and NGOs working for communal harmony and peace
Thank you
Dr Joseph D’Souza, President, All India Christian Council
Dr John Dayal, Member, National Integration CouncilPresident, All India Catholic Union Organizers:All India Christian Council, All India Catholic Union,
Truth-seekers InternationalChristian Lawyers AssociationAll India Confederation of SC/ST OrganisationsAnd many others
Contacts Dr. John Dayal (9811021072),Albert Lael (09908249997),Madhu Chandra (9868184939),Email: aiccdelhi@gmail.com,http://www.aiccindia.org
Rally also planned in Mumbai
Over 100 incidents of violence against Christians have taken place this year against Christians – Catholic priests and Nuns, Protestant Pastors and evangelists, and innocent Believers. Christian women have been raped in some states. In other States, innocent Christian workers have been put in jail by unscrupulous Police, while their assailants from the Sangh Parivar, who were filmed indulging in violence and the video-tapes then telecast by national networks, have gone scot free, or have been released on bail.
Appeals to the Chief Ministers and Police hierarchy of the States seem not to have had an affect. Appeals and Open Letters to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, and to UPA Chairperson, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, have also not elicited any response.
The community has no option but to make a public display of its injury, grief, and anger has therefore been decided to hold a Peaceful and Prayerful Protest RallyIn New DelhiAt Jantar Mantar, Parliament StreetFrom 10 o’clock on 29th May, 2007. To urge the government to wake up and act to stop this mindless violence against the most peaceful and microscopic religious Minority in India.
Please attend in large numbers.
This appeal is not only to Christian Churches. It is to the entire civil society and NGOs working for communal harmony and peace
Thank you
Dr Joseph D’Souza, President, All India Christian Council
Dr John Dayal, Member, National Integration CouncilPresident, All India Catholic Union Organizers:All India Christian Council, All India Catholic Union,
Truth-seekers InternationalChristian Lawyers AssociationAll India Confederation of SC/ST OrganisationsAnd many others
Contacts Dr. John Dayal (9811021072),Albert Lael (09908249997),Madhu Chandra (9868184939),Email: aiccdelhi@gmail.com,http://www.aiccindia.org
Impersonators hijacking Google group hospitality
Complaint against impersonators on Google groups:
[John Dayal’s note: Several in leadership positions in the Dalit Friendship Network, headquartered in the US, the All India Christian Council and the All India Catholic Union, both India-based, have been receiving hate mail from various identified and unidentified sources for a long time.
In recent months, some persons have impersonated officers of these organisations, set up fake identities and e-groups on Google, Yahoo etc. These fake identities have broadcast fake `information’ and hate campaigns using these identities.
After tolerating it for some time, these groups have decided to take legal action under international law against these impersonators.
The following is a complaint sent to Google against persons who have created fake identities in the names of office bearers of the DFN, which recently was instrumental in initiating international advocacy for abolition of caste.]
From Rich Sweeney
To Google Groups,
We are filing a complaint against the Google Group at http://groups.google.co.uk/group/ChristianAtrocities?hl=en-GB for violating the Google Groups Terms of Service, Section 6, Bullet Point 6 “impersonate another person or entity, or falsify or delete any author attributions, legal or other proper notices or proprietary designations or labels of the origin or source of software or other material contained in a file that is Posted; “
In this group, an author, using the name “Nancy Ricks”, is disseminating anti-Christian hate emails to a large group of constituents. Our Executive Director, Nanci Ricks, has long been the target of Hindu fundamentalist and extremist attacks for her pioneering work in India to abolish the caste system and to give freedom to the Dalits. Please see our website at www.dalitnetwork.org and her bio at http://www.dalitnetwork.org/go?/dfn/about/C26/ . We recently received a notice from John Dayal, President of the All India Catholic Union that he received one of the emails from this group and initially thought it was from our Executive Director.
Please also see the Wikipedia listing for our organization at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalit_Freedom_Network, particularly the history of revisions and edits and you will see the type of constant attack that our organization and Nanci Ricks is undergoing.
We are asking Google Group to request from this group that they stop using the moniker, “Nancy Ricks”, immediately.
We will be awaiting your reply.
