The entire political class is to blame for the “polarisation and radicalisation” of India that has spawned mob violence, President of the All India Christian Council and Moderator of the Good Shepherd Church of India, Bishop Joseph d’Souza, has said.
After dozens of lynchings in recent months, people of all religions needed to join in countering the “mobocracy”, he added in a statement.
Reacting to 31 people having been killed in the past six months across ten states, in most cases after being accused of kidnapping children in viral posts on Whatsapp and Facebook, Bishop d’Souza said, “The people involved in mob violence believe that they have their own people in power, and the police don’t act when they should act.” He added, "Dalits, Muslims, churches, and Hindu leaders had all been targeted."
“You cannot say directly that Modi and his government is involved in this, because no sane government can back this. But, you can trace it to the radicalisation of groups along very radical interpretations of Hinduism, which most Hindus do not subscribe to. So there are many moderate Hindus now fighting this", he said.
“The political class as a whole, in my opinion, not just the BJP, is to be blamed for the polarisation and radicalisation of Indian society along caste and religious lines. In an attempt to get votes during an election they appeal to the narrow identities of people and their insecurities", he asserted.
“You cannot say directly that Modi and his government is involved in this, because no sane government can back this. But, you can trace it to the radicalisation of groups along very radical interpretations of Hinduism, which most Hindus do not subscribe to. So there are many moderate Hindus now fighting this", he said.
“The political class as a whole, in my opinion, not just the BJP, is to be blamed for the polarisation and radicalisation of Indian society along caste and religious lines. In an attempt to get votes during an election they appeal to the narrow identities of people and their insecurities", he asserted.
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