The article appeared in 'The Examiner' www.the-examiner.org
Christian Council condemns States’ religious intolerence By Dr Abraham Mathai, Gen. Secy., All India Christian Council It would seem that to be a Christian is in itself an offence in this country today. An American evangelist was yesterday prevented from preaching to a Christian gathering in Kerala by the police, because he has come on a tourist/business visa and the same has been widely reported in the National Dailies (Hindustan Times, Asian Age and others) all over the country today. A couple of months ago in Mumbai too, a group of U.S. nationals who were conducting a Bible study to a group of Christians were mercilessly beaten by communal goons and were thereafter deported on similar grounds. It may be noted that in Washington D.C. and that too outside the White House, Indian followers and devotees of Swami Vivekanand and other Swamis freely give out religious literature to spread their beliefs. It is quite absurd that India, the largest democracy in the world and a signatory of the 1948 UN Charter on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is deliberately violating fundamental Human Rights of others, yet paradoxically the overseas headquarters of the RSS in New York and California are taking full advantage of the liberties enshrined in the Constitutions of the western world which have their very foundations in the Christian faith. When a person visits any country as a tourist, he is free to attend the places of worship of his or her choice and participate in the religious rites according to the demands of the faith. It is just absurd to think of an Indian visiting the U.S being attacked for visiting a place of worship or proclaiming his faith and being deported subsequently. Such a shameful act is unacceptable in a civilised society such as ours especially when globalisation demands interdependence and reciprocity. It is no secret that numerous visitors from the Western nations including the U.S. come on tourist visas flocking temples like ISKCON in Mumbai and Rajneesh Ashram in Pune and it is a common sight in Mumbai when many of these foreign nationals who are devotees of ISKCON are found propagating and selling religious books and cassettes at railway stations, bus stands and various public places. The All India Christian Council begs a clarification from the government as to why is this discrimination violating the provisions of Article 25 of our Constitution and accepted Universal Human Rights Conventions, only practised against the followers of Christ? It is quite a disturbing fact that the world’s largest democracy is consciously apeing the religious intolerance practised in certain countries of the Middle East which has been the cause of religious fundamentalism and terrorism endangering world peace. ==== Joseph Fernandes Mumbai __________________________________________________________ Yahoo! India Matrimony: Find your partner now. Go to http://yahoo.shaadi.com