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| July 7, 2010 | European Ombudsman rejects Hindus' request regarding equality of religions in Malta | |
Nevada (US): European Ombudsman has rejected Hindus' complaint regarding equality of treatment of all religions before the Maltese law. In a response to the complaint
of Bhavna Shinde of Forum for Hindu Awakening, European Ombudsman P. Nikiforos
Diamandouros wrote: "I am not entitled to deal with your complaint". Diamandouros
explained: The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the Statute
of the European Ombudsman set certain conditions as to the opening of an enquiry
by the Ombudsman. One of these conditions is that the Ombudsman shall help to
uncover maladministration in the activities of the Union institutions, bodies,
offices and agencies such as the European Parliament and the European Commission.
No action by any other authority or person may be the subject of a complaint to
the Ombudsman. After a careful examination of your complaint, it appears that
this condition is not met, because your complaint is not related to an act of
a Union institution, body, office or agency, but it is against a provision in
the Maltese Criminal Code. Shinde's complaint to Ombudsman earlier stated: Malta
Criminal Code reportedly makes one liable to imprisonment up to 6 months for publicly
vilifying 'Roman Catholic Apostolic Religion', while committing such an act against
'any cult tolerated by law' makes one liable to imprisonment only up to 3 months.
Please investigate it and ensure that Malta treats all the religions and denominations
equally in front of the law. Meanwhile, acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed has
said that Malta herself should relook into this part of Malta Criminal Code and
amend it to make all religions and denominations equal before the law, in line
with the equality goals of the European Union. Zed, who is President of Universal
Society of Hinduism, further said that it would make Malta even more attractive
to global businesses and tourism. Maltese islands were first settled reportedly
in 5,200 BCE. Few European countries have such concentrated architecture, history,
and beaches in so small an area as Malta. Hinduism, oldest and third largest religion
of the world, has about one billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate
goal. |
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