03-10-2007, 09:56 AM
<b>Disappointed Christian leaders write to Sonia</b>
http://www.indianexpress.com/story/25106.html
SEEMA CHISHTI, March 09, 2007
New Delhi, March 8: When the Himachal Pradesh Assembly passed the
anti-conversion Freedom of Religion Act 2006 last December, the Congress party
could not have imagined the adverse reactions it would bring from minority groups, especially Christians, even from outside the state.
They say the law, the first ever to have been passed by a Congress
government, goes against the party's commitment to allow Indians freedom to
"practise, profess and propagate" their faith. Usually seen at the forefront for
defending the party, the groups now say the law amounts to a breach of faith.
Several Christian clerics, heads of Christian organisations and even the
Vice-Chairman of a State Minorities Commission have written to UPA chairperson
Sonia Gandhi in the past few weeks in this regard.
In a letter dated January 12, Abraham Mathai, Maharashtra Minorities
Commission vice-chairman, wrote: "It may be recalled that even in your capacity
as the chairperson of the UPA government and president of the Congress party, you had condemned these Bills publicly and also written to the All-India
Christian Council about the same in a letter dated 27th July 2006. It was
encouraging to know that the Congress party in all these five states under your
able leadership had vehemently opposed these Bills and even demonstrated against them."
Mathai goes on to express his disappointment saying: "Such a Bill that
undermines the very spirit of democracy especially in a Congress-ruled state is
an embarrassment to the party, which is seen as the only hope and champion of
secularism in this nation. Besides negotiating and contradicting the integrity
and the stand of the Congress on this issue, such a trend when allowed to
continue will even weaken our resolve in fighting against communal forces and
their repressive policies."
In a separate letter to Sonia, the president of the National United Christian
Forum, Archbishop Vincent M Concessao, writes that this is "the last thing
that the citizens, particularly the minorities, expected from the Congress."
All those writing to Sonia have cited the other four states (Gujarat, Madhya
Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan), which had passed similar
anti-conversion laws and the Congress party's opposition to those laws.
In a strongly-worded paragraph in his letter to Sonia, secretary of All-India
Christian Council Sam Paul has requested the Congress president to
"constitute an inquiry against the Himachal Pradesh chief minister for
anti-party activities and set the record straight by repealing this anti-human
rights law of the Anti-Conversion Bill."
The law passed by the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, and given his assent by the
Governor on February 10, prevents conversion by coercion or allurement ââ¬â by
"inducement direct or indirect", something already defined as illegal by the
law of the land. <b>Christian clerics say the law makes Christian groups
vulnerable by presuming that they engage in "forcible" conversions and
hampering other work they may attempt to do. </b>
<b>Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, on his part, has said he "has not banned
conversions, </b>but only laid down a procedure for it, and prevented fraudulent
conversions".
The Bill was brought in after the CM assured the House that it would be
enacted after a BJP MLA wanted to bring in a Private Member's Bill on the
subject in the last Budget session. When finally presented in the House, it was
supported by the Opposition BJP and amendments brought in by them were also
passed.
There are about 10,000 Christians in Himachal out of a total population of 64
lakh.
http://www.indianexpress.com/story/25106.html
SEEMA CHISHTI, March 09, 2007
New Delhi, March 8: When the Himachal Pradesh Assembly passed the
anti-conversion Freedom of Religion Act 2006 last December, the Congress party
could not have imagined the adverse reactions it would bring from minority groups, especially Christians, even from outside the state.
They say the law, the first ever to have been passed by a Congress
government, goes against the party's commitment to allow Indians freedom to
"practise, profess and propagate" their faith. Usually seen at the forefront for
defending the party, the groups now say the law amounts to a breach of faith.
Several Christian clerics, heads of Christian organisations and even the
Vice-Chairman of a State Minorities Commission have written to UPA chairperson
Sonia Gandhi in the past few weeks in this regard.
In a letter dated January 12, Abraham Mathai, Maharashtra Minorities
Commission vice-chairman, wrote: "It may be recalled that even in your capacity
as the chairperson of the UPA government and president of the Congress party, you had condemned these Bills publicly and also written to the All-India
Christian Council about the same in a letter dated 27th July 2006. It was
encouraging to know that the Congress party in all these five states under your
able leadership had vehemently opposed these Bills and even demonstrated against them."
Mathai goes on to express his disappointment saying: "Such a Bill that
undermines the very spirit of democracy especially in a Congress-ruled state is
an embarrassment to the party, which is seen as the only hope and champion of
secularism in this nation. Besides negotiating and contradicting the integrity
and the stand of the Congress on this issue, such a trend when allowed to
continue will even weaken our resolve in fighting against communal forces and
their repressive policies."
In a separate letter to Sonia, the president of the National United Christian
Forum, Archbishop Vincent M Concessao, writes that this is "the last thing
that the citizens, particularly the minorities, expected from the Congress."
All those writing to Sonia have cited the other four states (Gujarat, Madhya
Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan), which had passed similar
anti-conversion laws and the Congress party's opposition to those laws.
In a strongly-worded paragraph in his letter to Sonia, secretary of All-India
Christian Council Sam Paul has requested the Congress president to
"constitute an inquiry against the Himachal Pradesh chief minister for
anti-party activities and set the record straight by repealing this anti-human
rights law of the Anti-Conversion Bill."
The law passed by the Himachal Pradesh Assembly, and given his assent by the
Governor on February 10, prevents conversion by coercion or allurement ââ¬â by
"inducement direct or indirect", something already defined as illegal by the
law of the land. <b>Christian clerics say the law makes Christian groups
vulnerable by presuming that they engage in "forcible" conversions and
hampering other work they may attempt to do. </b>
<b>Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, on his part, has said he "has not banned
conversions, </b>but only laid down a procedure for it, and prevented fraudulent
conversions".
The Bill was brought in after the CM assured the House that it would be
enacted after a BJP MLA wanted to bring in a Private Member's Bill on the
subject in the last Budget session. When finally presented in the House, it was
supported by the Opposition BJP and amendments brought in by them were also
passed.
There are about 10,000 Christians in Himachal out of a total population of 64
lakh.