ICC Note:

Recently, India’s Home Minister claimed that religious persecution will never be allowed in India and claimed the country to allow religious freedom almost completely. Although it is encouraging to see one of India’s most powerful politicians making this claim, it is not entirely accurate. Christian persecution and religious intolerance is almost common in India. Hindu radicals attacking Christians and their places of worship is something that happens almost several times a week. How could one of India’s most powerful politicians be so unaware of the persecution in his own country?

10/14/2016 India (The Indian Express) – Describing India as a “university of tolerance”, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday asserted that religious persecution will never be allowed in the country. “Tolerance is essential for peaceful existence. People from all religions live peacefully in India and practice their religion without any fear of discrimination. That is why India is a university of tolerance,” Singh said at a meeting of Christian leaders organized by India Christian Council.

Singh said Christianity came to India almost 2,000 years ago and Kerala is home to St Thomas church which is one of the world’s oldest churches. He said India cannot forget the contribution of Christians — from Saint Thomas to Mother Teresa — who tried to eradicate evils from our society.

“There were incidents of attacks on churches in Delhi which came up in the run up to elections (to Delhi Assembly). But I would like to say that religious persecution will never be allowed in India whether it is before or after election,” he said.

Targeting Pakistan, Singh said while India chose to be a secular country, Pakistan declared itself a theocratic state and was now pursuing terrorism as state policy.

“In 1947, India was divided on the basis of religion and despite that, it chose to be a secular state.

“The nation (Pakistan) separated from it declared itself a theocratic state. That country uses terrorism as a state policy.”

It is very unfortunate that some countries make terrorism a state policy. There can be differences between people that can be resolved through dialogue but not by taking up guns, he said.

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