Mahadeep Singh Jamwal
A letter dated 25th Feb, 2016 was released by the ‘Lantos Human Rights Commission’ a bipartisan caucus of the House of Representatives, signed by eight senators and 26 members of the top US lawmakers from both parties i.e. Democrats and Republicans, to the press on 27th Feb, 2016, and reported in Washington, 27 (PTI). This letter did not find enough space in Indian Press owing to its shots on secular character of India. The letter was signed by Senators Roy Blunt, Amy Klobucher, James Lankford, Al Franklin, Tim Scot, and others and addressed to PM of India. In the letter 34 top US lawmakers have expressed ‘grave concerns’ over ‘increasing intolerance and violence’ against members of minority communities in India.
Formerly known as the ‘Human Rights Caucus’, was founded in 1983 by Tom Lantos a Californian Democrat, and John Edward Porter, an Illinois Republican. Following death of Tom Lantos it reformed as ‘Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission’. It is a bipartisan caucus of the United States House of Representatives, with stated mission to promote, defend and advocate internationally, recognised rights of human rights and other relevant human rights instruments. The unfounded and biased concern of this ‘Lantos Human Rights Commission’ and its communication to the PM of India, that ‘We urge your government to take immediate steps to ensure that, the fundamental rights of religious minorities are protected and that the perpetrators of violence are held to account’ and ‘of particular concern is the treatment of India’s Christian, Muslim and Sikh communities’, is just nothing but enough to malign the secular character of India. Some of the references cited for its concern are;
* A resolution adopted by 50 village councils in the Bastar District of Chattisgarh, banning all non-Muslim religions propaganda, prayers and speeches (17th June 2014) and attack by a mob including members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal, injuring some Christians. Forgetting that Christian religion was firmly rooted in India in 7th Centaury and at present approximately there are 27.8 million followers of Christianity in India and they have lived, prospered and risen in every sphere of activity or profession in India.
* Beef ban controversy linking the killing of a Muslim in Manipur in November and UP in September 2015, forgetting that these deaths were criminal activities and deserve to be condemned and action under law has taken its course.
* The additional concerns about the lack of recognition of Sikhism as a distinct religion, adding, this prevents members of the community from accessing social services and employment and educational preferences available to other religious communities. Forgetting that Sikhs are in forefront in every sector and sphere and they do not need the Americans to advise the Indian PM about their welfare.
These all unfounded, baseless and biased references are an attempt to keep religious atmosphere surcharged to destabilise the country. The letter so shot by US Senators was after the concern shown by PM Modi, expressing the concern over violence against religious minorities in India that “Government was committed to ensure that there is complete freedom of faith and not allow any religious group, belonging to the majority or the minority, to incite hatred against others”. The architects of this letter have shown their urge by writing that “the law makers urge you (PM) to turn these words into action by publicly condemning the ban on non-Hindu faiths in Bastar District of Chhattisgarh, and the violent assaults and other forms of harassment against religious minorities throughout India and that steps should be taken against activities of groups such as RSS”. In this backdrop, one is constrained to say that, it amounts to interfering in the internal affairs of India, where US Senators and representatives go to the extent of advising the PM of India.
The US lawmakers’ statement that their strong support for the US-India partnership has encouraged them to relay their concern about the increasing intolerance and violence against members of India’s religious minority communities as experienced is unfortunate that on one hand these members of US Congress while applauding India as a pluralistic society with a longstanding commitment to inclusion and tolerance and at the same time have chosen to malign India by focusing on just a few incidents exposing double standard of these US senators.
The letter so written stands reacted by the External Affairs Ministry spokesman on 29th Feb, 2016, in a statement that “India is proud of its status as the world’s largest democracy. The Indian Constitution guarantees fundamental rights to all its citizens, including minority communities. Aberrations, if any, are dealt with by our internal processes, which include our independent judiciary, autonomous National Human Rights Commission, vigilant media and vibrant civil society”. Apart from mere reaction of India on this letter (which is not enough), the matter should have been discussed in the Parliament session, being a pen assault on secular fiber of India, with a befitting reply to these senators. The debates on national channels, instead of non required debates, should have been there to get the exact opinion of the religious groups on the matter, but the silence of all political parties and anything from media on a very core issue puts a question mark for the silence.
Concluding we have to look through this aspect also, that whether US is not leading a double standard in talks with India as a check and balance policy? Come what may, the letter has exposed the ‘intolerance’ of these senators of ‘Tolerant India’ and it is a red signal for India being an attempt to void the gap between peace loving followers of different religions.
