MINORITIES - 2002 - Indian Social Institute

minister Jayalalitha to court for a move they believe could be possibly to make BJP happy. Vice-president
of Catholic Bishops' Conference of India and Delhi archbishop Vincent M. Concessao said, "We will study
the ordinance first and consult legal opinion about what exactly it means. On the surface of it, the
ordinance looks fine but if we feel that it will be used to intimidate and torture the minority community, we
will have to go to court." Admitting that the ordinance had some "grey areas," he asked the Tamil Nadu
government to "spell out" the ordinance in "black and white," and added, "We don't want this ordinance to
make minority community a target and also interpret our work, for the poor in India as incentives to get
them converted. We are also against forceful religious con versions but our fear is that this ordinance
should not be used against minorities. (Asian Age 8.10.02)
BJP cheers Jaya conversion ban (7)
New Delhi, October 7: THE BJP patted Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha for the ordinance banning
use of force or inducement in religious conversion, seeking a nationwide law on those lines. But Christian
and Mus lim organisations threat ened to challenge the meas ure in court.
BJP chief Venkaiah Naidu said, "We want a law covering the entire country under which action be taken
against those indulging in conversion. For this, there is need to have a consensus among political parties
by having nation-wide debate". Ironically, he made the statement while inaugurat ing the BJP's minority
morcha working committee. In the same breath, he ad mitted that the BJP had not been able to improve its
ap peal to the minorities. It was imperative to increase its base among all sections. (Hindustan Times
8.10.02)
9 TH October
Advani sings Modi’s praises, Keshubhai strikes jarring note (7)
AHMEDABAD, OCTOBER 8: DAYS after he tried to distance himself from Gujarat Chief Minister
Narendra Modi's anti-Muslim re marks, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani today came out strongly in his
sup port declaring that only Modi would be Chief Minis ter if the BJP was returned to power. Addressing
BJP workers at a Sankalp Sammelan here, Advani said he "took pride" in the fact that Modi was Chief
Minister even six months after dissolution of the Assembly. Party president Venkaiah Naidu also backed
Modi claiming that the state gov ernment had done its best to bring the situation under control. "We do not
justify what happened after the Godhra incident but this was not the first such inci dent. (Indian Express
9.10.02)
10 TH October
Bishops call emergency meet on TN conversions (7)
Chennai, Oct. 9: Over 30 bishops from across Tamil Nadu will converge at an "emergency" summit at
Madurai on Thursday to decide their course of action against the controversial ordinance promulgated
recently by the Tamil Nadu governor prohibiting religious conversions done through inducements, coercion
or fraud. (Asian Age 10.10.02)
Ordinance based on ineffectual laws (7)
The legislative parents of the Tamil Nadu ordinance on religious conversions are two very similar, in fact
virtually identical, legis lation passed by Orissa and Madhya Pra-desh more than three decades ago. It was
the Orissa Freedom of Religion Act 1967, which first introduced the idea of penal provisions for those who
convert or attempt to convert another by use of force, fraud or allurement/inducement. Madhya Pradesh
followed a year later with its Dharma Swatantra Adhinayam or Religious Freedom Act, which also required
that conversions be registered with a district magistrate. Both acts were challenged in their re spective
High Courts, which took diametri cal views. The Orissa High Court held that the law went against the grain
of Article 25, which gives all Indians the freedom to pro fess, practise and propagate religion. How ever, the
Madhya Pradesh High Court upheld the validity of the State's law. (Hindu 10.10.02)
Bajrang Dal attacks gym (7)
Ahmedabad: A health club owned by Hamid Sheikh, son of former Con gress MLA Farooq Sheikh, was
ran sacked and looted by suspected Ba-jrang Dal activists on Wednesday, bringing back memories of the
at tacks on minority-owned establish ments during the recent riots. According to Hamid, about 20 peo ple
armed with swords, pipes, hockey sticks and knives attacked the "Fit ness Trend and Health Club" here.
The club had earlier been attacked on February 28, the day after the Godhra train carnage. Farooq, a