[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 149 (Thursday, October 30, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2147-E2148]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


INDIA SHOWS RELIGIOUS ``TOLERANCE'' BY FIRING ON CHRISTIAN FESTIVAL AND 
                       BEHEADS A CATHOLIC PRIEST

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. DAN BURTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 30, 1997

  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, once again the mask of Indian 
``democracy'' has slipped off and the grisly reality underneath has 
been exposed. Just weeks after the state funeral of Mother Teresa 
earned India fawning media coverage, it has fired on innocent 
Christians who were merely holding a 5-day festival called ``Jesus 
Christ is the Answer.'' According to official reports, 9 Christians and 
19 police officers were injured.
  This unconscionable act of religious tyranny took place after the 
militant Hindu parties complained of possible conversions of Hindus to 
Christianity during the festival in Ludhiana, Punjab. India used to 
have a law against religious conversions of Hindus. Although it claims 
that this law has been repealed, in practice it is still enforced.
  Hindu militant rioters tried to sabotage the festival by setting fire 
to the soundstage and other equipment. According to newspaper articles, 
no action was taken against the persons responsible for these acts. 
Instead, the authorities closed down the festival based on the 
allegation that conversions were occurring. What kind of ``secular 
democracy'' allows its police to shoot at people merely because they 
may be persuading people to adopt their religious views.
  That is not secularism, and Mr. Speaker that is not democracy. It is 
militant, fundamentalist theocracy of the same kind that operates in 
Iran.
  And finally Mr. Speaker, I sadly report that a Catholic priest was 
found beheaded in the northern India state of Bihar. This was the third 
Catholic clergyman killed in the past 2 years in this religion. The 
colleagues of the Reverend A.T. Thomas said that he was killed for 
aiding the region's ``untouchables.'' There were further reports that 
the police in the area were offering a $28 reward for the return of the 
priest's missing head.
  Mr. Speaker, these gruesome facts make it imperative that this 
Congress continue to support the inclusion of India as a major violator 
of religious rights in the Wolf-Specter Freedom From Religious 
Persecution Act of 1997.
  I would like to conclude by thanking Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, 
president of the Council of Khalistan, for bringing these atrocities to 
my attention. I am introducing the Council of Khalistan's press release 
and the AP article on this matter into the Record.

 Indian Police Open Fire on Christian Festival Just Weeks After Mother 
                         Teresa's State Funeral

       Washington, D.C., October 30--Several police and Christians 
     were injured after police used firearms, tear gas and baton 
     charges to disperse Christians who were holding a five-day 
     festival entitled ``Jesus Christ is the Answer'' in Ludhiana, 
     Punjab. Indian authorities dispersed the festival by force 
     after allegations that organizers were engaging in 
     conversions of Hindus to Christianity.
       Indian authorities allowed the Christian festival only 
     after assurances by organizers that no conversions would take 
     place. However, in the course of the five-day festival, Hindu 
     protests organized by political leaders turned more militant 
     as rioters attempted to set fire to the soundstage and other 
     equipment. It was reported that Indian authorities took no 
     action against the Hindu rioters.
       When allegations arose that the Christian festival was 
     actually converting Hindus, Indian authorities closed down 
     the festival. Christians conducted a sit-in protest on the 
     Chandigarh Road. Police responded by using tear gas and 
     batons to beat the protestors, police gunfire was also 
     reported. Official figures place the injuries at 9 Christians 
     and 19 police officers, however, Christian casualties may be 
     much higher.
       ``This is secular democracy in action,'' said Dr. Gurmit 
     Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan. ``Unless 
     you are Mother Teresa, this is how most Christians in India 
     are treated.'' Christians in Nagaland have faced religious 
     and political persecution since Indian independence, over 
     200,000 Christian Nagas have been murdered since 1947. Punjab 
     State Magistracy and human rights groups have stated that 
     since 1984, over 250,000 Sikhs were killed by Indian security 
     forces. 53,000 Kashmiris have been killed since 1988 and tens 
     of thousands of Dalits, India's dark skinned aboriginals 
     relegated to untouchable status, have also been killed.
       ``Although the Indian Government has publicly declared that 
     their law against converting Hindus is no longer in force, 
     these Christians were attacked by Indian police because of 
     charges that they were converting Hindus and that should 
     indicate how the Indian Government feels about Christians and 
     about Hindus converting to Christian faith,'' concluded Dr. 
     Aulakh.
                                  ____


