news details |
|
|
| Indian-American Christians protest to Sonia Gandhi | | | BL KAK
NEW DELHI, JAN 23
Yet another event just reported from Washington has confirmed, if any confirmation was needed, the stepped-up clout and significance of the Indian National Congress (INC) president, Sonia Gandhi.
The Washington-based Federation of Indian-American Christian Organisations of North America has asked Sonia Gandhi to help stop legislation aimed at harassing Indian Christian workers in the north Indian State of Himachal Pradesh.
In a letter to Sonia Gandhi, the federation strongly protests the Anti-Conversion Legislation passed by the Himachal Pradesh legislature on December 30, 2006. The federation's president, Dr Joseph Nidiry, writes: "We cannot understand the basis of these anti-conversion bills/laws … We wish to point out that past experience shows that these laws will be used to harass and intimidate minorities, and unethically prosecute Christian institutions and their workers. As many legal experts attest these laws would be hard to implement, but easy to be abused for harassing and intimidating minority institutions. We've already seen several instances of such abuse".
The head of the Indian Christian rights group reminded Sonia that she had herself said in the past that her Congress party was opposed to this "divisive, hate-filled" anti-religion strategy used by some bigoted members of certain political other parties.
The Washington-based federation's letter to Sonia observed: "Everyone knew about your views on this issue. The development in Himachal therefore comes as a profound shock to us. We express our utmost disappointment and urge you to use your influence to ask the state to rescind the law or withdraw it altogether" .
Sonia Gandhi has also been asked as president of the Congress and leader of the coalition partners in Himachal Pradesh to "undo the grievous damage being done to the sanctity of the Indian Constitution and to the freedom of faith of the Indian people". |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
