[sacw] Christian memo to Indian parliament

[Harsh Kapoor]

FYI ( Thanks to John Dayal for Sending this)
South Asia Citizens web
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[...]
christians in india observed a national day of prayer on sunday, 21st
february 1999, protesting the continuing violence against the community in
india.
[...]
A memorandum was presented to the President, Mr K R Narayanan.

earlier in the day, human right activists john dayal and ambrose pinto
released the text of a letter addressed to members of parliament calling on
thier intervention to end communal violence, which seems to have the
support of some members of the current coaltion government.

Parliament convenss on monday, 22 february, for its annual budget session.
The following is the text of the letter to members of parliament.

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An Appeal to members of Parliament

February 21st 1999

Dear Member of Parliament

The worst fears expressed by the Members of Parliament during the
Debate on Communalism in the Winter Session of Parliament, have come
true. December 1998 and January 1999 saw the worst-ever kind of
violence on Christians in the history of Independent India.

The Government's inaction on burning of Bibles in Gujarat in the
summer of 1998, the exhumation of a body in the same state and other
acts of violence, led inevitably to the destruction of more than 30
churches in the district of Dangs in Gujarat during Christmas week.

The murder by burning of leprosy doctor Graham Stuart Staines and his
two innocent children Philip and Timothy, thoroughly exposed the
communal agenda of the Sangh parivar and of those in power at the
Centre. The Union government indicted itself when several of its
ministers defended the forces that murdered Staines in such a macabre
manner.

With extreme regret and sadness, we note that this shameless defence
of the ideology of hate continues, posing a threat to the secular
fabric of the nation, and therefore to its integrity. It is in this
context that the nation notices with apprehension the sinister
implications of RSS members in Raj Bhawans. The Governor of Bihar has
publicly announced his pride in being a member of the RSS. The
administration of the state is now in his hands under President's
rule. We convey to you the anxiety and fears of dalits, the tribals
and the minorities in the state of Bihar who have faced reprehensible
caste massacres and communal victimisation. These fears are further
heightened by the Governor's very first actions, including motivated
transfers of officials and police. Despite the assurances of the Union
Home Minister for appointing an apolitical Governor, the Central
government has succumbed to the pressure of vested interests. The
Union government's vulnerability to this pressure by this
extra-Constitutional centre of authority, is a cause of grave concern
to all those who uphold democratic traditions.

We call upon the Parliament of India, and the individual Members of
Parliament, to raise their voice at this crucial hour:

- To strengthen the secular guarantees of the Constitution
- To preserve the rich pluralistic cultural heritage
- To be vigilant against attacks being made on the secular fabric of
the nation by subverting the Media, the educational system, the
rewriting of history, intolerance in culture, by foisting a sectarian
curricula on the basic education system. This indeed is the most
alarming of all, an attempt not only to injure the present but also to
poison the future.

We hope that you, dear Member of Parliament, will intervene decisively
in the Budget session of Parliament.

Yours sincerely

John Dayal, National Secretary, All India Catholic Union
Ambrose Pinto, Executive Director, Indian Social Institute New Delhi

10, Lodi Estate, New Delhi
Phones: 4611745 Fax 4690660 email: ambrose@i...
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