Page 32 - The Indian EYE 020422

NORTH AMERIcAN Newsline FEBRUARY 04, 2022 | The Indian Eye 32

Christian group condemns dropping of “Abide

with Me” from Beating Retreat ceremony

OUR BUREAU as Hinduism today was formed.” It is a betrayal of the trust of hun-
Mr. George Abraham, also a dreds of millions of people of the
Washington, DC
Board Member said, “Yet, Modi nation. A government calling itself
he Federation of Indian Amer- and his party assume the Christian Democratic must be impartial and
ican Christian Organizations faith as a remnant of British rule. respectful of all segments of its so-
T(FIACONA) has condemned They ignore the fact that not only ciety.
the Modi government for dropping had many Christian missionaries Rev. Peter Cook, the Executive
Mahatma Gandhi’s favorite Hymn helped spread Gandhi’s message, Director of the NY State Council
“Abide With Me”, from India’s Re- they had also joined him against of Churches, a part of the National
public Day parade ceremony. This the unjust policies of a Colonial Council of Churches (NCC-USA)
hymn has been a part of the official power.” said that, “The action of the Modi
Parade played by the Indian Army Moreover, he said, “Tens of government is not only an insult
Band at Beating Retreat every year this party against anything that re- thousands of Christians fought and to the sentiments of over 100 mil-
for the past 73 years. sembles the Christian faith”. sacrificed their lives in the Indian lion people who follow the faith in
The President of FIACONA, Mr. John Mathew, a FIACONA Army since India’s independence India but also to millions of other
Mr. Koshi George said, “The Modi Board Member said, “Out of igno- from British rule.” He reminds that people from all faith backgrounds.
government has sunk to a new low, rance, Hindu nationalists consider the coinage of the word - “Hindu- With this kind of open hostilities
just when you thought it could not the Christian faith in India to be a ism” itself is of colonial origin. against people of faith in India, it’s
possibly sink any further. The act remnant of British rule. Christian Rev. Bryan Nerren, Pastor of no wonder people like Dr. Gregory
of removing the hymn from India’s faith was introduced to the Indian House of Prayer and President of Stanton of Genocide Watch warn
Republic Day Parade to be held subcontinent in 52 AD by Apostle Asian Children’s Education Fel- that India would be where the next
this Wednesday (Jan 26), shows the Thomas, long before certain seg- lowship in Tennessee stated that, genocide takes place”.
silliness and deep-rooted hatred of ments of what is collectively known “The removal of Democratic cus- FIACONA calls upon all con-
toms and traditions are the clear in- gregations, Christian, Hindu, Mus-
dicators that Prime Minister Modi lim, Sikh, Buddhist, and people of
is leading the largest democracy every faith in India and abroad to
into a religious dictatorship”. stand up in solidarity against this
Mr. John Prabhudoss, the childish attempt by a bigoted gov-
Chairman of the Board said, FI- ernment of the world’s largest de-
ACONA considers the act of re- mocracy and join each other by
moving the hymn from the Repub- singing “Abide With Me” on Jan-
lic Day lineup this year as a new uary 26th and on Sunday, January
low even for this Modi government. 30th in your congregations.

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