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High-Level Event organized by 

World Jewish Congress

“The Role of the United Nations in Combating Antisemitism”

 

Video Message

by

Ambassador T.S. Tirumurti, 

Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations

 

[17 November 2020, New York]

Mr. Ronald S. Lauder, President of the World Jewish Congress,

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

I thank the World Jewish Congress and other co-sponsors for bringing us together to address the scourge of antisemitism.  We are happy to co-sponsor this important event.

 

I come from a country which is home to all major religions of the world.  We ourselves gave birth to several religions, the most prominent of them being Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism.

 

I also come from a country which does not have any trace of antisemitism.

 

India has had a thriving Jewish community for more than 2000 years.  The Jewish community is an integral part of the pluralistic fabric of India and they enrich this fabric as much as any other community.  In this river called Indian civilization, every faith and every denomination is embraced in the framework of our democratic structure, pluralism, harmony and mutual acceptance.

 

There have been numerous milestones in this more than 2000 years long journey of the Jewish community in India.  For example, it is well-known that when the Jewish community faced persecution from some European powers in the 16th Century, they were granted sanctuary by the Hindu Maharaja of Cochin, Rama Varma, in Kerala.  It was he who gave a land adjacent to his palace and the temple in Cochin where the beautiful Paradesi synagogue built in 1568 stands to this day as a proud reminder of India’s Jewish heritage.  In 1968, the Indian Prime Minister was personally present when the 400th anniversary of this synagogue was celebrated, attesting to the importance we attach to protecting and preserving our Jewish heritage.

 

India is equally proud of the King of Jamnagar Maharaja Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja, also known as ‘Jam Sahib’, who in 1942 provided refuge and protection to more than 1000 Polish children, including Jewish children, when they were denied entry by other countries.  He brought them up as his own.  

 

In November 2008, the whole of India prayed for baby Moshe Holtzberg, who was saved by his Indian caregiver from the dastardly terrorist attack in Mumbai by Pakistani terrorists.

 

We have many well-known Jewish Indians, who have distinguished themselves in all walks of life.  An example is Gen. JFR Jacob, a national hero in India having led the Eastern Command of the Indian Army during India’s victory in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. 

 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

 

India condemns all forms of antisemitism and all forms of discrimination on religious grounds anywhere in the world.  

 

We now have countries taking advantage of the ongoing pandemic and spreading divisive hatred to other parts of the world on the basis of religion.  COVID has not prevented them from supporting cross-border terrorism to kill innocent people and spread religious hatred.  We call on those countries to stop spreading antisemitism, stop spreading hatred and stop dividing the world on the basis of religion.  We ask them to look inwards to promote harmony within their own societies, stop sectarian violence and ensure the protection of minorities.  We believe that it is important for the United Nations to speak decisively and not take sides with one group of religions vis-à-vis the others or justify terrorism in any way.  

 

I thank the organizers for giving me an opportunity to say a few words.

Thank you.