Press Statements

All India Christian Council

concern at Srinagar Sharia court statement against Christian pastors

 New Delhi, 13 January 2012

The All India Christian Council is deeply disturbed at the Srinagar based Sharia Court issuing a statement against Christian pastors Jim Borst and C M Khanna Srinagar, Jan 11: Supreme Court of Islamic Sharia Wednesday indicted Christian Pastor C M Khanna and Dutch national, Jim Borst for their involvement in luring people to convert their religion. The Sharia court has threatened it will issue a sentence shortly. Such statements can encourage extremist elements to indulge in violence, the Council fears.

Christian Council secretary general Dr John Dayal said the church in India displayed remarkable sobriety and a sense of responsibility in their response to the arrest in Srinagar of Reverend Chander Mani Khanna, pastor of the All Saints Church late last year on charges of conversion on the demand of a local Mufti. It was hoped that religious and secular authorities, and the state government, would show maturity and responsibility keeping in view the delicately poised public peace situation and the hardship the common people have faced at the hands of terrorists of various hues and other agencies.

The Church does not accept as genuine any conversion brought about by fraud or force. Dr John Dayal pointed out that a fact finding team which went to Srinagar in the wake of the arrest of Rev Khanna, and interviewed Church personnel, Ulema, school, authorities and the police, found no evidence of force or fraud in baptisms that have been carried out over a period of time. Each baptism has been proved to be voluntary. The Christian community in the entire valley does not number more than 400, and has lived in peace with its neighbours for the last century and a half.

The Council said the Christian community does not accept the jurisdiction on the Sharia courts or similar instruments of other religions anywhere in India. The vital issues of the rights of minorities, and freedom faith are also involved.

Dr John Dayal said it devolves on the Jammu and Kashmir Government, religious leaders and people of goodwill in the Kashmir valley to ensure that the nights of minorities are respected, thier welfare assured, and communal harmony strengthened in the region which so desperately requires and environment of peace for its development and wellbeing.






Christian Council demands Government enact Communal Violence Prevention bill
- All India Christian Council -
Pune, December 9, 2011

ALL INDIA CHRISTIAN COUNCIL
Pune Chapter
Punya Dham Society, A/ 2/ 20 Wadgaonsheri, Pune 411014


[The following is the text of the Press Statement issued by Dr John Dayal, Secretary General, All India Christian Council, at a Press conference at Patrakar Bhawan, Navi Peth, Pune, Maharashtra, on 9th December 2011. Other Christian leaders who addressed the press conference included Prof Indira Athawale, Dr Sanjay Kore, Pastor Peter Paul Geore and Mr Diego Almeida.]

The All India Christian Council [aicc], an apex Human Rights and Freedom of Faith forum, has urged the Government of India to urgently bring before Parliament and pass the Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence (Access to Justice and Reparation) Bill 2011. The Bill, commonly called the CV Prevention Bill, was drafted earlier this year by the National Advisory Council and is now with the Union government.

The Bill has been strongly supported by religious minorities as well as by most members of civil society as an effective means to curb communal violence which has plagued this country after Independence in 1947, and bring justice to the victims. In the last ten years there have been more than 6,000 incidents of communal violence, according to information provided by the government to Parliament.

Among the most heinous mass crimes against religious communities in India have been the anti Sikh violence of 1984 in New Delhi and other cities, the anti Muslim pogrom in Gujarat of 2002 and the anti Christian massacre and mass arson in Kandhamal in Orissa in which 56,000 persons were forced to flee to forests when over 5,600 houses in 400 villages were burnt down by Hindutva mobs. Over 100 persons were killed, Nuns and other women were raped and over 290 churches destroyed. In all cases, the police and officials stood by without acting. Many police and civil officers were guilty of involvement in all these acts of mass violence, and others were guilty of inaction and impunity. Kashmiri Pundits have also been subject of targeted violence.

Rehabilitation and resettlement in all cases has been tardy. The worst is the issue of justice. Most victims, including of murder, have been denied justice. In Kandhamal, for instance, not a single person has been convicted for murder. The proposed Bill seeks to secure justice for victims and end the climate of impunity by bringing the guilty officials to book. The proposed law maintains that minorities are denied justice because of the communal behaviour of a section of religious and political extremists and the apathy or involvement of the administration.

