Skip to main content

Emerging India, 'crisis' in Church demand positive, proactive response from Christians

Counterview Desk

A statement issued on the occasion of the New Year, 15 prominent Christian social activists, even as calling upon the community for solidarity with masses and mass movements, including farmers, youth, students and labour, have insisted that it is aso time to urgently introspection “to set right aberrations including child and gender abuse, corruption and sectarianism.”
Endorsed by John Dayal, Brinelle Dsouza, Hartman De Souza, AC Michael, Rosamma Thomas, Virginus Xaxa, David Selvaraj, Devasagaya Raj, Roselle Solomon, Ajaya Singh, Ranjan Solomon, Cedric Prakash, Sujata Jena, Tony Dias, Denzil Fernandez and Prakash Louis, it says, despite far fewer dead, India “suffered possibly its worst social impact”, ruining the “lives and livelihood of over 1,000 million marginalised and vulnerable Indians.”

Text:

Year 2020 began, as every New year does with the promise of hope and possibilities. It soon turned into a nightmare. Covid-19 ravaged our world. Even the mightiest nations on earth have felt the chill of 350,000 dead in nations such as the US. But with far fewer dead, India still suffered possibly its worst social impact. It ruined the lives and livelihood of over 1,000 million marginalised and vulnerable Indians. These toiling and exploited Indian citizens have a historic resilience and a spirit strengthened and not broken in struggle and will spring back to a better life.
Our hope is rooted in our belief that the rest of the country, its government at the centre and in the states, and its institutions have learnt lessons. When governance failed and institutions let down the people, including the migrant labour trudging back home from closed factories, were helped by common people roused by the misery and pain they saw in the images on their TVs and social media. Religious groups, healthcare workers and youth risked their lives to provide the much needed relief.
But more than the pandemic, 2020 is also seared in our memories for the corporate driven, undemocratic, authoritarian, and anti-poor government unleashing one policy and program after the other to grievously injure the Constitution and ethical governance. In cold blood, this encouraged targeted hate which often resulted in violence against minorities and the poor, often leaving many dead in its wake. The 2019 protests against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), and National Register of Citizens (NRC) were crushed in the Covid-19 curfew. Ministers and politicians spewed political venom. Police impunity reached heights not known in the past. The climax is the series of ordinances by several states in the strange dog-whistle name of Love Jihad which target Muslim men, robs Hindu women of all agency, and puts fear in the heart of the women, Christians, Tribals and Dalits.
In between terrorising students and youth governments jailed brilliant scholars and ageing activists, many critically ill, on charges of treason, using courts to keep them in jail without bail. But in the year, 2020, the government enacted ordinances and framed policies without any debate inside and outside the parliament and when the citizens were grappling with the deadly pandemic.
Long term damage to the citizens is done by the National Education Policy, FCRA Amendment Act, Environmental Impact Assessment, 3 Labour Ordinances and 3 Farm Ordinances. The tillers of the soil are forced into an unequal equation with national and international corporate sector. Farmers from across the country have laid siege of the national capital, demanding that the government repeal the rapacious laws. Democratic and secular forces stand in unity with the farmers in what they see is a common struggle to wrest back democracy. Though the government and crony media has blacked it out, alternate people’s media is carrying the message to the remotest villages of the country.
The farmers' agitation also reminds the people of what the government failed to do by way of reforms in Education, Electoral processes, Ecology, Labour laws, Judicial, Police and Prison systems. The closing days of this forgettable year offer an opportunity to us, the Indian Christian Community, to recognise our constitutional and religious responsibility the emerging India. We are called upon to respond in actions based as much on Gospel as on constitutional values. To be able to do that, we would necessarily have to understand the multiple, and multi-layered crises we face as a community and as a people. The issues are both external, and within the community.
Some of the external crisis: Denial of the constitutional rights of women, children, Dalits, Tribals, most backward castes and minorities, aggressive monoculture, market-led wants, corporate-driven economy, donor-driven development, fundamentalism and fascism, breakdown of family, cultural and moral values, and poverty amidst plenty. A vast majority of people are on the move and have become migrants and refugees and not citizens, the increasing technology results in insecurity which is aggravated by diminishing opportunities for educability and employability for a major segment of youth from rural, marginalized and excluded communities. This augurs a disordered and disintegrating nation and an undemocratic, authoritarian and autocratic regime.
Some of the crisis within the Church: Heightened clericalism and patriarchy, sexual abuse crisis, aggressive pursuit of consumerism, careerism and individualism, often uninspiring and weak leadership which encourages cronyism and mediocrity, caste, ethnic and regional, denial of proportionate representation and participation of the Dalit Christians, and insensitivity to the struggles of the Tribals. 
Church can't remain mute spectator, nor pretend to be safe. If we fail the nation, fellow citizens may not stand by us during existential threat
A singular lack of meaningful planning and implementation, monitoring and evaluation, deficiencies in competence, commitment, passion, and creativity in mission remain the order of the day. It is a long list, and every member of the clergy, religious or lay person will recognise her and his experience in one or more of these.
Emerging India and the crisis within the Church demand a positive and proactive response from the Christian community. We were silent spectators, barring few examples and instances, in resisting the Emergency in 1975, implementation of new economic policy in 1991, demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992, enactment of draconic laws like TADA, POTA, UAPA, etc., and imposition of CAA, NRC, NPA, National Education Policy, FCRA Amendment Act 2020, etc.

