24th August 2008

Shri B. S. Yeddyurappa

Chief Minister of Karnataka State,

India.

Honorable Sir,

Subject:           1).  Welcoming your visit to the United States of America.

2).  Requesting a meeting with your honorable self.

It gives us immense pleasure to extend our warm welcome to your honorable self during your visit to the United States of America.

We are proud of Karnataka as it is the eighth largest Indian state by area, the ninth largest by population and comprises 29 districts.  Karnataka has been home to some of the most powerful empires of ancient India.  It has contributed significantly to the multicultural diversity of India.  Writers in the Kannada language have received the most number of Jnanpith awards in India.  Bangalore, the capital city, is at the helm of the rapid economic and technological development that India is currently witnessing.  In the field of super-specialty health care, Karnataka’s private sector competes with the best in the world.  It is also the manufacturing hub of some of the largest public sector industries in India, like Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, etc.  Many of India’s premier science and technology research centers, such as Indian Space Research Organisation, Central Power Research Institute, etc., are headquartered in Karnataka.  In the field of Information Technology, it remains the undisputed global leader with companies such as Infosys, Wipro, and thousands of other firms.  It is a religious tolerant state and different religions like Advaita, Vishistadvaita, Dvaita, Veerashaivism, Shakti Vishishtadvaita, Lingayat, Jain, Islam, Buddhism, and Christianity exist in peaceful cooperation and harmony.

Christianity reached Karnataka in the sixteenth century with the arrival of the Portuguese and St. Francis Xavier in 1545.  Since that time, Christians have enjoyed religious freedom as members of the other religions have enjoyed.  However, now it seems that Christians are being persecuted in the name of forcible conversions.  Arrogance, Pride, Force, Violence, and other such terms are alien to Christianity.  Christians are peace-loving people and they never have, or are using now, or ever will in the future, use force, gifts, donations, etc., to convert people.  Christians believe in the dignity and freedom of every individual.  Christians also accept the democratic system of Karnataka and thus they never attempt any means, whatsoever, to convert Non-Christians into becoming Christians.  But they are being falsely framed thus and are mercilessly persecuted.  There are innumerable reports in the media reporting that Christians are assaulted, humiliated, paraded half-naked, beaten up, their limbs mutilated, tortured, and even murdered by falsely and unjustly implicating them in the name of conversions.  There are about 143 incidents of violence against peace-loving Christians in the state of Karnataka.  All the Christians of India and the world are in extreme shock and profound grief, over these brutal and heartless events happening against Christians in Karnataka.  Being a forever peace-loving and religious tolerant community, Christians are remaining mute spectators to these intensely inhuman and barbaric acts.  But the international community is taking note and thus a lot of negative publicity is also being generated.

Christians of India and all over the world have full faith in your dynamic, charismatic, and justice driven leadership.  We are confident that as you have made Karnataka into one of the leading economic states of India, you will also make it into one of the leading religious tolerant states of India.  We look forward to your guidance and leadership in this matter.  We desire that we present our case to your honorable self for your kind consideration, so that necessary action may be initiated to stop the inhuman atrocities being committed against Christians in Karnataka.  We, thus, request a meeting with your honorable self in New York or Chicago, as per your convenience.  Do kindly let us know the date, time, and venue of the meeting and oblige. 

On behalf of the Federation of Indian Christian Organizations in North America, I take this opportunity to extend our warmest welcome to your honorable self in the United States of America, and eagerly look forward to a meeting with your honorable self.

Thanking you,

With warmest regards,

Reverend Bernard Malik

President

Federation of Indian Christian Organizations in North America