JAIPUR: Jamaat-e-Islami Hind has appealed to the President not to give assent to the Rajasthan Religious Freedom Bill, 2006. The Bill, now with the Rajasthan Government after Governor Pratibha Patil reserved it for the consideration of the President, was unconstitutional as it violated the fundamental right and religious freedom, the organisation said.

One of the resolutions passed by Jamaat-e-Islami at the end of its three-day State-level core group meeting here on Friday dealt with the "Rajasthan Dharma Swatantrya Vidheyak, 2006" (Religious Freedom Bill), enacted by the Rajasthan Assembly in April. The attitude of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Government towards the minorities was partisan, it said. The resolution welcomed Ms. Patil's action asking the State Government to get it cleared by the President first.

The core group meeting, attended by the national president of the Jamaat, Mohammed Abdul Haq Ansari, and general secretary Mohammed Jaffer, expressed concern over attacks on minorities, especially on Christians, in Rajasthan. In the guise of protesting against a book certain groups had been targeting Christian institutions, priests, nuns and believers, with tacit support of the Government. The attacks were continuing even now, the meeting noted.

Referring to the recent decision by the Rajasthan Government to de-recognise a few institutions run by the Emmanuel Mission International in Kota, the Jamaat resolution said this was another instance of mala fide action by the State authorities.

"A democratic Government should treat all the sections of society equally and do justice to all, instead of taking sides and acting in a prejudiced manner," it said.

Female foeticide

The Jamaat also sought legal action against officials and Ministers who were involved in the attacks and mala fide action in connection with the attacks on EMI.

The meeting expressed its "deep concern" over increasing instances of female foeticide in Rajasthan.

"This tendency is bound to create serious problems in society in the coming days. The very existence of womanhood would be in danger if the girl child is done away with in the womb itself," a resolution noted. It appealed to all sections to educate people on the issue and asked the Government to take strict against those violated rules regarding pre-natal tests.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail