Date: 17 Mar 2005 Source: NewKerala.com
[World News]: New York, March 17 : A rights group has commended two members of the US Congress introducing a resolution condemning the alleged rights abuse perpetrated by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. The Coalition Against Genocide (CAG) commended Congressmen John Conyers and Joseph Pitts for introducing the resolution Wednesday, ahead of Modi's visit to the US. The resolution condemns Modi for "promoting attitudes of racial supremacy, hatred and the legacy of Nazism", said a statement issued by CAG. CAG is a coalition of over 35 groups that have come together to promote pluralism and tolerance and voice their opinion against sectarian politics in India. Its members include women's groups, human rights organisations and representatives of Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Sikhs. In the resolution, Conyers, the Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee and Dean of the Congressional Black Caucus, charged: "Modi has not been shy about proudly professing his anti-Muslim and anti-tribal stances. He has caused wide-scale displacement of indigenous populations in (Gujarat)." Pitts, a member of the India Caucus and the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, said: "India is too strong an ally for us to stand idly by while extremists undermine its commitment to democracy and human rights." Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have accused Modi of complicity in the massacre of Muslims in 2002, when Gujarat witnessed widespread sectarian violence. Modi was also accused by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom of inciting hatred against Christians and other minorities. --Indo-Asian News Service |