Re: Visa issue of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)

[Dr Thomas Mathai | P . N . Benjamin]

Different people have various kinds of opinions based upon their ideology. As 
long as the weaker persons with all shortcoming are existing, nobody can 
pinpoint a person or a group faultless or blameless. It is a true fact that the 
higher caste Brahmins and Thakurs made the poor Hindu Dalits as their slaves 
for years together and the same attitude is still existing in North India and 
of course, in South India, there is vast improvement due to the higher 
education and technological advancement etc,. This should not make someone to 
hate those communities as there are very poor people live below abject poverty 
line in these communities, Let us not condemn anybody and try our level best to 
bring higher education and better facilities to them.

I am very proud to be an Indian and but at the same time I appreciate the 
welfare measures adopted in other countries especially in US and other western 
countries, I have visited many countries and I appreciate their discipline and 
hard work by which the countries improve. Our best talented students go for 
higher education to these countries  and majority of them stay back instead of 
coming back to our own country because of indiscipline, improper application of 
law, and high corruption which destroy all our developmental works. There was  
news that more than 14 billions of US dollars on account of Indians are lying 
in Swiz and other Western Banks. There is a case pending in the Apex Court 
pertaining to this issue.Who should be blamed for this? I appreciate that the 
majority of Hindus in India has a secular mind and adopting with others. Some 
deranged fanatics pulled down the Historical Babri Mosque and aftermath bomb 
blasts and unbearable consequences. Who to be blamed?.

I appreciate Mr Modi Chief Minister of Gujarat for his best administration but 
this will not erase the ugly incidents taken place in Gujarat and death of 
thousands of innocent people. Let us reexamine ourselves instead of condemning 
and blaming others. Let us sow the seed of love, compassion among the suffering 
citizens of India. It is a horrible picture that still there is 50%  people of 
India lives under ABJECT POVERTY although we have surplus food. Who is to be 
blamed? Majority of Indian politicians does not have fear of God or the laws in 
the land. They are misusing the official  status, money and power for 
themselves and their children. Recently one leading Politician spent 20 crores 
for his son wedding and another gave a crown of gold to Tirupathy. If they were 
in China they should have been lined before the firing squad. From where they 
received this money? the hard earned money of taxpayers.

Let us respect the teachings of all religions and love each other considering 
others greater than us. It is a true fact that there are millions of poor 
people live under ABJECT POVERTY from Hindu higher and lower castes, Muslims, 
Sikhs, Jains and Christians. Let us show our compassion and wealth to all 
suffering people irrespective of CASTE, CREED, FAITH AND  COLOUR.

I personally try to love others on the above line and pray for all  those who 
are suffering and try to help others without looking into their religions but 
HUMANITY, that is all.

May the ALMIGHTY GOD bless all those who are sincerely engaged in such 
wonderful work. Let us bridge the gap by sincere dialogue and discussion,.

Dr Thomas Mathai
New Bombay





US is always right for some of characters spend some of their time or operate 
from the American shores. They may not be aware of the following facts:

 1) India's unwavering commitment to a secular nation and respect for 
minorities as can be seen in the fair representation of non-Hindus in the 
highest political, judicial and military appointments.

2) The excesses of proselytizing groups be they Christian or Islamic have 
resulted in a backlash from Hindu fundamentalists and a few state governments 
have enacted rightly legislation banning proselytization, ala, what has been 
done in Greece and Russia, two Christian countries (you may want to Google and 
read on Greece's and Russia's experiences with foreign proselytization)

3) The rise or non-decline of Muslim and Christian population since India's 
independence while the same is not true in the case of both Pakistan and 
Bangladesh.

4) The plight of Hindu refugees from Kashmir creating animosity between Hindus 
and Muslims.

5) USCIRF's lack of representation on the commission for non-Abrahmic faiths 
other than the appointment of a token member or two.

India has had a Christian presence for 2000 years like Iraq had and yet the 
symbiotic existence of Christians with Hindus and Muslims are being disrupted 
by the proselytizing activities of both Christian fundamentalists and Islamic 
Jehadists.

In Iraq, over 300,000 Arab Christians have been turned in refugees after the US 
invasion which in some sense was triggered early on by the unfortunate visit of 
American missionaries using US faith-based programs as a cover to package their 
social services with an ulterior motive to spread Christianity, much like what 
is happening in India.

I am disappointed that the Obama administration continues to fund a faith-based 
office in USAID though the US prides on the claim that it separates Church and 
State in its political and social spheres.

To the best of my knowledge, neither the Bush administration nor Obama 
administration has funded any non-Abrahmic organizations either in the US or 
overseas to dispense social services using US tax dollars.
P.N.BENJAMIN
Coordinator-BIRD