Author: Lokpal Sethi in Jaipur
Publication: Organiser
Date: July 9, 2006
URL: http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=138&page=10
Introduction: Dr Thomas, who was arrested
in Delhi, challenged the government orders in Rajasthan High Court. The Court,
in the third week of June, gave its verdict in government's favour as it found
the ground, on which the Cooperative Department had cancelled the registration
of these institutions, was sound.
About five months back, the district administration
at Kota in Rajasthan received a complaint that the Emmanuel Mission International
(EMI) at its various centres in and around the city was distributing or selling
a book titled Haqeeqat, which contained several derogatory remarks about Hindu
scriptures, faith, rituals and traditions.
The book was a Hindi translation of a book
written by a Kerala-based evangelist M.G. Mathew and it was translated by
one Denial Nathaniel associated with EMI. After receiving the complaint and
going through the contents of the controversial book, the government decided
to ban it, as it felt that it would create communal hatred.
Non-bailabe warrants were issued against Mr
Mathew, founder of EMI, Mr M.A Thomas and his son Dr Samuel Thomas, currently
its chairman. Around the same time, government also received complaints about
five educational and other institutions run by EMI. The complaint was that
these institutions were violating all the rules, under which these were registered
with Cooperative Department. Other than this violation, complaints said these
institutions were allegedly involved in religious conversion and were receiving
funds from abroad for this purpose. In fact, early last year, EMI and its
institutions had hit the headlines, when local police had registered a case
against them for bringing the innocent children from other states with the
intentions of converting them to Christianity. The allegation was vehemently
denied by the EMI, which said the children were brought here to participate
in an annual convention of the institutions.
The Cooperative Department, after thorough
inquiry, found that the complaints were not unfounded and cancelled the registration
of all the five institutions, namely, Emmanuel Bible Institute Samiti, Emmanuel
Anath Ashram, Emmanuel School Society, Emmanuel Chikitsalaya Samiti and Emmanuel
Believers Fellowship. All these institutions received funds from the US-based
Christian organisation-Hopegivers. These institutions were getting funds in
the name of running schools, hospitals and orphanages, but the locals believe
that these were being used for conversion activities.
Dr Thomas, who was arrested in Delhi, challenged
the government orders in Rajasthan High Court. The Court, in the third week
of June, gave its verdict in government's favour, as it found the ground,
on which the Cooperative Department had cancelled the registration of these
institutions, was sound. It found these institutions were not carrying the
activities strictly for which these were registered. It also found irregularities
in maintaining the accounts properly. It also said these institutions were
becoming more or less family affairs.
On the same day, the Supreme Court rejected
the anticipatory bail of the senior Thomas. After being armed with the court's
judgment, the government has initiated steps to get control of these institutions.
Soon these institutions would get administrators to run their affairs. The
day on which the verdicts of two courts came, Minister for Social Welfare
and Cooperative, Mr Madan Dilawar was in town. He had reasons to be happy,
because it was he who had waged a war to expose the activities of these bodies.
He along with some of his supporters celebrated the occasion. Here it is worth
mentioning that when his department ordered to cancel the registration of
these bodies, he came under fire, not only from Christian organisations, but
also from so-called secular political parties, particularly Congress, which
branded him as Hindu extremist.
