PRESS RELEASE
The Government of Gujarat continues to misuse
religion, by trying to manipulate people through
religion, for narrow political gains.
The recent Gujarat Freedom of Religion (Amendment)
Bill 2006 which was passed by the Gujarat Assembly
on September 19th 2006, is a clear example of
how this Government continues to trample on the
rights of the citizens through unconstitutional,
draconian and anti-people acts.
This Bill was originally passed in March 2003
but the Government did not have the courage to
frame the mandatory rules for the implementation
of the law. The Act in itself, besides being anti-
people, is highly discriminatory and could give
rise to very serious misinterpretations. The recent
amendments in the Bill are very mischievous and
divisive. Buddhism and Jainism are regarded as
?denominations of Hinduism?. It looks as though,
those who have framed the law have not understood
that there are fundamental differences in the
basic tenets of each of these religions, unless
it is an attempt to merely co-opt others as part
of a political strategy. The clause ?permitting?
Christians and Protestants, and then again, Shias
and Sunnis to ?convert? from one to another and
vice-versa, is ridiculous. Since Christianity
or Islam are the religions concerned, the question
of ?conversion? does not arise. Hence the thinking
of the Government is seriously flawed unless there
is a sinister agenda to create suspicion and therefore
division among the denominations of particular
religions.
The Gujarat Government is only proving to the
world that it is not interested in responding
to the fundamental needs and aspirations of the
people of Gujarat which are essentially food,
clothing and shelter; access to clean drinking
water, to primary health-care and quality primary
education. The Government could do well to provide
rehabilitation to the thousands of people who
have been affected by the recent disasters caused
by man-made floods and the widespread epidemics
that is taking a severe toll all across the State.
Gujarat still craves for justice after the carnage
of 2002.
The Government MUST WITHDRAW this draconian Freedom
of Religion Bill immediately and unconditionally.
Fr. Cedric Prakash sj
Director
20th September 2006
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PRASHANT - A Centre for Human Rights, Justice
and Peace
Street Address : Hill Nagar, Near Kamdhenu Hall,
Drive-in Road, Ahmedabad - 380052, Gujarat, India
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- 380 009, Gujarat, India
Phone : 91 79 27455913, 66522333
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Email:
sjprashant@gmail.
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