CNI Grieves the National Issues and Appeals for Justice

The members of the Executive Committee of the Church of North India Synod in their 79^th meeting held in New Delhi from 21^st to 23^rd February, 2007 expressed grievances on the following recent happenings in India.  In appeal to the Government for accelerating process of justice, the Executive Committee issued the following statements. 

1. NITHARI KILLINGS: The gruesome killings of innocent children at Nithari, Noida have sent shocking waves to the people of the whole world and have shamed our country. The alleged involvement of the Police and seemingly deliberate apathy by the State Government has only increased the agony of the parents whose children are either killed or still missing. It is beyond anyone’s comprehension as to how a well-educated businessman and his servant managed to carry on using children and women as sex toys and butchered many of them in a diabolical manner undetected for a long period of time.

The Executive Committee members expressed their solidarity with the hapless parents and family members of those killed or missing. They also demanded that the Government should speed up the investigations and punish the culprits. The lives of those killed cannot be brought back but a quick verdict in this case might help the wounds of the afflicted heal faster.

2.   SAMJHAUTA DISASTER: Explosion in two compartments of the Samjhauta Express on February 18^th late night killing 66 Indian and Pakistani nationals is a shameful act by a few for whom humanity does not mean anything. It is evident that some anti-element powers are feeling threatened by the progress made in the Indo-Pakistan peace building measures. The statement of the Prime Minister of India and the President of Pakistan just after the disaster was heartening. It is evident that the people of the two countries want friendship and peace.  The Executive Committee members expressed their empathy with the affected families and urged the people and Governments of the two countries to continue to strive for peace and not to be fazed by terror.

3.  FREEDOM OF RELIGION BILL IN HIMACHAL PRADESH: The Executive Committee members expressed deep anguish over the act of Shri Justice Vishnu Sadashiv Kokje, the Hon’ble Governor of Himachal Pradesh for having assented to the Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Bill, 2006. In the disguise of giving religious freedom these bills incorporated in other States are encroachment to the democratic rights enshrined in the Constitution of India to the minority vis-à-vis the Christians. The said bill passed in some other States is frequently misused to harassing Christian workers and prevent genuine seekers wanting to join the Church. This certainly undermines the contribution of the minority communities to nation building through its Health and Educational institutions and points finger of suspicion to them.