[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 39 (Thursday, April 11, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E502]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   IN SECULAR INDIA, HINDU LIVES WORTH TWICE AS MUCH AS MUSLIM LIVES

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CYNTHIA A. McKINNEY

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 11, 2002

  Ms. McKINNEY. Mr. Speaker, the government of India is compensating 
the families of those who lost their lives in the recent riots in 
Gujarat. While no amount of money makes up for the loss, this is a 
decent thing to do and I salute India for it.
  However, Mr. Speaker, I was disturbed to find out that apparently in 
the world's largest secular democracy, a Hindu life is worth twice as 
much as a Muslim life. According to News India-Times, the Indian 
government is paying out 200,000 Rupees each to the families of Hindus 
who were killed, but just 100,000 Rupees to the family of each Muslim 
killed.
  Mr. Speaker, I think it is offensive that a country that claims it is 
democratic thinks that the life of one person or group is twice as 
valuable as that of another person or group. What if our government 
declared white lives twice as valuable as black ones, or vice versa? 
Would that be tolerated?
  The article also notes that during the riots, ``Muslim establishments 
were targeted in an organized manner--even when they masqueraded under 
Hindu names and were run in Hindu majority areas.'' This seems to 
indicate the government's hand in the planning of the riots, an 
impression that is reinforced by the fact that the police stood by and 
let the carnage happen.
  This is simply part of an ongoing Hindu nationalist campaign to wipe 
out religious minorities. It is unacceptable, Mr. Speaker, and America 
must help to put a stop to it. We should stop all aid to India until 
all people enjoy equal rights and we should demand a free and fair 
plebiscite in Kashmir, Khalistan, Nagaland, and the other nations 
seeking to get out from under India's brutal occupation. These steps 
will help bring real freedom, stability, and prosperity to the South 
Asian region.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to place the News India-Times article into 
the Record.

               [From the News India-Times March 29, 2002]

                Muslims suffer bias even after the riots

       AHMEDABAD--The state government has been booking those 
     responsible for the Godhra carnage under draconian Prevention 
     of Terrorism Ordinance (POTO), while those who targeted 
     Muslims and their business establishments in an organized 
     manner in the state are being booked under the milder 
     Criminal Procedure Code. POTO allows a person to be held 
     without bail for 30 days.
       Rights activists here contended that this was yet another 
     example of the state government's bias against the Muslim 
     community, and called for the scrapping of POTO.
       Earlier, Chief Minister Narendra Modi's government had 
     announced compensation of Rs. 200,000 ($4,166) for the 
     victims of the Godhra tragedy, while the amount for those who 
     died in the widespread retaliatory riots was fixed at half 
     that amount, Rs. 100,000 ($2,083).
       Rights activists as well as journalists covering the riots 
     have noted how Muslim establishments were targeted in an 
     organized manner--even when they masqueraded under Hindu 
     names and were run in Hindu majority areas.

     

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