             [From the Tribune News Service, Oct. 27, 1997]

                        DSP Hurt in Brickbatting

       Ludhiana, October 26--The police opened fire in the air and 
     resorted to a lathi charge to disperse an agitated mob of 
     Christians last night as many as 19 policemen, including a 
     DSP and nine Christians were injured in the brickbatting and 
     lathi charge. Two vehicles were also damaged. The Christians 
     had started a five-day programme on ``Jesus Christ is the 
     answer'' festival from October 22 to October 26 on the 
     Chandigarh Road. They claimed that they were holding their 
     prayers and thousands of Christians were participating in the 
     same. On the other hand BJP activists of the Shiv Sena and 
     the Bajrang Dal objected to the holding of the festival 
     alleging that the Christians were resorting to conversions 
     and indulging in ``magical healing.'' The administration on 
     the first day withdrew permission to hold the festival but on 
     the assurance that no magical healing would be done and no 
     conversions would take place, it relented. However, groups 
     opposed to the holding of the festival continued their 
     protest dharna near the venue of the festival. The police had 
     made elaborate security arrangements. According to a 
     spokesperson for the Christians, the district administration 
     yesterday forced them to wind up the festival as tension was 
     brewing up in the town. He said that on October 22 an attempt 
     was made to set the venue on fire and electric lights were 
     damaged. But the administration did not take any action 
     against the rioters. He said as the announcement for the 
     cancellation of the festival was made the youngster started a 
     dharna on the Chandigah Road. The police lathi-charged them 
     and chased them to the CMC Chowk where other Christians had 
     collected in protest against the cancellation of the 
     festival. The spokesman said a deputation of the Christians 
     had also met the Chief Minister, Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, at 
     a village in Muktsar district two days ago and apprised him 
     of the situation. The SSP, Mr. Dinkar Gupta, said as many as 
     19 policemen were injured in the brickbatting. He said the 
     police force was outnumbered at the CMC Chowk and had resort 
     to a lathi charge and open fire in the air to protect 
     themselves.
                                  ____


               [From the Washington Post, Oct. 29, 1997]

                   Priest Beheaded in India for Works

       New Delhi, India (AP)--A Catholic priest was found beheaded 
     in a forest in northern India, apparently killed for aiding 
     the region's no-caste untouchables, colleagues said today.
       A search part from the Australian-run mission that employed 
     the Rev. A.T. Thomas found his decapitated body Monday near 
     Sirka village, three days after Thomas was abducted from the 
     village's meeting place.
       He was the third Catholic clergyman killed in the past two 
     years in Bihar, India's least-developed state, where caste-
     based gang wars have killed hundred of residents in recent 
     years.
       Thomas, an Indian working for Province of the Society of 
     Jesus, had established 15 schools and health projects for 
     Harijans, or untouchables, who occupy the lowest rung in the 
     hierarchy of the Hindu caste system.
       ``He was working for uplifting the Harijans in remote 
     areas. That may have been a threat to the upper castes,'' the 
     Rev. George Pereira of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of 
     India said in New Delhi.
       Police were looking into Thomas' past mediation in land 
     disputes, police Superintendent Bihuthy Pradhan said in 
     Bihar.
       The priest earlier had been involved in a successful court 
     fight by the untouchables to cultivate land claimed by upper 
     caste Hindus.
       ``It looks like an act of revenge,'' the Rev. Father Phil 
     Crotty said in Melbourne.
       Police were offering a $28 reward--a month's wages in that 
     area--for the return of the priest's missing head.


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