Ahead of Karnataka polls, Fr Cedric Prakash recalls "fascist attack" on Christians in Mangalore, elsewhere in 2008

Counterview Desk
A little more than a decade ago, in September 2008, well-known Jesuit priest and human rights activist Father Cedric Prakash wrote an open letter to the Catholics of Mangalore, Karnataka, in the wake of attacks on the Christians in the city and other parts of the state. Prakash wrote the letter after returning from Mangalore, where he was invited to meet with hundreds of people. The open letter, he tells Counterview, is "strangely enough is very relevant today too", when the state goes to polls.
We reproduce here below text of the letter:
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Greetings of Peace and Love to each one of you!
I have just returned from Mangalore, after spending five hectic days there; during which I met with, listened to and spoke to hundreds of youth, men and women; religious and clergy.
The days beginning Sunday, 14th September (the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross) have been very traumatic and painful for many across the board. “We never expected this to happen to us" is what several of you have been saying. Many others added "and we were totally unprepared".
During the days there, I experienced the pain and suffering of several of the victims: those who were in the midst of teargas, those who were beaten up and brutalized by the brute force and insensitivity of the police, and even of those who spent some days in jail / police custody. The underlying feeling throughout was, “this violence was just too terrible for words".
It was also heartwarming to know how several of you literally stood firm to protect the Church and Church property. I have been tremendously edified by the heroics of many women (very specially Religious Sisters) who boldly faced the onslaught of violence. I was touched by the fact that several youth went to jail for no wrongdoing whatsoever, but only because their names were handed over to the police officers, who demanded that this be done.
I salute each one of you who have exemplified faith, courage and dignity to preserve the diversity and the secular fabric of our country.
Having said this, I need to share with you some of my reflections on the current happenings in Mangalore and other parts of Karnataka. What I write here is essentially based on the sharing of many and in no way should be misconstrued as ‘final words’. I also share them because as a citizen of India, I feel I have a responsibility to do so:
-The attacks on Churches and Christians is NOT a ‘one off’ affair. It is part of a systematic long-term project of the Sangh Parivar, who have an insidious, divisive agenda based on a fascist ideology.
-During these attacks, the fascists have effectively used age-old tactics like ‘hit and run’, ‘divide- and-rule’ (it is not ‘you’ but ‘they’), "diverting-from-the-real-issue" (illegal conversion, foreign funds, etc.)
-It is blatantly obvious that they have trapped us in their subterfuge. We have fallen prey to their evil designs.

Cedric Prakash

-What perhaps went awry, in their plans, was the groundswell of response, from the Catholic Laity, very specially the youth. This spontaneous response, both, on September 14th and 15th, certainly put them on the back foot.
-The ringing (pealing / tolling) of Church bells was a terrific strategy used on the part of the Catholics on both days. In doing so, we were reminded that God is with us and that we need to come together / remain united in the face of crisis. (At times during the Nazi regime, the Resistance Movements in parts of France also used to ring the Church bells in times of danger).
-The Police had no business to enter Church property, and very specially the Sacred Precincts of our Churches. There is enough of documentary evidence to show how police have beaten up and brutalized people even inside Churches and severely damaged Church property.
-No acts of violence can and should be justified. However, it is anyone's guess as to who threw ‘the first stone’ and to what extent were the Catholic youth actually involved in stone throwing.
-In some Parishes, the police asked for a list of names of youth who they could arrest, and unfortunately, these were given, even when the youth were just sitting silently in the Church compound.
-On the very first day, members of the Sangh Parivar took responsibility for the attacks. This would not have been possible if they did not have the full patronage of the State Government and the support of BJP higher-ups. Government Officials and Police clearly acted as footstools for the whims and fancies of their political masters.
-A few days before these attacks, a highly inflammatory and defamatory booklet was printed and distributed outside the gates of several educational institutions in Mangalore. The booklet held the Christians responsible for the killing of the Swami in Orissa. The police did nothing to stop those responsible for the publishing and distribution of this booklet.
-The Sangh Parivar, with all its affiliates, is a fascist organization. They are out to destroy the secular fabric of the country. They DO NOT represent the vast majority of the Hindus of the country. It is dangerous and immoral, to enter into any negotiations or deals with them. When one does so, one provides them a legitimacy, which they desperately hanker for. Above all, one is manipulated into a vulnerable position carefully designed by them ("you are also the criminals").
-Large sections of Indian (Hindu) society regard the Sangh Parivar as a terrorist group and would like that they be BANNED.
-The dharnas / demonstrations by the Catholics have proved that "Satyagraha" (the force of Truth) given to us by Mahatma Gandhi is a very effective weapon to counter hate, prejudice and violence in this country.
In the context of the above, I would like to make the following suggestions / remarks:
The machinations of the Sangh Parivar are going to continue for a long time. Please do not be fooled if there are utterances that it is all over.

