CHICAGO: Members of Indian community have expressed their deep sense of concern and disappointment over a bill H Res. 417 recently introduced in US Congress by two Midwestern congressmen that apparently seeks to castigate Indian rulers for the alleged “exploitation of religious differences and denounce harassment and violence against religious minorities, especially in the run-up to India’s general elections in 2014.”
The concern was also that two leaders of Congress from Illinois – Jan Schakowsky and Danny Davis – are likely to extend their support to the bill that apparently puts India in bad light and indirectly seeks to influence the election process this year. Tarnishing of India’s secular image is deeply regretted, say Indian community activists led by Jitendra Diganvker, Vandana Jhingan and twenty others.
This group hosted a meeting in 8th district, where highest numbers of Indian live and own businesses, to voice their concern and apprehension. Over 50 organizations of Indian community members decided that some action needs to be taken on the bill that puts Indians in a great unfavorable light and disrupts the secular image of the country.
Madhu Patel, Nirav Patel, Nitin Surti , Jayanti Oza, Vandana Jhingan, Prasad Yalamanchi, Amar Upadhaya, Jitendra Bulsara, Kalpesh Desai, Haribhai Patel , Ajay Gupta, IADO President Dr Ashish Sen felt that the said resolution was introduced in the House with an apparent aim to show sympathy for the minorities in India, but in fact, it sidelined the country’s rich cultural heritage, its huge religious diversity and commitment to tolerance and equality, and its all-time stance to protect the rights and freedoms of religious minorities.
The resolution H Res. 417 commended the U.S. government for exercising its authority in 2005, under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to deny United States visa to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on the grounds of violations of religious freedom, and encouraged it to review the applications of any individuals implicated in religious freedom violations under the same standard.
However, this standard is not applied universally to other countries or other leaders in the world. Persecutions of Hindus, Sikhs and Christians in some of India’s neighboring countries continue even now after sixty years of division of the India.
It needs to be noted that very recently the U.S. Government represented by Ambassador Nancy Powell met Modi for repairing frayed relations. This followed European nations and Australia which publicly desired closer ties.
HR417 is being sent to the Judiciary Committee now. It is an anti-India resolution and not anti-Hindu. Community leader Prasad Yalamanchi met Nancy Powell in March and explained that India is the birthplace of several of the world’s greatest religions including Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism and has most tolerant and pluralistic traditions. Any move that leads to divisive and violent agenda would harm the social fabric of India.
Community representatives believe that the sentiment of the Indian community here on HR417 needs to be conveyed to all the concerned elected officials. Indian Americans here are traditionally supporters of Democrats and it needs to be clearly understood that this support could not be taken for granted for ever if the feeling of the community is ignored by those who need to have a balanced approach in their handling of the problems affecting the community.
Surendra Ullal
