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India is the largest democracy in the world with over a billion people. Most of them are very highly educated. India is also a very resourceful nation in the world.
It is an ancient land and a proud nation. It has an extraordinary opportunity and the potential to grow into the world’s super power that it could be. But India is also to learn some of the lesson perhaps America leant in that process… and to reemphasize religious freedom in India to make sure that everyone there is part of the development and the new India that it could be. I think sometimes we overlook some of the poverty and religious in-tolerance issues that are unfortunately rampant throughout the world. But India, I think could have a major paradigm shift in the next few years if it is focused on it significantly.
I am convinced that some of the religious in-tolerance that exist In India could be on its way out if we all maintain our focus on that regard.
It is also important to realize that still 800 million
people in India live in less than a dollar a day.
As we begin to help the country economically, if we recognize that our purpose of reaching out to India and individuals in India is to give them an opportunity for them to realize this marvelous miracle called life as they develop their businesses; if we can begin to understand it, the true religious tolerance is not in pretending that you have a differences in your Faiths. It is to be kind and be decent to your fellow human beings in spite of those differences. And perhaps one of the greatest challenges in India we face today is perhaps the dalit issues or the untouchable’s issue. I know it is sometimes difficult issues to discuss. But there were about 2000 dalits killed in less than two months and many women are raped everyday. If we face the social challenges head on and allow the organizations that are going to India to reach out to the poor, those who are infected with aids, to the trafficked women, I think that we can have the chance to see India not only to become a business power and an economic power but also a great cultural and spiritual strength to their people. I hope we focus on that.
While I was there in India I met with a man there I think an Indian gentleman and a great champion in the nation of India by the name Devaraj.
He has gone into the red light districts and rescue women and children from that terrible situation. Now he is building hospitals for children who are affected by the AIDS.
I wanted to share with you
just one little story of a one boy.
I saw the pictures. I saw the pictures this little boy who was dying in a hospital bed, in a very hopeless situation. His little sister was next to him singing to him in her language. She sang
“Sleep sleep,
Mommy died but it doesn’t matter I am here.
I am going and beg for you and
I will take care of you and educate you….”
And this little girls was aids infected and Devaraj said he
was able to rescue both of them. Now that little boy is at least in good health for the moment. Devaraj is taking good care of him and his sister.
I must tell you that I have known that every nation faces
its own human rights issues; and certainly America does. Every nation has to deal with and over come such issues. Rather than placing a large amount of blame on any country we must try and work together
and help them march in the direction of freedom across the world. We must help everyone to embrace freedom and for everyone to have a chance to becoming the best that God men to have and be.
You know, our
own country at one time was marred very significant battle at one time and we understood the corner stone of true freedom had to include the religious freedom. We did not get away from all the struggles and
debates that was not very pleasant but once at least once we began to understand that every individual has the right to have that basic fundamental right to have religious freedom and to their thoughts about
God and matters of spiritual beliefs.
We are so fortunate to have been given the frame work for freedom by the founding fathers of our nation which has lead to the most powerful military and economic
strengths that the history of the mankind has ever seen.
I am very convinced that our best hope of working together as nations and working together as you see, each person be able to take that next step in
the stair way of freedom lies in making sure that all people, no matter who they are given that chance to have the freedom.
And that’s my commitment to help India and to help United States to work together to have much more free and prosperous world.
I want to thank you for all that you do.
I know a lot of you here are more committed to the issue and the people of India because you care about the humanity in general. I encourage you to continue to do the work that you are doing in that part of the world. I encourage the NGOs that are here and I encourage the government representatives that are here to work together for a free and open society. I certainly praise the people in this panel for their understanding of the issues that are confronting the nation of India. I would like to mention before I close that there are few of us here in the US Congress that love the people of India and we are committed to making India a better place for everyone. You help by telling us what we could do and that would be our task. Thank you and God Bless.
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