Sincerely,
Richard Sweeney
Director of Operations
Dalit Freedom Network
303-221-1333 (work)
303-770-0663 (fax)
www.dalitnetwork.org
Dalit Freedom - Now and Forever!
Excerpts:
6. Appropriate Conduct
You agree that you are responsible for your own conduct and communications while using the Service and for any consequences thereof. You agree to use the Service only to send and receive messages and material that are legal, proper and related to the particular Group. By way of example, and not as a limitation, you agree that when using the Service, you will not:
defame, abuse, harass, stalk, threaten or otherwise violate the legal rights (such as rights of privacy and publicity) of others;
post any inappropriate, defamatory, infringing, obscene, or unlawful Content;
post any Content that infringes any patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary right of any party (the "Rights"), unless you are the owner of the Rights or have the permission of the owner to Post such Content;
post messages that promote pyramid schemes, chain letters or disruptive commercial messages or advertisements, or anything else prohibited by the Group owner.
download any file Posted by another user of a Group that you know, or reasonably should know, that cannot be legally distributed in such manner;
impersonate another person or entity, or falsify or delete any author attributions, legal or other proper notices or proprietary designations or labels of the origin or source of software or other material contained in a file that is Posted;
restrict or inhibit any other user from using and enjoying the Service;
use the Service for any illegal or unauthorized purpose;
remove any copyright, trademark or other proprietary rights notices contained in or on the Service;
interfere with or disrupt the Service or servers or networks connected to the Service, or disobey any requirements, procedures, policies or regulations of networks connected to the Service;
use any robot, spider, site search/retrieval application, or other device to retrieve or index any portion of the Service or collect information about users for any unauthorized purpose;
submit Content that falsely expresses or implies that such Content is sponsored or endorsed by Google;
create user accounts by automated means or under false or fraudulent pretenses;
promote or provide instructional information about illegal activities or promote physical harm or injury against any group or individual; or
transmit any viruses, worms, defects, Trojan horses, or any items of a destructive nature.
----------
[John Dayal’s note: Several in leadership positions in the Dalit Friendship Network, headquartered in the US, the All India Christian Council and the All India Catholic Union, both India-based, have been receiving hate mail from various identified and unidentified sources for a long time.
In recent months, some persons have impersonated officers of these organisations, set up fake identities and e-groups on Google, Yahoo etc. These fake identities have broadcast fake `information’ and hate campaigns using these identities.
After tolerating it for some time, these groups have decided to take legal action under international law against these impersonators.
The following is a complaint sent to Google against persons who have created fake identities in the names of office bearers of the DFN, which recently was instrumental in initiating international advocacy for abolition of caste.]
From Rich Sweeney
To Google Groups,
We are filing a complaint against the Google Group at http://groups.google.co.uk/group/ChristianAtrocities?hl=en-GB for violating the Google Groups Terms of Service, Section 6, Bullet Point 6 “impersonate another person or entity, or falsify or delete any author attributions, legal or other proper notices or proprietary designations or labels of the origin or source of software or other material contained in a file that is Posted; “
In this group, an author, using the name “Nancy Ricks”, is disseminating anti-Christian hate emails to a large group of constituents. Our Executive Director, Nanci Ricks, has long been the target of Hindu fundamentalist and extremist attacks for her pioneering work in India to abolish the caste system and to give freedom to the Dalits. Please see our website at www.dalitnetwork.org and her bio at http://www.dalitnetwork.org/go?/dfn/about/C26/ . We recently received a notice from John Dayal, President of the All India Catholic Union that he received one of the emails from this group and initially thought it was from our Executive Director.
Please also see the Wikipedia listing for our organization at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalit_Freedom_Network, particularly the history of revisions and edits and you will see the type of constant attack that our organization and Nanci Ricks is undergoing.
We are asking Google Group to request from this group that they stop using the moniker, “Nancy Ricks”, immediately.
We will be awaiting your reply.
Sincerely,
Richard Sweeney
Director of Operations
Dalit Freedom Network
303-221-1333 (work)
303-770-0663 (fax)
www.dalitnetwork.org
Dalit Freedom - Now and Forever!
