Lok Sabha Debates
Requests The Central Government To Take Action Against Miscreants Who Attacked ... on 22 July, 1998
Title: Requests the Central Government to take action against miscreants who attacked the educational institutions of minorities, destroyed Bible and demolished chruch in Ahmedabad.
SHRI A.C. JOS : Sir, by calling the names from the list like that, the importance of the matter would be lost.
The matter is very serious. In Ahmedabad, in a missionary school, some miscreants entered the school, attacked the teachers, torn the Bible and had said that Minorities' schools could not be conducted there. This is a threat to the minorities... (Interruptions) Sir, this is a very very serious issue. The Bible is supposed to be the most sacred Book of Christians of any denomination... (Interruptions) Sir, it is not a State issue. It is an issue of minorities... (Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: Shri Jos, the hon. Member is on his legs. He has not completed so far. Let him complete first. You will get a chance after him.
Interruptions) MR. CHAIRMAN: Kindly cooperate with the Chair. The hon. Minister for Parliamentary Affairs wants to react to the point raised by Shri Jos.
... (Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: I am coming to the list.
... (Interruptions)
SHRI PRAKASH YASHWANT AMBEDKAR (AKOLA): Sir, you go according to the list. Those who have given notice should be given a chance first. It is not good that a person who is shouting should be given a chance first... (Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: Shri Ambedkar, I have allowed him because the hon. Minister wanted to react to him also. It is a very important issue, therefore I have given them a chance to raise it first.
... (Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: Yes, anyone of you may speak, please.
">PROF. P.J. KURIEN (MAVELIKARA): Sir, I am not raising a matter which concerns only the hon. Members of this side. I am sure that this is a matter which concerns and worries every Member of this House. This country has a great tradition of respecting all religions. Of all the countries of the world, I would say that India is the one reputed for religious tolerance. That has been our ethos. In addition to that... (Interruptions) Please bear with me.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Shri Shastri, let us hear him. Please do not interrupt.
PROF. P.J. KURIEN :In addition to that, our founding fathers of the Constitution had found it necessary and essential to give protection to the minorities also. What has been reported in the Press is most shameful to the nation that the holy Bible has been torn off by some miscreants. I am not levelling allegations against anybody. I am sure that no party will subscribe to such vandalism and goondaism. I have no doubt about that. I want this Government to stop this kind of vandalism against the minorities and against the Bible or the Quran or the Bhagavad Gita or against any religion..(Interruptions) Shri Somnath Chatterjee says that it has been done by Bajrang Dal and the students wing of ABVP. If that is so, it is a very serious matter. The ruling party, their students organization and their frontal organisation are resorting to such heinous crime.... (Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN : Your notice is taken note of. It is because all of you requested, he was given the floor. Please resume your seat.
PROF. P.J. KURIEN ;Sir, through you, I am requesting the Government to take immediate note of it and take a stern action against those who have brought this shame to the nation by burning a copy of the Bible which is a holy book for all the people.... (Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: It is not possible. There are 35 Members. He has already talked. Let him now react.
">THE MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS AND MINISTER OF TOURISM (SHRI MADAN LAL KHURANA): Sir, it is a very serious issue.
SHRI P.C. THOMAS (MUVATTUPUZHA): Sir, I have given a notice on the same thing. MR. CHAIRMAN: Shri Thomas, let me tell you. This is not in the list. It is because he has said that it is an urgent and important matter, I have given the floor to him. Now the Minister is reacting. What about others?
... (Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: Shri Ahamed, the Minister is reacting. The Government is reacting.
... (Interruptions)
">SHRI P.C. THOMAS :Sir, I only want to add one thing. About three months back, a church was wholly demolished by the same party in Ahmadabad. I do not want to name the parties as it has already been said and reported in the Hindustan Times that they are the activists of Bajrang Dal and ABVP. It is a shame on the part of our secular and democratic principles that the institutions of minorities are attacked and holy books are destroyed... (Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: The Government is reacting on this. He is reacting on this.
... (Interruptions)
SHRI P.C. THOMAS (MUVATTUPUZHA): Sir, I want to supplement to what Prof. Kurien has said..(Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: He is reacting. You please hear him.
... (Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: Shri Ramdas Athawale, please hear him.
... (व्यवधान) श्री मदन लाल खुराना: यह बड़ा गंभीर मामला है। मेरी प्रधानमंत्री जी से भी इस बारे में बात हुई है, सरकार इसे डिसएप्रूव करती है। यह सेकयूलर देश है, हमारी दृष्िट में सेकयूलर का अर्थ केवल धर्म विहीन ही नहीं बल्िक "सर्व धर्म समभाव" है, अर्थात हम सभी धमर्ों का आदर करते हैं, सभी देशवासी आदर करते हैं। चाहे किसी भी रिलीजन को मानने वालों की भावनाओं को ठेस पहुंचती हो तो सरकार ऐसा नहीं होने देगी। "बाइबल" दुनिया में पूरे देशवासियों के लिए एक धार्िमक और पवित्र पुस्तक है। सरकार इन तथ्यों की जानकारी एकत्रित करके इस संबंध में कार्यवाही करेगी और आपके सामने रखेगी।
SHRI P.C. THOMAS :Sir, it is a general thing. That is not the answer which is to be given.. (Interruptions)
SHRI A.C. JOS :Sir, what action is proposed to be taken by the Government? For everything, a general statement is made.
MR. CHAIRMAN: What did he say? I do not know whether you heard it or not. What he said is that the Government would collect the information and give it to the House. Please be fair to him.
... (Interruptions)
DR. SHAKEEL AHMAD (MADHUBANI): Sir, I have a point of order.
MR. CHAIRMAN: We have already dispensed with the Zero Hour.
... (Interruptions)