SECULAR INDIA SUPPORTS EMMANUEL MINISTRIES,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 001953 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/22/2016 TAGS: PGOV PHUM KRIF KDEM SCUL CASC IN SUBJECT: SECULAR INDIA SUPPORTS EMMANUEL MINISTRIES, RAJASTHAN PARLIAMENT ADJOURNED AFTER HEATED DEBATE REF: NEW DELHI 1818 Classified By: DCM Bob Blake for reasons 1.4 (B,D) ¶1. (C) Summary: Thousands of Indians from all religious communities marched on the Rajasthan Parliament in Jaipur on March 21 to demand an end to the anti-Emmanuel Mission (EM) campaign of state Minister for Social Welfare and Cooperatives Madan Delivar. The issue also caused a major uproar in the state parliament, resulting in a physical confrontation between BJP and Congress representatives and two adjournments to quell the "pandemonium." The broad outpouring of support for EM and the heated debate in the Rajasthan Assembly demonstrate that civil society and the state political machinery are actively confronting the minority Hindutva movement in Rajasthan. National Human Rights Commission Chairman Nirmal Singh told Poloff on March 21 that he met the previous wmek with the Rajasthan Director General of Police and Home Secretary and requested a full report on the situation involving EM. BJP MP and spokesman Balbir Punj told poloff on March 21 that his party expects the issue to fade away within the next few weeks, implying that they do not plan to pursue the issue. Press reported that EM leader Samuel Thomas remains in police custody and will be released on March 23. End Summary. Rajasthan Civil Society Protests Alleged Attacks on EM -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Thousands of people from all religious communities held a peaceful march on the Rajasthan Parliament in Jaipur on Tuesday, March 21 to protest recent alleged attacks on Emmanuel Mission property and the arrest of EM leader Samuel Thomas (Reftel). The march, organized by the Rajasthan Christian Fellowship (RCF),included human rights groups, dalit activists, Muslim and Buddhist organizations, women's rights groups, trade unions, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M),and the Congress Party. Bishop of Jaipur Oswald Lewis told the assembled crowd that their march was "a secular fight against injustice" and demonstrated that the people of Rajasthan would fight for human rights and justice. The Chief Minister Has Marching Orders -------------- ¶3. (C) A RCF delegation met Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on March 21 and presented a memorandum asking her to end Rajasthan Minister Madan Delivar's campaign against EM. John Dayal of the All India Christian Council (AICC) told us on March 22 that the CM did not formally respond to the memo, but confirmed that she has been instructed by the Prime Minister to investigate the situation and that she will do so. An AICC delegation also submitted a report to PM Manmohan Singh following its three day visit to Kota. Delegation members told the press that although the state administration was "overwhelmed by political pressure from the BJP," the EM orphanage was "functioning properly." The Legislative Assembly Debate Comes Close to Fisticuffs -------------- -------------- ¶4. (SBU) A March 21 debate over the EM situation in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly almost resulted in a fight between Congress and BJP MPs, leading to two adjournments. Congress MPs accused the BJP government of using the EM's alleged publication of the book "Haqeeqat" (Reftel) as a pretext to harass the institution. BJP MPs responded that NEW DELHI 00001953 002 OF 003 Congress was siding with "anti-national elements who had insulted Hindu deities and Indian culture." Congress MPs demanded Delivar's immediate expulsion from the cabinet to protect the rule of law. He responded to the press that even if expelled, he would continue to oppose EM activities in the Kota region. EM President Samuel Thomas Remains in Detention -------------- -- ¶5. (SBU) EM attorney Mohammad Akram told the press on March 21 that Samuel Thomas appeared for his bail hearing on March 20 and was ordered to remain in police custody for three more days. He noted that the district police had requested Thomas be held an additional five days, but the District Magistrate limited it to three. Unless there are new developments in the case, it now appears likely that Thomas will be released on bail on March 23. BJP Ready to Move On -------------- ¶6. (C) In a March 21 meeting with Poloff, BJP MP, journalist and Hindutva ideologue Balbir Punj expected the EM issue to die down in a matter of weeks, now that the EM has agreed to stop its circulation of "Haqeeqat" and the Samuel Thomas has been detained for offending Hindu religious sentiments. Punj maintained that Hindus have no objection to Christians or Christianity and regard Christ as an incarnation of God. The problem is not with religion, he noted, but with the EM, which has shown utter disregard for Hindu religious sentiments. Pointing out that Hindus believe that "no one's God should be insulted," he claimed that the perception in Rajasthan is that EM is "arrogant" and insensitive. Balbir insisted that the BJP focus was on "Haqeeqat" and that EM cannot deny that it was distributing the offensive book free of cost to Hindus who were not interested and did not want it. ¶7. (C) Punj acknowledged that he had no faith in the Indian police or justice system, that innocent Christians may have been the victimized by over-zealous or prejudiced policemen and judges, and that there may have been instances of mob violence by Hindus who tried to take justice into their own hands. However, he was adamant that this does not justify EM's combative stance toward Hindus and Hinduism, saying that the entire controversy could have been avoided had the Mission shown more sensitivity. Post Raises Issue with GOI -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Poloff raised this religious freedom issue with the GOI's National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). NHRC Chairman Nirmal Singh told us March 21 that he met with the Rajasthan Director General of Police and Home Secretary the prior week and requested a full report on the situation involving EM in Kota. He also told them to restore food and electricity to the EMI orphanage regardless of any legal proceedings against the group. Singh pointed out that publishing the book "Haqeeqat" was not a good idea, as people in rural Rajasthan tend to be "more aggressive and sensitive on communal issues." He noted that the NHRC will take action if an expected report from the Rajasthan Chief Secretary confirms that the state machinery has failed. Comment: A Lose-Lose Issue for the BJP -------------- NEW DELHI 00001953 003 OF 003 ¶9. (C) Delivar's anti-EM campaign angered the vast majority of Hindus who oppose extremism and put Rajasthan under the intense and unwelcome scrutiny of Indian political parties and human rights groups. The huge anti-BJP outcry has been a political Godsend for Congress, which is determined to take maximum advantage of it. Unlike in neighboring Gujarat, Hindutva has been a losing issue in Rajasthan, where communal relations are generally good. Delivar's attack against EM has become a millstone around the neck of the BJP, and Punj's statements indicate that the party may have already decided to make some face-saving combative declarations and quietly back down. EM's presence in Kota has been a long-simmering controversy in Rajasthan and these communal confrontations are becoming a yearly occurrence. Last year, similar incidents took place and quickly died down after the Hindutva organizations scored some propaganda points. With the BJP losing political standing in Rajasthan every day, it is unlikely that CM Raje will allow the hard-line elements in the BJP to continue the intimidation and legal assaults on the ministry, especially now that "Haqeeqat" has been withdrawn and the case has moved into the courts. ¶10. (U) Visit New Delhi's Classified Website: (http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/sa/newdelhi/) MULFORD