Secular governments funding religious visits abroad

Organiser,2009 Issues > September 13 2009


Secular governments funding religious visits abroad
Misappropriation of public money for petty gains
By Himanshu Shekhar Jha

If the money paid by Muslim or Christian tax payers cannot be spent on the pilgrimages undertaken by Hindus, on what legal or moral ground the money paid by Hindu tax payers should be spent on pilgrimages undertaken by Muslims or Christians?

The recent stay of Andhra Pradesh High Court on the State Government’s order providing financial assistance to self-styled Christians for pilgrimage to places connected with the life and teachings of Jesus Christ is a landmark in the history of judicial decisions taken in the past few years in our country.

The Andhra Pradesh Government had reportedly allocated Rs 2,00,00,000/--as airfare subsidy to the Christians in the 2008-09 budget. The arbitrary allocation of fund from public exchequer to individuals for personal tour is prima facie illegal and cannot be justified on any ground whatsoever. What right a Government has to spend public money for the furtherance of a particular faith to which the majority of tax payers owe no allegiance? If the money paid by Muslim or Christian tax payers cannot be spent on the pilgrimages undertaken by Hindus, on what legal or moral ground the money paid by Hindu tax payers should be spent on pilgrimages undertaken by Muslims or Christians?

There is no doubt that the sole motive of the Centre or any State in indulging in such obnoxious deals is to woo the voters belonging to minority communities. It is not that the Centre or the State concerned have suddenly grown very liberal and want to help members of minority communities out of great love for God and mankind. Such grant constitutes a part of the election strategy of the Congress and its allies.

It is significant to note that there is no provision either in the Constitution or in any other law under which airfare or any kind of financial assistance can be given to individuals having separate religion or faith from any public fund. Though the Constitution of India is mainly based on alien legal concepts and contains nothing, which can be called ‘Indian’ in the true sense of the term, even this flawed instrument does not provide for such arbitrary and discriminatory financial aid to individuals for furtherance of their personal faith and religious beliefs. Moreover, it is against the principle of secularism to which the Constitution of India is wedded and which forms part of its basic structure which cannot be dismantled by any whimsical action of the State.

The UPA-led government at the Centre and in states must address the question as to why would they bear travelling and other expenses of individuals when they go on personal tours even if it is connected with religion or faith? More importantly on what legal grounds can the Government pay airfare subsidy to members of a minority community for a pilgrimage when the same is shamelessly denied to those who belong to the majority community for similar purposes?

Another question which is equally important to address is why should the money paid by Hindu tax payers be spent on rituals of non-Hindus against their conscience and will? Is it not flagrant violation of their Fundamental Right to freedom of conscience free profession, practice and propagation of religion guaranteed under Article 25 of the Constitution? If a Muslim and Christian or anyone else belonging to a particular faith or religious denomination would not like their money deposited in state exchequer to be given to Hindus for undertaking pilgrimages to their holy places, whey should Hindu tax payer’s money be lavishly spent on pilgrimages undertaken by those who have no respect for religious beliefs and practices of Hindus? As pointed out earlier, even the Constitution of India does not permit such payments. Take a look at Article 27 of the Constitution which categorically states, "No person shall be compelled to pay any taxes, the proceeds of which are specifically appropriated in payment of expenses for the promotion or maintenance of any particular religion or religious denomination."

Can there be any doubt in the light of the above Constitutional provision that the payment of tax payers’ money to individuals for the promotion or maintenance of their particular religion or faith is arbitrary, illegal and violative of the people’s Fundamental Right to freedom of religion and conscience?

Besides being illegal and unconstitutional the above grants amount to unfair practices within the meaning of the People’s Representations Act. Indiscriminate and arbitrary grant of scholarships to students belonging to minority communities and payment of airfare and other travelling expenses to individuals for Haj and tour of places related to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ are being made from tax payers’ money with the sole and sordid motive of wooing the voters belonging to the communities referred to above. This mischief perpetrated on the people who are already poverty-stricken must be thoroughly exposed by all and brought to an end at the earliest.

A pilgrimage which is performed by ill-gotten money cannot bring desired rewards. The nefarious deal, therefore, deserves to be struck down for good on all counts.

(The writer can be contacted at A-207, Kalyani Apartments, Sector-06, Vasundhara, Ghaziabad, (Uttar Pradesh))