Book of Integration Council New - Ministry of Home Affairs

ecommendation of the Muslim Scholars. Also for the first time, we have set up a
working group to prepare a Vision Document for the long term and sustainable
development of minorities. Our endeavour is to bring the minorities to mainstream and
remove the feeling of alienation, among them through genuine efforts. This alone will
bring about communal harmony and National Integration.
Christians and Hindus have co-existed peacefully in the State for many centuries.
The unconstitutional and illegal efforts by some of the Christian organizations, such as
New Life, to forcibly convert or to induce conversion to Christianity in the same times
need therefore to noted by one and all with concern. Apart from minority inducements,
their efforts include publishing provocative booklets such as ‘satya Darshini’ which
denigrate Hindu Gods and Godesses. Our constitution provides for Freedom of Religion
but no one can justify forcible conversion.
On 14 th September 2008, there was some attacks on Christian religious places in
Dakshina Kannada, Udipi and Chikmagalur districts by mobs protesting against
conversions, leading to law and order situation in these districts. I, along with the State
Home Minister, visited the trouble spots very next day. Due to the effective and immediate
steps taken by the State Government, peace and normalcy were restored within two
days.
We all know that there have been serious communal and terrorist incidents in
the states such as Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Tripura, NCT of Delhi, Andhra Pradesh
and Maharashtra. The Union Government was not so active in sending advisory
notes, referred to as notices on the Article 355 by the Union Home Secretary on those
occasions in respect of Karnataka, just two days of troubles was enough to cause the
Central Government to send two advisory notes in quick succession, even though the
situation was brought under control promptly. According to our considered opinion,
there was no need to send a Central team to Karnataka, even after Law and Order was
restored and for those officers to speak to the press before even submitting a report to
the Union Home Ministry, especially when a Judicial inquiry had already been ordered.
Such steps which appear politically motivated, may aggravate the communal tension
rather than reduce them.
On our part, my Government has taken several proactive steps for promoting
National Integration and Communal Harmony. Some of them are :
(a) Reaching out to all sections of the people, irrespective of caste, creed or
community in our weekly janaspandana meetings at Hobli (below Taluk) level,
to receive and resolve complaints,
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