From: [email protected]
To:
http://www.ucanews.com/news/hindu-nationalists-comments-on-nuns-rape-called-disgusting/73218
Hindu nationalist's comments on nun's rape called 'disgusting'
Critics say government should intervene to prevent more attacks on
religious minorities.
Posted on March 19, 2015, 5:04 PM
Indian demonstrators hold candles as they take part in a
vigil and silent protest against the alleged gang-rape of a nun in the
eastern state of West Bengal in Siliguri on March 17, 2015.
New Delhi:
A prominent Indian Hindu nationalist’s comments that appear to
defend the recent destruction of a church and downplay the rape of an
elderly nun are “disgusting” and defamatory, critics have said.
M
A Baby, a leader in the Communist Party of India, is urging authorities
to investigate controversial comments made this week by Surendra Jain,
an official with the right-wing Vishva Hindu Parishad, or World Hindu
Council.
In a public speech on Monday, Jain commented on the rape
and robbery of a 71-year-old nun, saying that any attempts to link the
attack to religious hardliners were false and part of a Christian
“conspiracy”.
“It is a Christian culture to exploit nuns,” Jain reportedly said in his speech.
“We
don’t do such things. The Vatican received 5,000 complaints of sexual
exploitation in five years, prompting the pope to appeal for
legalization of gay sex.”
In the speech, Jain also defended a
group of Hindus who demolished a church being constructed in Haryana
state this week. The assailants allegedly replaced a Christian cross
with an image of Hindu god Hanuman.
The demolition was a “spontaneous reaction of the local people", Jain said.
“Will
the Christians allow us [Hindus] to make a Hanuman temple in the
Vatican? Let them allow that, and we will ask them to choose any place
in India for a church. We will fund it," he said, according to media
reports.
Baby told ucanews.com Thursday that the VHP leader’s
comments are “highly demoralizing” and defamatory. He urged authorities
to view the speech as a criminal act and register a case against Jain.
But days later, authorities have failed to denounce Jain’s speech, Baby
noted.
“It shows that he has the support of [Prime Minister] Narendra Modi’s
government and Hindu nationalist forces,” he said.
He
repeated concerns that persecution against religious minorities in
India have increased since Modi, himself a Hindu nationalist, came to
power last May.
“This is a dangerous situation as the government
that should protect and safeguard the constitution of India is
propagating communal violence and baiting minorities,” Baby said.
However,
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, a junior minister for parliamentary affairs in
Modi’s government, told ucanews.com that the media were “playing up”
Jain’s comments.
Modi, he said, “has made it clear that his is government for all”.
But Church officials say Jain’s comments should not be taken lightly.
“It
is disgusting to have such a comment when the nation is struggling to
find the motives behind the rape of an elderly nun,” said Father
Savarimuthu Sankar, spokesman of the Delhi archdiocese.
Far-right
groups, he said, have "only one aim — make India a Hindu nation. They
are indulging in all kinds of false propaganda and illogical arguments
to move forward their idea”.
Source: UCAN
