A statue of Jesus is destroyed in Gokunte village in Karnataka state, in southwestern India, Feb. 15, 2022. (Credit: YouTube screen grab.)
Thu 27 Apr 2023:
New Delhi: A.C. Michael, president of the Federation of Catholic Associations of Archdiocese of Delhi (FCAAD) and national coordinator of the United Christian Forum, has written to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on behalf of both groups about serious issues and discrimination being faced by Christians in India.
Michael says in his letter dated April 21 that while Modi had visited the Sacred Heart Cathedral Catholic Church on Easter and was welcomed there, the community wanted to use a more appropriate medium and time to convey their grievances.
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On April 27, the FCAAD issued a press release stating that the Prime Minister’s Office had acknowledged Michael’s letter and issued a registration number of the Public Grievances Portal in response.
In his letter, Michael had brought up three important concerns. First, he said the so-called ‘freedom of religion’ laws that have been passed in 11 states are harmful for Christians. Bharatiya Janata Party governments have been pushing for these laws in the states, under the pretext of targeting “love jihad”. Several reports from across states have argued that these laws are being used to harass religious minorities.
“The Anti-Conversion bill goes against the very spirit of Article 25 and in many such states, Christian community members are being harassed and imprisoned on false and fabricated charges of conversion,” Michael said in his letter.
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Second, Michael talks about importance of minority schools, which are protected under the Constitution. Christians, Michael says, account for 72% of the minority schools in India. “There are over 54,000 educational institutions run by the community in India. These institutions impart education to over six crore children and youth from various religious, linguistic, and economically-challenged backgrounds,” Michael states.
These schools, Michael continues, are now coming under attack from majoritarian mobs. “Today, many of our schools and colleges are under attack and have had to face violent mob attacks, stone pelting and heavy property damage. Principals and teachers are being accused of forced conversions, morning assemblies are being disrupted and education policies are undermining autonomy.”
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Third, Michael brings up the continuing marginalisation of Dalit Christians in India. Statistics prove that Dalit Christians are “deprived and marginalised”, he writes, yet they are unable to benefit from reservations meant for Scheduled Castes.
“As law abiding citizens, we will accept the Union Government’s appointed three-member commission, headed by former Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan, to consider the possibility of granting SC status to “new persons who have historically belonged to the Scheduled Castes’’ but have converted to religions other than Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism. The Commission, led by led Former Chief Justice of India, Justice Ranganath Misra), had recommended a certain percentage of reservations to minorities in jobs and in higher education. Please permit Dalits who convert to Islam or Christianity of their own free will, to avail of reservation benefits under the Scheduled Caste reservation quota,” Michael writes.
In conclusion, Michael asks the prime minister not to let anybody try and diminish the diversity and vibrancy of India. “A vibrant democracy means the peaceful co-existence of every individual in our nation. Let us embrace this great diversity of India, and not let a few misguided people strangulate it,” he says.
-The Wire
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