Funding
of Religious Pilgrimages- Press Statement by IHU
The following Press Statement was issued
by the Indian Humanist Union on the 8th September 2012 through
United News of India (UNI)
Press Statement by the Indian
Humanist Union
As an organization which has devoted
itself to the cause of Secularism and National Integration for more than fifty
years, the Indian Humanist Union is deeply disappointed by the decision of
certain State governments to provide free religious pilgrimage to people
belonging to various religious denominations at the cost of the
State. It feels strongly that the
Central and State governments should work towards the abolition of the existing
practices of this nature - such as the funding of Haj pilgrimages - rather than
introduce new such schemes.
The
preamble to the Constitution clearly proclaims that the people of India have
solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC. Clearly, a Secular State cannot promote religiosity
- howsoever even-handed it may try to be - without violating the Secular
principle. To promote religiosity among the people – and that too at the
expense of the tax-payer – is not only a violation of the Constitution of
India, it also discriminates against the secular citizen. To that extent
it is also a breach of Human Rights
The
Indian Humanist Union urges the Central and State Governments to respect
the secular nature of our Constitution and cancel any new attempts to fund
religious pilgrimages, and phase out those that may already be in
operation.
The
Indian Humanist Union also humbly urges the Judiciary and the NHRC to consider
taking suo moto action against such violations of the Constitution and Human
Rights.
New
Delhi 8 September 2012
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