The Bill will also curb hate speech and similar actions. In recent months, VHP leader Dr Praveen Togadia has called for the beheading of missionaries in issues of conversion. Janata party leader Subramaniam Swamy has launched a slander campaign against the Christian and Muslim communities in general, and against the aicc in particular. The All India Christian Council also denounces conspiracies to scuttle the Bill. The government should take immediate steps and discuss the Bill with political parties to end the attempt of Hindutva groups to raise false alarms against the proposed law.

Dr John Dayal said Christian leaders in Mumbai had earlier filed a formal complaint demanding legal action against Dr Subramaniam Swamy for spreading hate and violating the Constitution when he wrote an article in a Mumbai newspaper advocating that Muslims should not be given voting rights. Complaints were also filed in New Delhi. Holding that communalism is as evil as corruption, the All India Christian Council has repeatedly called for strong laws to curb hate campaigns and similar activity which leads to the targetting of minorities and marginalised communities, including Muslims, Christians, Dalits and Tribals.

Referring to issues of development of Minorities in Maharashtra state and Pune City, the Council called for adequate and commensurate representation of the Christian community in all walks of life, government and public sector undertakings and in the political establishment. Political parties too must give the community substantial representation and opportunities. Many youth were underemployed. Christian students could not get scholarships because of bureaucratic red tape and lack of information because the Union and state governments had not taken adequate steps. This situation must be rectified.

The AICC called for an end to physical and hidden forms of communalism in the region which has seen burning of churches, harassment if priests and nuns and the attempted blackmailing and violence against schools at admission time. The state government must act in time to prevent such incidents.

All India Christian Council can be contacted at aiccdelhi(at)gmail(dot)com


All India Secular Forum
Welcomes Release of Sanjiv Bhatt on Bail
Posted on October 18, 2011

Mumbai: All India Secular Forum welcomes the release of Gujarat IPS Officer Mr. Sanjiv Bhatt on bail. Members of All India Secular Forum had protested against the arrest of Sanjiv Bhatt as an attempt to intimidate a person who could be a prime witness in the 2002 riot related cases. The charges leveled against Mr. Bhatt were not of such nature that would require his arrest for investigation as everything was matter of record. Bail is a rule and jail is an exception according to number of judgments of Supreme Court. If Sanjiv Bhatt was granted bail in spite of vehement opposition by the Government which was out to portray the IPS officer as a dangerous criminal on the word of K.D. Panth, a low ranking police officer without investigation, speaks volumes about the merit of the charges on which Bhatt was arrested.

Chief Minister of Gujarat is also is likely to be accused in Ahsan Jaffri Gulbarg Society communal riot case in which 61 persons were killed and has not yet been exonerated. To have a potential witness under the control of a potential accused and that too on accusation of a low ranking police officer over whom too any Chief Minister could easily wield influence cannot be in the interest of justice and rule of law. In fact, Bhatt’s advocate I H Sayed has alleged that Bhatt’s arrest was to get hold of and destroy the evidence in Ahsan Jaffri case.

Even while welcoming the release of Sanjiv Bhatt on bail, All India Secular Forum at the same time calls upon all justice loving citizens of the country to be vigilant as many other obstacles are likely to be put to misdirect the course of justice as those accused are indeed powerful. Sadbhavna does not come with media spectacles of a fast but by delivering justice to the victims of riots; when even those powerful elements who are guilty of planning and executing the 2002 communal riots are brought to justice.
Source: nvonews.com


Press Statement of All India Secular Forum (AISF)
on harassment of IPS Officer Shri Sanjiv Bhatt by Govt. of Gujarat

All India Secular Forum (AISF) strongly condemns the harassment of IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt by the Government of Gujarat. Shri Bhatt was not allowed to meet his family members and even his lawyer and was reportedly denied home food. Shri Bhatt is being treated like a criminal. AISF demands that his incarceration must end immediately and he should be enlarged on bail.

Shri Sanjiv Bhatt is not the only IPS officer to be harassed and mistreated. Anyone who has dared to reveal the facts contrary to the stand of the Gujarat Government have similarly faced harassment. R B Sreekumar, former DGP, Gujarat, Rahul Sharma, Kuldeep Sharma and Rajneesh Rai, are examples of individuals who have faced harassment. Rather than harassing officials, it should be left to the appropriate courts to determine the truth behind allegations of the officers concerned.

