Webinar on India's Deportation of Christian Visitors and Their Visa Policies
Published on 18 September, 2020
One important dimension of the ministry of the New York State Council of
Churches is to forge strong ecumenical partnerships locally, statewide,
nationally and around the world. The Council of Churches particularly
values its historic ecumenical partner, the Church of South India--the
largest ecumenical Christian body in the world. The Church of South
India is comprised of four predecessor denominations,
Congregationalists, Presbyterians, Methodist and Anglican all which have
strong ties to the United Church of Christ, Presbyterian USA, Episcopal
Church in America and the United Methodist Church. Like the United
Church of Christ in the United States, the Church of South India
embraces the motto from John 17:21 "that they may all be one. As you,
Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the
world may believe that you have sent me." Through our membership in theNational Council of Churches USA we are partners with the National Council of Churches in India in which the Church of South India is a member.
In the fall of 2018, the New York State Council of Churches led a
delegation to India where 9 of the 12 were denied entry at the Chennai
Airport and were sent back to the United States. It was a profoundly
painful time but apparently a very common experience for visitors who
are Dalits or who represent minority religions in India. In the fall of
2019, The Reverend Peter Cook and The Reverend Gideon Jebamani were able
to successfully enter India but had to go to great lengths to show that
they would come for purely tourist purposes and not be part of any
formal religious activity.
Our deportation sadly mirrors the daily experience of other travelers to
India who may wish to visit their faith partners whether they be
Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist or any other person who is perceived
to threaten the extreme Hindu nationalist agenda of the Indian
Government which is even opposed by many Hindus who believe the Modi
Government's extremism is inconsistent with Hinduism. The daily shabby
treatment of visitors art India's airports reflects deeper problems in
Indian society where the government, defying the secular Indian
Constitution, engages in methodical and systematic discrimination
against Dalits or religious minorities. Our experience of deportation
and subsequent conversations with our partners opened our eyes to the
real struggles for religious freedom and human rights in India and the
fear that many Dalit, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Muslim, and moderate
Hindu Americans in the United States have for their loved ones, friends
and colleagues in India. These Americans also live with the constant
fear that if they speak out in the United States they will not be able
to visit India again or be harassed or exiled if they do manage to
visit.
The New York State Council of Churches is committed to justice and the
ecumenical and interfaith enterprise which transcends all nationalist
considerations and keeps people focussed on the truth that every person
is created in the image of God and has the right to be able to freely
practice their faith. Each person should be accorded equal rights in any
country in which they dwell. The Council of Churches is resolved to
work with many religious and secular partners in the US and India to
help educate people about the struggles of the Indian people and to
promote justice, friendship, and mutual understanding. In that spirit,
we invite you to participate in monthly webinars sponsored by our
partner, the Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations (FIACONA). The first webinar was held on August 17 on caste can be viewed by clicking here.
മലയാളത്തില് ടൈപ്പ് ചെയ്യാന് ഇവിടെ ക്ലിക്ക് ചെയ്യുക
അസഭ്യവും നിയമവിരുദ്ധവും അപകീര്ത്തികരവുമായ പരാമര്ശങ്ങള് പാടില്ല. വ്യക്തിപരമായ അധിക്ഷേപങ്ങളും
ഉണ്ടാവരുത്. അവ സൈബര് നിയമപ്രകാരം കുറ്റകരമാണ്. അഭിപ്രായങ്ങള് എഴുതുന്നയാളുടേത് മാത്രമാണ്. ഇ-മലയാളിയുടേതല്ല