RAJASTHAN'S CHIEF MINISTER TELLS SPEAKER HASTERT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 002529 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2016 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR KIRF KDEM SCUL CASC IN SUBJECT: RAJASTHAN'S CHIEF MINISTER TELLS SPEAKER HASTERT SHE IS ANGRY AT CHRISTIAN MISSIONARY ACTIVITIES REF: A. NEW DELHI 1818 ¶B. NEW DELHI 1953 ¶C. NEW DELHI 02291 Classified By: A/DCM Geoff Pyatt for reasons 1.4 (B,D) ¶1. (C) In an otherwise cordial April 10 courtesy call with Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert and seven accompanying Congressman, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje expressed genuine anger at the activities of Christian missionaries in her state and provided a spirited defense of the recently passed Rajasthan anti-conversion bill (Reftels). Describing the bill as a "progressive measure," the Chief Minister pointed out that because of India's dire poverty there are persons so poor that they feel compelled to "sell their children or change their religion to make a buck." She emphasized that she had made it clear to state officials that her administration would never allow such a thing to happen, and that the anti-conversion bill would "save" them from such exploitation. ¶2. (C) CM Raje noted that she had no qualms about individuals changing their faith, but that they should first be "educated" before making such an important decision, so that they understand its implications. She accused Christian missionaries of targetting the most ignorant and uneducated in society and taking advantage of them and that she "would never allow it." The Chief Minister then told the Congressmen that the Emmanuel Mission (EM) in Kota was responsible for the publication and distribution of a "scandalous" book ("Haqeeqat") that enflamed religious sentiments. She angrily exclaimed that "this could have disturbed communal harmony in the state" and that she would "not allow anything to do this." As evidence of her determination, she described to the Speaker how she had dispatched law enforcement officers to Kerala to arrest the author of the book. ¶3. (C) She then turned her wrath on what she described as EM attacks on her and her government. "Just because we are a BJP government," she exclaimed, "they think they can set up scurrilous websites calling us barbarians and accusing us of persecuting Christians. Those who set up such websites are the true barbarians," and implied that the real motive of the EM campaign was to use scare tactics and websites to raise money from naive people. CM Raje pointed out that she was herself educated in "convent (Catholic)" schools "all the way up to the University level," and that she never remembers any Christian behaving like the persons from EM. ¶4. (C) The exchange regarding the conversion bill and missionaries occupied approximately 10 minutes of an otherwise warm and cordial courtesy call that lasted over one hour. The codel spent the remaining time discussing such topics as economic development, investment, agriculture, education and the rights of women with the Chief Minister. Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) Vasundhara Raje is a devout Hindu. Her personal home temple was clearly visible in her residence and a personal priest was conducting a puja (worship ceremony) while the meeting with Speaker Hastert was in progress. She is also a member of the BJP's moderate wing and has no connection to the RSS and other Hindutva groups that have targetted EMI. It was evident from the tone and tenor of her remarks, however, that the Emmanuel Mission has thoroughly alienated NEW DELHI 00002529 002 OF 002 her and she has no sympathy for the group and its proselytization activities in Rajasthan. We have monitored some of the same Christian websites that she cited in her conversation, and their aggressive tone and harsh condemnations of her and her government have clearly angered her. It appears that the EM has burned its bridges with the Chief Minister of Rajasthan. ¶6. (U) This message has been cleared by Speaker Hastert. ¶7. (U) Visit New Delhi's Classified Website: (http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/sa/newdelhi/) MULFORD