Shri Sanjiv Bhatt is a key witness in the Zakia Ahsan Jafri and Citizens for Justice and Peace criminal complaint against the Chief Minister Narendra Modi and 61 others and the harassment is with a view to intimidate an important witness and tampering evidence. This would also give a signal to other witnesses and deter them from deposing fearlessly in the cases pending in the court. Shri Sanjiv Bhatt has claimed that he was present in the meeting held on 27th February 2002 and addressed by the Chief Minister asking the police officials to allow the Hindus to vent their anger against the Muslim on the following day.

Shri Bhatt has also filed an affidavit in the Gujarat High Court stating therein that at the relevant time he had come across very important documentary evidence regarding to the role of certain highly placed State functionaries/politicians and senior police officers of the State of Gujarat in the killing of Shri Haren Pandya. His affidavit further stated that the said documentary evidence was immediately forwarded under a report to the Home Department, Government of Gujarat for further appropriate action as required by law. He further stated in his affidavit that on the very same afternoon, he received a phone call from the then Minister of State for Home, Shri Amit Shah, expressing severe displeasure about the report and documentary evidence forwarded to the Home Department by Bhatt and it was conveyed to him, that the report under which the unsavory documentary evidence was forwarded to the Home Department should be immediately destroyed and obliterated. All this provides the motive behind harassment of Shri Bhatt.

Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer
Patron
All India Secular Forum, Mumbai
Dated: 13th October2011


NAPM Condemns attack on Prashant Bhushan
Violence is not the way to express your point of view in democracy
Press Release 

New Delhi, October 12: The attack on Prashant Bhushan, a senior advocate and rights activists is extremely condemnable and only shows the growing intolerance and contempt for any differing opinion in a democratic country. Violence is not the way to express one’s point of view in democracy.

"Bhagat Singh Kranti Sena" which owned the attack proclaims itself as “a team of guys who are crazy for nation, those who can do anything for Nation. A task force against traitors, anti-nationals & corrupts. A team of people, those who are ready to take any action to teach anti-nationals & traitors.” It is extremely condemnable that a group using the name of Bhagat Singh and in the name of patriotism resorts to such action. We condemn such a heinous attack. In the name nationalism and patriotism such acts can’t be tolerated and those responsible for the act must be brought to book and strict action taken against them.

Millions of young people propelled by the duty towards the nation came on the street during the anti-corruption agitation, where Prashant Bhushan played a key role, but they respected the principles of non-violence, peace and freedom. We urge every one of them that patriotism doesn’t mean vanquishing of those who differ from us. India is a country with diversity of opinions and with myriad complexities and in a democracy we need to respect the difference and differing opinions.

Prashant Bhushan is well known and respected by social movements and civil society for his public work for more than two decades now. Apart from cases involving irregularities in government procedures in the Bofors scam and the 2G Spectrum allotment, he has appeared in numerous cases involving Sardar Sarovar Dam, Vedanta University Land Acquisition, Bhopal Gas Accident and many other cases which have been brought to him from time to time, at his own expense with no charges to people. His efforts through Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms (CJAR) have brought judicial accountability, corruption within judiciary and need for large scale reforms under public glare. Further, Prashant's constant effort in trying to raise his voice against Operation Green Hunt and rights violations in North East and Jammu Kashmir has also raised hackles in certain quarters. This attack on him is a result of such acts of courage by Prashant over the years.

Political dialogue to address the needs, concerns and aspirations of people in any region on any issue is the basis of a democratic society, and use of force and violence by State or non-state actors must not be used to suppress dissent and protest.

