Peace rally held in Rajasthan in protest against the arrest of Hopegivers president

Jaipur – A peace march was conducted in Jaipur, Rajasthan, in protest against the shocking arrest of Dr. Samuel Thomas, president, Hopegivers International (HI), March 21, even as the Christian charity organization approached Capitol Hill, Washington, USA, to seek intervention for their leader's release.

The silent peace march, held in protest against the recent attacks on Emmanuel Missions in Kota, Rajasthan by the Hindu fundamentalist groups, saw various Christian advocacy groups, including the AICC and the Rajasthan Christian Fellowship (RCF), various human rights, women rights and Dalit advocacy groups, representative organizations of Muslims, Buddhist and Arya Samaj communities from various parts of Rajasthan, holding placards and banners, as they made their way towards the State Assembly grounds to converge into a meeting.

According to an AICC press release, the peace march, which also had the support of the People’s Union for civil Liberties (PUCL), the Sarvodaya movement and the trade unions and the Left parties, showed the solidarity amongst the Christians and various religious communities.

Though there were initial apprehensions of attacks from Bajrang Dal and Hindu Jagran Manch, which had threatened a counter protest march on the day, yet, the event passed off peacefully, with the police keeping a strict vigil all along the 2.5 km route from the Shaheed Smarak (Martyrs’ Memorial) to the vicinity of the Legislative Assembly.

Besides Dr. Mathai, others who had addressed the gathering were Bishop Oswald Lewis of the Catholic Archdiocese of Jaipur, Ms. Kavita Srivastava of PUCL, leaders of the Rajasthan Muslim Forum, the Left parties, the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) and noted film actor and politician, Mr. Raj Babbar.

“These communal forces should not forget that the 2.5% Christian community was contributing to almost 38% of the social work in the nation” said Dr. Abraham Mathai.

“It is national shame that Bishop Thomas and his institutions are being targeted like criminals by a State which on the contrary needs to honour them for their yeoman service they have been providing for the destitutes and the have nots of society,” he added.

“This is a secular fight against injustice. I am glad that the initiative for this march has been taken by people who have been fighting for human rights and justice and the Christian community wants to live in peace and harmony,” said Bishop Lewis.

"Christians are a community identified with service. The nation is indebted to them," Raj Babbar said.

"It was an act of hooliganism and anarchy on the part of the State Government to send police to arrest Dr. Samuel Thomas from Noida at gun point like a criminal," he charged.

“Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje being a woman and mother should show compassion for the children of the orphanages run by EMI, which were without rations for several days” he added.

According to Congress leader, Mohan Prakash, some of those who were donning the mantle of Ministers in the present Cabinet deserved to be in jail.

The Sangh Parivar elements were playing a dangerous game in the State by stocking the religious sentiments of the majority community, he said, accusing the Government of colluding with the anti–communal elements.

CPI (M) State Secretary, Prof. Vasudev, CPI Secretary Dushyant Ojha, Janata Dal (Secular) leader Arjun Dehta and Congress spokesperson, Param Navdeep Singh also offered political support to the Christians gathered there in their "fight against terror."

“We will not allow such attacks on any religious group and asserted that nobody can ignore the contributions of Christians to the country's education and health care sector," Prof. Vasudev observed.

A delegation led by Raymond Coelho, president, RCF and Rev. Z. R. Masih met Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje in her chamber and submitted a memorandum.

Later in the evening a similar delegation that included Dr, Mathai and Raj Babbar called on the Governor, Mrs. Prathiba Patil, and apprised her of the urgent situation to which she has offered to look into.

Meanwhile, Hopegivers Internationals has approached Capitol Hill at the end of last week to seek intervention for the charity’s president, who continues to languish in jail.

The group went to Washington, last Friday, to meet with the State Department, senators, and Christian friends in the city after Dr. Samuel Thomas’s arrest on Mar. 16. The trip to the nation’s capital is part of a campaign to free Dr. Thomas that includes a Legal Defense Fund and a letter writing campaign.

The controversial book, Haqiqat, was allegedly published by Dr. Thomas and his father, Bishop M.A. Thomas, founder of Emmanuel Mission International (EMI) and has angered radical Hindus. Some claim the book slanders Ram, Krishna, goddess Sarawati and Swami Dayanand. The book was initially sold in Rajasthan state but was stopped following widespread protests.