Excerpts:
6. Appropriate Conduct
You agree that you are responsible for your own conduct and communications while using the Service and for any consequences thereof. You agree to use the Service only to send and receive messages and material that are legal, proper and related to the particular Group. By way of example, and not as a limitation, you agree that when using the Service, you will not:
defame, abuse, harass, stalk, threaten or otherwise violate the legal rights (such as rights of privacy and publicity) of others;
post any inappropriate, defamatory, infringing, obscene, or unlawful Content;
post any Content that infringes any patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary right of any party (the "Rights"), unless you are the owner of the Rights or have the permission of the owner to Post such Content;
post messages that promote pyramid schemes, chain letters or disruptive commercial messages or advertisements, or anything else prohibited by the Group owner.
download any file Posted by another user of a Group that you know, or reasonably should know, that cannot be legally distributed in such manner;
impersonate another person or entity, or falsify or delete any author attributions, legal or other proper notices or proprietary designations or labels of the origin or source of software or other material contained in a file that is Posted;
restrict or inhibit any other user from using and enjoying the Service;
use the Service for any illegal or unauthorized purpose;
remove any copyright, trademark or other proprietary rights notices contained in or on the Service;
interfere with or disrupt the Service or servers or networks connected to the Service, or disobey any requirements, procedures, policies or regulations of networks connected to the Service;
use any robot, spider, site search/retrieval application, or other device to retrieve or index any portion of the Service or collect information about users for any unauthorized purpose;
submit Content that falsely expresses or implies that such Content is sponsored or endorsed by Google;
create user accounts by automated means or under false or fraudulent pretenses;
promote or provide instructional information about illegal activities or promote physical harm or injury against any group or individual; or
transmit any viruses, worms, defects, Trojan horses, or any items of a destructive nature.
----------
Dr. John Dayal
Member: National Integration Council, Government of India
National President: All India Catholic Union (Founded 1919)
Secretary General: All India Christian Council (Founded 1999)
President: United Christian Action, Delhi (Founded 1992)
12 May 2007
His Excellency the High Commissioner
High Commission of Australia
Shanti Path, New Delhi
Re: Threat to my life received by post from Australia
Your Excellency, Greetings
The letter that I enclose with this is self explanatory. It is a complaint to the Delhi Police asking them to take action on a letter which I received, and which apparently was posted in Australia, threatening me with physical violence of an extreme kind because of my work in human rights and freedom of faith in India.
I hope the police will investigate the matter.
Threat letters, hate mail and similar crime, I believe, are illegal in Australia. Particularly so is hate through the official, government controlled postal system, and the Internet.
I request you to kindly impress on the Australian authorities to investigate this matter.
With warm regards
Dr. John Dayal.
10 May 2007
The Commissioner of Police, Delhi
Thru:
The Station House Officer
Indraprastha Extension Police Station, Delhi 110092
& the SHO, Parliament Street Police Station
Re: Request to register FIR against persons unknown for threat to life, hate mail, and fomenting religious hate. Also, for spreading communal and hat material through post and through the Internet.
Dear Sir
Greetings
I am a social worker, Human Rights and Civil Society and Freedom of Faith activist. I am also a professional Journalist, and member of the India Government’s National Integration Council which is chaired by the Prime Minister of India.
On the evening of 9th May 2007, I received by post at my address an envelope bearing Australian postage stamps. I opened the envelop, and was shocked to see, and to read, its contents.
The letter was on computer laser print, apparently from the website http://www.hindujagruti.org with the Caption “Hindu Janajagruti Samiti: with the further caption “Devout Hindus stop conversions in MP”. In the white space in the point out, and on the reverse, in a blue felt tip pen, the following threatening words have been written by some apparently literate person, apparently fluent in English, purportedly a student living abroad [in Australia, perhaps, going by the postage stamps and Post Office cancellation marks]:
The writer of the hand written letter says:
“You filthy John Dayal, Stop your dirty conversions in India. Using foreign money to lure poor gullible Hindus into Christianity. We are young Hindus living and studying in foreign countries. If you don not stop your conversions, we will come and kill, chase all Christians out of India. If you are a Christian, go and live in a Christian country. You can stay in our country but stop your conversions. We will not let our Hindu motherland be abused by a filthy dog like you. You will be our first target. Rot in hell, you filthy dog. Go to Pakistan and Saudi and see what your activities will get you there. They will chop your balls and feed it to the dogs. You have the support of that Catholic prostitute Sonia and that pig of a pope of yours. Keep doing this and see what we do to you. You know Gandhi was killed by a Hindu. What are you. Get out of our country, you dirty DOG. Take that Catholic Bitch – Sonia Gandhi family with you.”
I am sending a copy of this letter to the High Commission of Australia in India at his New Delhi address as I expect there are laws in Australia against such mail being posted through their postal services.
I do not fear such threats to my life. I have faith in Christ.
I also have faith in the Democracy of my country and its law and justice system. As a citizen of India, I expect the law and order process to take care of such lunatics,
I am sure the Delhi police will file this FIR under suitable sections of the penal code, and take appropriate action under postal and internet laws of the land.
Thank you,
And God bless
Dr. John Dayal
Encl: The Threat letter and its envelope with Australian postal stamps and markings
Member: National Integration Council, Government of India
National President: All India Catholic Union (Founded 1919)
Secretary General: All India Christian Council (Founded 1999)
President: United Christian Action, Delhi (Founded 1992)
12 May 2007
His Excellency the High Commissioner
High Commission of Australia
Shanti Path, New Delhi
Re: Threat to my life received by post from Australia
Your Excellency, Greetings
The letter that I enclose with this is self explanatory. It is a complaint to the Delhi Police asking them to take action on a letter which I received, and which apparently was posted in Australia, threatening me with physical violence of an extreme kind because of my work in human rights and freedom of faith in India.
I hope the police will investigate the matter.
Threat letters, hate mail and similar crime, I believe, are illegal in Australia. Particularly so is hate through the official, government controlled postal system, and the Internet.
I request you to kindly impress on the Australian authorities to investigate this matter.
With warm regards
Dr. John Dayal.
10 May 2007
The Commissioner of Police, Delhi
Thru:
The Station House Officer
Indraprastha Extension Police Station, Delhi 110092
& the SHO, Parliament Street Police Station
Re: Request to register FIR against persons unknown for threat to life, hate mail, and fomenting religious hate. Also, for spreading communal and hat material through post and through the Internet.
Dear Sir
Greetings
I am a social worker, Human Rights and Civil Society and Freedom of Faith activist. I am also a professional Journalist, and member of the India Government’s National Integration Council which is chaired by the Prime Minister of India.
On the evening of 9th May 2007, I received by post at my address an envelope bearing Australian postage stamps. I opened the envelop, and was shocked to see, and to read, its contents.
The letter was on computer laser print, apparently from the website http://www.hindujagruti.org with the Caption “Hindu Janajagruti Samiti: with the further caption “Devout Hindus stop conversions in MP”. In the white space in the point out, and on the reverse, in a blue felt tip pen, the following threatening words have been written by some apparently literate person, apparently fluent in English, purportedly a student living abroad [in Australia, perhaps, going by the postage stamps and Post Office cancellation marks]:
The writer of the hand written letter says:
“You filthy John Dayal, Stop your dirty conversions in India. Using foreign money to lure poor gullible Hindus into Christianity. We are young Hindus living and studying in foreign countries. If you don not stop your conversions, we will come and kill, chase all Christians out of India. If you are a Christian, go and live in a Christian country. You can stay in our country but stop your conversions. We will not let our Hindu motherland be abused by a filthy dog like you. You will be our first target. Rot in hell, you filthy dog. Go to Pakistan and Saudi and see what your activities will get you there. They will chop your balls and feed it to the dogs. You have the support of that Catholic prostitute Sonia and that pig of a pope of yours. Keep doing this and see what we do to you. You know Gandhi was killed by a Hindu. What are you. Get out of our country, you dirty DOG. Take that Catholic Bitch – Sonia Gandhi family with you.”
I am sending a copy of this letter to the High Commission of Australia in India at his New Delhi address as I expect there are laws in Australia against such mail being posted through their postal services.
I do not fear such threats to my life. I have faith in Christ.
I also have faith in the Democracy of my country and its law and justice system. As a citizen of India, I expect the law and order process to take care of such lunatics,
I am sure the Delhi police will file this FIR under suitable sections of the penal code, and take appropriate action under postal and internet laws of the land.
Thank you,
And God bless
Dr. John Dayal
Encl: The Threat letter and its envelope with Australian postal stamps and markings
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