StudentChristian Movement of India, North Tamil Nadu Region, organized a Dharna in front of the Gurkul College, Chennai, on Saturday, 11th October, 2008.to protest against the continuing violence against minorities in several Indian states. The SCM was denied permission by the police to conduct a protest rally.
The Dharna was inaugurated by Dr. Ponniah Manoharan, Director of Gurukul. Students from various colleges in the city participated. Dr. K. Rajaratnam, Director Emeritus, Gurukul, Dr. Suneel Bhanu, Acting Principal, Gurukul, Moulvi O.M.Muzzamill Ahmad H.A., Sister Elsa from the Catholic church and Rev. Ebenesar Kiruba Karan from the CSI Church addressed the Dharna. The speakers emphasised that by raising the question of relgious conversions the communal forces are trying to bring back caste oppression in India. Communal forces in India are a minority and in the name of Hinduism they are trying to bring back brahminic hegemony over India and to suppress the rise of the former untouchables from gaining social and economic freedom. The heart of Hinduism is pluralistic, tolerant and secular. The Christians who have been attacked in Kandhamal, Orissa, are Dalits. The attackers are primarily interested in burining houses and destroying property to prevent the economic independence of Dalits. Swamy Laxmananda, the BJP missionary in Kandhamal came from Uttar Pradesh and was instigating the Kandha tribals against Pana dalits and forcibly converting tribals and Dalit Christians to Hinduism. No forced conversions to Christianity were reported in Orissa or in any part of the country. The issue of conversion was raised as a ploy to attack the Dalit Christians and to create panic among the secular Hindus. The organized attacks against Christians started in December 2007. Mass raping of the nun is only a symbol of the violence that is in the heart of its perpetrators. Violence agaisnt women is preceded by violence and rape of the earth and its resources. The secular as well as the non-political Hindu leaders should no longer turn a blind eye to the damage done by the VHP and its youth wing Bajrang Dal to the secualr fabric of India. The Indian heritage of relgious tolerance need to be safeguarded. The Central Government should show the courage to dismiss the Orissa Governemnet which protects the communal forces and ban Bajrang Dal which turns Indians against Indians, the worst act of terrorism. Dalits will not get justice under the present BJP supported Naveen Patnaik government and thousands of Christians living in refugee camps and in forests will not be able to return to their villages if the Bajrang Dal and VHP are allowed to continue to hold their sway over the villages.
In the afternoon there was a seminar on Youth's role against Communal violence in a Democratic Nation, in the Ziegenbalg Auditorium of Gurukul. Rev. Samuel Prabhakaran, General Secretary of the National Missionary Society spoke on Christian Mission in the Context of Communal Violence. He exhorted the students that retaliation is not a Christian option: "it is not in our blood." The Church need to be educated how to live and die for Christ in times of persecution. He reminded the audience the early Christian response to persecution in the Roman Empire. We are approaching difficult times. We should be spiritually equipped to meet the challenge of communalism without becoming communalistsMs. Geetha Ramakrishnan spoke on Violence and Negligence of Human Rights in Communal Violence. Prof. Bernard D. Swamy spoke on the question, Is Conversion Unconstitutional?' Ms. Hannah led the discussion on the Role of Media in the Context of Communal Violence Mr. Eby Ebenzar Thomas, Programme Secretary SCM North Tamil Nadu Region, and Mr. Aravind Jeyakumar, Gurukul Unit President organized the programmes.
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