Kuldip Nayyar, Justice (Retd.) Rajinder Sachar, Medha Patkar, Aruna Roy, Sandeep Pandey, Maj Gen (Retd) Sudhir Vombatkere, Prafulla Samantara, P Chennaiah, Arundhati Dhuru, Nikhil Dey, Sister Celia, Gabriele Dietrich, Rajendra Ravi, Ramakrishna Raju, Mukta Srivastava, Shankar Singh, Anand Mazgaonkar, Vimal Bhai, Ajit Jha, Madhuresh Kumar,
-------
National Alliance of People’s Movements
National Office: Room No. 29-30, 1st floor, ‘A’ Wing, Haji Habib Bldg, Naigaon Cross Road, Dadar (E), Mumbai - 400 014;
Ph: 022-24150529

6/6, Jangpura B, Mathura Road, New Delhi 110014
Phone : 011 26241167 / 24354737 Mobile : 09818905316








 











































































































































 



















PRESS RELEASE

Celebration of 62nd Glorious Independence Day of India - August 15, 2008

KUWAIT: On the auspicious occasion of 62nd Independence Day of India, IMWA (Indian Muslim Welfare Association, Kuwait) has pleasure and privilege to extend warm greetings to the Indian government, the people of India, H.E. the Ambassador of India to Kuwait and the Indian community living in Kuwait.

Having members from all over India, IMWA is a national platform of Indian Muslim community in Kuwait. It believes and promotes a practical spirit of fraternity among the Indians in Kuwait and upholds the value of national integrity. The Indian diaspora in Kuwait is a largest group with proven friendly behavior and contributing silently towards the economic growth and development of motherland India and the host country.

At this happy occasion of celebration of 61st Independence Day of India, the members of IMWA pledge their ardent devotion and immense patriotism, and also express solidarity with the troubled lives of people in Kashmir and other parts of India.

s/d-
Iqbal Soofi
General Secretary
Indian Muslim Welfare Association, Kuwait
Issued on 14th August 2008



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Statement on Recent Serial Blasts in Bangalore and elsewhere 

KUWAIT: IMWA deplores the serial bomb blasts in Indian cities of Bangalore and Ahmadabad and denounces the heinous crime against humanity in strongest possible terms. IMWA expresses full solidarity with the families of victims and urges the people to safeguard country's pluralist and tolerant ethos.

In the recent past similar incidents in India have gone uninvestigated and the authorities have come under intense pressure for not being able to launch honest probes. In some instances the authorities have harassed several innocent youth without any evidences in the name of probing the case. IMWA urges to conduct impartial investigation into the incidents to find out the real culprits and to curb any such untoward happenings in future in a pluralist country like India. Both print and electronic media should play a very responsible role upholding ethics of journalism.

IMWA appreciates the great people of these cities on maintaining peace, being calm and admires their unity and patience.

s/d-
Iqbal Soofi
General Secretary
Indian Muslim Welfare Association, Kuwait
Issued on 28th July 2008



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

IMWA Condoles the Death of G.M. Banatwala

KUWAIT: Indian Muslim Welfare Association (IMWA) condoles the death of G. M. Banatwala, a member of Indian Parliament who died on Wednesday, 25th June 2008 in Mumbai. Ghulam Mehmood Banatwala, the national president of a large political party Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) was an intellectual of high reputation, an active politician who was elected for Indian parliament several times. Banatwala was known for his firebrand speeches and was a great visionary leader of the community.

Banatwala had been actively involved in value based politics till he breathed his last in Mumbai at the age of 74. He was very much concerned about the minority issues especially of Muslims. In parliament and outside, he was never hesitant to raise minority issues and had always spoken his heart. His loss is indeed irreparable!

IMWA offers deepest condolences to the bereaved family, his close people, and to the community in India and abroad. May Allah grant him a high station in Paradise and elegant steadfastness to his people on this great loss.

s/d-
Iqbal Soofi
General Secretary
Indian Muslim Welfare Association, Kuwait
Issued on 26th June 2008
twocircles (dot) net


RESOLUTION OF CONDOLENCES

IMWA Condoles the Death of Kuwait's Father-Amir 

KUWAIT: The Indian Muslim Welfare Association (IMWA) of Kuwait offers deepest condolences over the loss of His Highness the Father Amir of Kuwait, Shaikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah who passed away on Tuesday, 13th May 2008.

IMWA offers heartfelt condolences to the Kuwaiti leadership, the government and the Kuwaiti people on the demise of a great leader, a former ruler.  Shaikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah was a heroic leader of Kuwait and his efforts helped promoting long lasting, bilateral relationship between India and Kuwait.

May Allah reward him Paradise.  Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilaihi Raajioon! 

s/d-
Iqbal Soofi
General Secretary
Indian Muslim Welfare Association, Kuwait
Issued on 14th May 2008