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March 13, 2006

Rajasthan: Attack on Christian Institutions

(The Hindu
Mar 14, 2006)

Rajasthan
CPI(M) demands action against Rajasthan Minister

Special Correspondent

Dilawar challenges `intentions' of the fact-finding mission

# Governor's intervention sought
# Allegation of unparliamentary language

JAIPUR: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has taken umbrage at the comments of Rajasthan Social Welfare Minister Madan Dilawar on the visit of a team of Members of Parliament from the party to Kota this weekend to enquire into the attack on Christian institutions there. The party on Monday demanded action by the Rajasthan Governor against the Minister for use of "unparliamentary language against the Members of Parliament".

"We condemn the language used by Mr.Dilawar against the five MPs from our party who visited Kota to enquire into the attacks on the institutions run by the Emmanuel Mission and other Christian denominations in Kota. The members of the Lok Sabha, the highest Constitutional body in the country, have a right to gather information on atrocities against citizens in any part of the country and raise the issue in Parliament. It is the duty of the MPs to protect the Constitutional right of citizens," the State Secretariat of the CPI (M), in a statement on Monday said.

Mr.Dilwar, in a statement from Kota had challenged the "intentions" of the CPI (M) MPs' visit and termed them as "advocates of anti-nationals". "Their observations carry no credibility," Mr.Dilwar was quoted as saying.

"They belong to the fraternity of Brinda Karat and those who conspired to tarnish the image of Swami Ramdev. They are pleading the cause of those who have hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus and insulted our gods and goddesses. There is a deep conspiracy behind the developments," Mr.Dilwar, who expressed his willingness to be stoned by the public if the law does not take its course against the Emmanuel Mission International, had alleged.

"There have been regular attacks in the State on minorities and their institutions. The Bharatiya Janata Party, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Shiv Sena and Bajrang Dal have been vandalising these institutions in the presence of the police. The administration has remained a mute spectator to the destruction," Vasudev, State Secretary of CPI (M) said. "Even the Ministers are involved in spreading the canard,'' he pointed out.

The acts of official repression such as the cancellation of the registration of the Emmanuel Mission institutions, stopping the supplies to the student hostels and orphanages and influencing the municipal bodies to render the buildings of the institutions illegal had all created a deep sense of insecurity among the minorities in the State, the party said.