• It is important to document / study / analyze the way they work. This should be done through well-established ‘Resources Centres’ which can also serve as nodal points in times of crisis.
• We need to carefully study the various statements of the Chief Minister and Home Minister (check his blog) of Karnataka. There are several contradictions in them. Do remember that fascists always indulge in techniques which are Goebbelsian: “tell a lie a thousand time and people tend to believe it".
• We need to be a Communicating Church with a very effective coordinating mechanism in which power and responsibility is shared at every possible level and especially among all sections of the laity.
• We need to SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER (Archbishop Bernard Moras' bold statements to the Chief Minister is an excellent example for all of us).
• We need to formulate responses and strategies for the long term. We need to set OUR agenda, very specially to preserve and enhance the Constitutional Rights and Freedom of every single citizen (the Sangh Parivar tries to make us reactionaries to their devious agenda).
• We should not give up any of our routine programmes /functions / celebrations. Every effort has to be made to show the fascists that we are citizens of this country with the rights and freedoms guaranteed to every citizen.
• Our response has to be broad based. It should certainly include all ethnic groups within the Catholic Community. It should include all denominations of the Christian Faith (eg. at the National level, we do have the 'National United Christian Forum' and in Gujarat we have the 'Gujarat United Christian Forum'). Above all, it should include all men and women of goodwill. In this last category, we will have thousands of young men and women belonging to every faith, who have passed through the portals of our Educational Institutions, and who even hold important positions in Society, in Government and in Industry. They MUST be part of this broad based response.
• Those police officers responsible for these heinous acts should be brought to book immediately for dereliction of duty. There is an understandable fear among members of the community from doing so, fearing revenge, but unless some beginning is made by civil society, we will never be able to make the police accountable and in adhering to their sacred mandate that of protecting the life and property of every single citizen.
• All others responsible for the attacks on Christians and the Churches MUST be brought to book immediately and the Government must be held responsible for this. If not, they will be miserably failing in their prime duty.
• All Catholic youth who have been arrested should be released immediately and all charges against them should be dropped unconditionally.
• The attacks on the Christians in Karnataka, together with those of Orissa and other parts of India, must be internationalized. The Central and State Governments must get missives from countries who are friendly with India. Above all, the Chief Minister and the Home Minister must be blacklisted by Democracies all over the world and (as is currently done for Narendra Modi of Gujarat), they should be denied visas for any travel abroad.
• A Citizens Tribunal consisting of eminent people from all walks of life (and preferably non-Christians), must be set up immediately. Mangalorean Catholics will have to provide the financial resources and logistical support for this Citizens Tribunal.
• Above all, ‘DO NOT PANIC!’ ‘DO NOT FEAR!’ The Lord is with us and has told us over and over again those we should “FEAR NO ONE” on this earth...Being a citizen of India is our birthright. Let us hold our heads high and cherish the eternal values given to us by Jesus. The Indian Constitution also guarantees many of them. Being Indian is our birthright and no one can deny us that and no one can treat us as second-class citizens in our country.

With warm wishes and prayers,
in solidarity...

Fr. Cedric Prakash sj
25th September 2008