Denial of Visa to U.S. Commission Not in Indias Interest

To,

Dr. Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister of India,

We as a nation take legitimate pride in our being the largest secular democracy and also in our tradition of not only tolerance but respect for all religions. Given such a claim, denial of visa to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, has reduced our standing in the world to that of Cuba, the only other country which similarly denied visa to the US CIRF.

In view of the fact that the members of the Commission wanted to visit Gujarat and Orissa and that denial of visa resulted from LK Advanis plea to the Prime Minister on behalf of his Hindutva mentors and friends, we express our concern on this policy of apparent collusion of the secular UPA Government with those with an agenda of hate and revenge against Christians and Muslims.

Mr. Prime Minister, you and your Government in national interest cannot be identified with extremist Hindu violent groups interests. In view of this we urge the UPA Government to take steps to facilitate the visit of the Commission, whose earlier reports bear testimony to its fairness and absence of any anti-India bias.

Signatories: