RAJASTHAN UPDATE: EMI FOUNDER RECEIVES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 002915

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KIRF KDEM SCUL CASC IN
SUBJECT: RAJASTHAN UPDATE: EMI FOUNDER RECEIVES
ANTICIPATORY BAIL, PRESIDENT REMAINS IN JUDICIAL CUSTODY

REF: A. NEW DELHI 1818

B. NEW DELHI 1953

C. NEW DELHI 2291

D. NEW DELHI 2446


1. (U) Summary: Emmanuel Ministries International (EMI)
founder MA Thomas was granted anticipatory bail on April 21,
but remains in hiding, All India Christian Council President
John Dayal twld us on April 27. Dayal also reported that EMI
President Samuel Thomas (son of MA Thomas) remains in
judicial custody, with his next bail hearing scheduled for
May 1. Rajasthan interlocutors predicted to us on April 27
that the Rajasthan government will make no arrests under the
anti-conversion law and that Congress will oust the BJP from
power in elections scheduled for November 2008 and revoke the
law. The state governor has yet to approve the bill or send
it forward to the state cabinet. The Rajasthan Government
banned a second book that disparages Hinduism on April 27.
BJP President Rajnath Singh called for each state under his
party's rule to pass anti-conversion laws in order to
"protect the demographic balance of the country." Our
interlocutors suggested Singh's demand for these laws will
not resonate well with the majority of BJP supporters, and
will hasten the BJP's slide towards electoral troubles. End
Summary.

EMI Founder Gets Bail, President Remains in Custody
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2. (U) The Supreme Court granted anticipatory bail to
Emmanuel Ministries International (EMI) founder MA Thomas on
April 21, but he remains in hiding, All India Christian
Council President John Dayal told us on April 27. Dayal also
reported that EMI President Samuel Thomas (son of MA Thomas)
remains in judicial custody, with his next bail hearing
scheduled for May 1. Dayal stated that all other EMI
personnel have been released from custody and food is being
delivered to EMI orphanages and schools on credit.

EMI Property Dispute Continues
--------------


3. (U) Dayal indicated the property dispute between EMI and
the Rajasthan Government has not been resolved. The state
government maintains control over EMI property, Dayal stated,
but its final ownership status remains in limbo, as powerful
forces continue to press the state government to permanently
close EMI.

Anti-Conversion Bill Will Be Short-Lived
--------------


4. (U) Rajasthan interlocutors asserted to us on April 27
that "no one will ever be arrested under the anti-conversion
law." Most journalists and political pundits in the state
agree that should the BJP lose the next election (as most now
predict),the victorious Congress will swiftly revoke the
law. The passage of the anti-conversion law was a political
gimmick designed to appease a small segment of the Hindu
population and does not have wide support in Rajasthan, our
interlocutors told us. The state governor has yet to approve
the bill or send it forward to the state cabinet.

Second "Offensive" Book Banned in Rajasthan
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5. (U) On the heels of the banning of the book "Haqeeqat"
(Ref A),the Rajasthan Government on April 27 banned the book

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"Ve Sharm Se Hindu Kahate Hain Kyon?" (Why Do They Say With
Shame They Are Hindus?),claiming it "insulted the religious
sentiments of a particular community." Written by a Hindu
dalit, the book highlights dalit anger and divisions in the
Hindu community. After the banning of "Haqeeqat," civil and
human rights groups accused the BJP-led state government of
using the book issue as a pretext for targeting Christians
and pointed out that no action had been taken against Hindu
authors of books that disparaged Hinduism. Our interlocutors
told us that the BJP banned the second book, in part, to
quell this complaint. Rajasthan political pundits also
indicated that the BJP-led government banned the text to
appease hard-line RSS elements of the party.

BJP President Calls for More Anti-Conversion Laws
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6. (U) On April 11, BJP President Rajnath Singh called for
each state under his party's rule to pass anti-conversion
laws in order to "protect the demographic balance of the
country." While congratulating the Rajasthan Government for
passing the anti-conversion bill, he argued that the BJP did
not "object to missionaries serving the poor." However, Singh
then asserted that BJP governments should adopt laws
"outlining stringent punishment in the event of a forced
conversion." Our interlocutors predicted Singh's demand for
these laws will not resonate well with the majority of BJP
supporters, and hasten the BJP's slide towards electoral
troubles.


7. (U) Visit New Delhi's Classified Website:
(http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/sa/newdelhi/)
BLAKE