August 9, 2003	Saturday	Jumadi-us-Sani 10, 1424

WASHINGTON, Aug 8: A Christian religious leader said on Friday that the US government has been complacent in addressing human rights violations that continue to take place in India.

Bishop Ezra Sargunam, who represents federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America, met the officials of the State Department in Washington on Friday and submitted a memorandum on behalf of the Social Justice Movement of India.

The memorandum highlights the resurgence of attacks against religious minorities, Dalits and the tribal people. He briefed the State Department officials on the changing tactics of the ruling BJP party and the Sangh Parivar on the legislative front with laws such as the Anti Conversion Law. He urged the US government to use their influence to counter this dangerous trend.

Bishop Sargunam, former Chairman of the Minorities Commission, of the State of Tamil Nadu and the Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Church of India. P.D. John, who heads the governmental affairs committee of the federation, accompanied the bishop. They also met officials at the US Commission on International Religious Freedom and on Capitol Hill.

In his discussions Bishop Sargunam highlighted the recent arrest of Rev. Suresh Thackaray, by the Gujarat government on false allegations that he had desecrated a Hindu idol.

Bishop Sargunam pointed out another recent incident in which Hindutva activists of the BJP party attacked Fr. Prashant of the Capuchin Order near Bangalore, where he was performing a routine weekly Mass.