Visit of UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion

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Bhubaneswar: The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion visited Bhubaneswar on 21st Februbary 2014. The Special Rapporteur Dr. Heiner Bielefeldt met the various victim survivals from all over Odisha at Hotel Swasti Premium from morning 10.00 AM to 5. 00 PM. The main topic of sharing was the problem of how the right tribal, dalit, women, children and minority are being violated by some fundamentalist forces. There were many prominent community leaders and Civil Society leaders present in the gathering.

From left: Fr. Ajay Kumar Singh (Director OFSA), Dr. Heiner Bielefeldt (UNSR), Mr. William Stanly (Chair Person) and Mr. Dhirendra Panda (Director CSNR)
Some of the prominent leaders from left in the attached photo were: Fr. Ajay Kumar Singh (Director OFSA), Dr. Heiner Bielefeldt (UNSR), Mr. William Stanly (Chair Person) and Mr. Dhirendra Panda (Director CSNR). Mr. Jugal Kirshore Ranjit presented the issues of minority as a whole in the state of Odisha. Fr. Nicholas Balra a tribal leader from Sundargarh spoke about the problem of tribs' religion. Tribals were never Hindu, they have their own culture and religion which is not recognized by either government nor the missionary leaders. They think that the tribals are without religion or they are Hindu by birth which is not true said Fr. Nicholas.

The tribal and dalit christian, muslim and other tribal religious leaders presented their issues in Odisha. Some of them spoke how the OFRA is violating the basic human rights of the citizens in Odisha. The Fundamentalism is taught in the schools and children are brain washed with fundamental ideas. These children are the toppers in the academic filed and will be holding important office in the future. And thus they will be ruling with these fundamentalist ideology be it Hinduism, Christianity or Islam. Thus, the leaders collectively appealed the UNSR to present their difficulties and give valuable recommendation to the Indian Government. 
Turning compassion into action, and knowledge into light.

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