IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 434 

Condemning the recent religious violence in India and calling on the 

Government of India to stop the violence and address its root causes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 26, 2008 

Mr. AKIN (for himself, Mr. WOLF, Mr. PITTS, Mr. MCGOVERN, and Mr. 

MCCOTTER) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Condemning the recent religious violence in India and calling 

on the Government of India to stop the violence and 

address its root causes. 

Whereas India is the largest democracy in the world, with a 

Constitution that provides for the protection of religious 

freedom and the fundamental rights of all citizens; 

Whereas the United States respects and admires the commitment of India’s present government and Prime Minister 

Manmohan Singh to preserve pluralism and religious diversity in India; 

Whereas the murder of Swami Laxmananand Saraswati was 

a hideous act of violence; 

Whereas an act of violence should never lead to violent retribution or mob governance; 


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•HCON 434 IH 

Whereas recent violence in the state of Orissa has resulted 

in the deaths of significant number of Christians and 

Hindus, the burning of churches, Christian institutions 

and homes, and has forced tens of thousands of Christians to flee their homes; 

Whereas the violence in the state of Orissa continues to flare 

and is spreading to other states such as Karnataka and 

Madhya Pradesh; 

Whereas this is the second major outbreak of religious violence against Christians since December of 2007; 

Whereas the efforts of the state governments have had little 

effect in preventing the continuing violence; 

Whereas certain leaders belonging to the ruling parties in the 

states are publicly encouraging such violence against 

Christians to create animosity between the Hindus and 

others; 

Whereas the Supreme Court of India has ordered the state 

government of Orissa to detail its efforts to stop the violence; 

Whereas India’s National Human Rights Commission, an official body, is sending a team to investigate the origins 

of the violence in Orissa; 

Whereas the National Commission for Women has expressed 

shock at the level of violent crimes committed towards 

the Christian women by police forces; 

Whereas the Government of India has not moved quickly to 

prevent further violence or address the root causes of the 

violence; 


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•HCON 434 IH 

Whereas maintaining the rule of law, rather than mob rule, 

is of vital importance to building a strong democratic 

government; and 

Whereas it is in the interest of the Government of India to 

prevent tension between different religious groups, promote religious liberty and freedom of peaceful religious 

expression in India: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That Congress— 

3 (1) strongly condemns the religious violence in 

4 India, including the killings, rapes, and home and 

5 church destruction; 

6 (2) calls on the Government of India to take all 

7 necessary steps to restrict the reach and resources 

8 of the radical religious party elements that cause 

9 such violence regularly, including the direct incite10 ment to violence against Christians; 

11 (3) calls on the Government of India to take 

12 strong steps to prevent ongoing and future violence, 

13 including the provision of adequate police protection 

14 for targets of violence, and active prosecution of per15 petrators of violence; 

16 (4) calls on the state governments of India and 

17 elected bodies in all levels of government to protect 

18 all their citizens regardless of their religious beliefs; 

19 (5) condemns the implementation of any laws 

20 restricting the freedom of religion or the freedom to 


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•HCON 434 IH 

1 change one’s religion, the fundamental rights in any 

2 democracy; and 

3 (6) urges the people of India to respect all 

4 peaceful religious beliefs and live together as a 

5 model to the rest of the world. 

Æ 


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