PRESS STATEMENT FROM INDIA MISSIONS ASSOCIATION, Chennai

We, the India Missions Association representing 160 Indian Christian organisations and Church groups serving the people of India to meet their spiritual and physical needs strongly lodge our protest against the Ordinance promulgated by the Government of Tamil Nadu on 5th October 2002. This ordinance is unwarranted and unnecessary. The population of minorities in the State has not shown any marked increase.

The Christian population in the state has been 5.75% , 5.78% and 5.69% in the 1971, 1981 and 1991 census respectively. The Muslim population was 5.21% in 1981 and 5.47 in 1991. The ordinance infringes on the fundamental right to practice, profess and propogate religion as enshrined in the Article 25 of the Constitution of India. It seeks to restrict the human and fundamental right of freedom to choose any religion or belief by the Citizens of India.

This law will become a hindrance to the yeomen services rendered by several Christian social development and welfare agencies for the poor, marginalized and the needy.

There are several scope for misuse of the provisions of the ordinance by the local authorities on flimsy grounds as some of the provisions are very ambiguous. The anti-social elements may use this law to create an atmosphere of hatred, fear and disharmony among people. There has not been any serious incidents or complaints of forced or fraudulent conversions in the state of Tamil Nadu. This law seeks to shake the confidence of the minorities in the secular fabric of our nation. We request the Government of Tamil Nadu to withdraw the ordinance with immediate effect.

Dr. K. Rajendran, General Secretary, India Missions Association,

Dated: 10 October 2002

INDIA MISSIONS ASSOCIATION, 673, East Main Road, Anna Nagar Western Extension, Chennai – 600 101. Phone: 044 – 6151940 / 6151941. Fax: 044- 6151942. E-mail: <>

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