Now it is do or die

The Indian Church cannot remain a mute spectator, nor pretend to be safe. If we fail the nation, our fellow citizens may not stand by Indian Christians when we and our identity face an existential threat from fascist, authoritarian, and autocratic governments.
Some possible internal programmes of actions are:
  • Let us be observant, gather information, study-analyze the emerging issues
  • Let us organise webinars, seminars, meetings on issues that affect the common masses. Also, on constitutional and human rights, policies and programs of the government that are detrimental to the poor and vulnerable, especially of the women, Dalits, Tribals, minorities 
  • Let us use the social media to highlight national issues like Farmers’ Movement, Anti-CAA 
  • Let us join, support other initiatives taken by civil society and human rights groups 
  • Let us participate in the activities, public programs, initiatives, campaigns, dharnas, rallies, sign online petitions of CSOs, etc. 
  • Let us publicize secular efforts, initiatives in our churches, institutions and invite credible persons from civil and secular organisations and other religions 
  • Let us start or join Youth Clubs, Peace Clubs, Eco Clubs, Women’s Forums, Dalit Forums, Tribal Forums, etc. 
  • Let us be linked with the local, diocesan, institutional and congregational, inter-church commissions and forums that are outward looking and have credibility 
  • Let us identify a spokesperson on secular and social issues in our institutions, dioceses, congregations and collectives of Christian Community to join in solidarity 
  • Let us pray without ceasing. Pray within the Christian community and with people of other faith for God’s intervention to protect and promote life, livelihood and rights of all the citizens 
Some possible external programmes of action are:
  • First and foremost, the Indian Church should realise this fundamental fact, “NO FARMERS – NO FOOD and NO BREAD”. It is the hard labour of the farmers in sun and rain, day and night which provides Bread and Wine for the Eucharist
  • Indian Church should join others in support of various movements that are going on in India. Media reported that Delhi Police on 1st December, 2020, stopped Bilkis Bano, who became a symbol of the anti-CAA protests at Shaheen Bagh, from entering the Singhu Delhi-Haryana border. But she became a witness to her faith as a believing Muslim and human being 
  • Conscious medical personnel supported the protesting farmers by providing free medical camp. Church has done well providing health care during disasters. Indian Christians need to be present in all situations and not just in relief and charity 
  • Conscious and committed Indian Christians hang their head in shame when they realise that some of the waring churches have invited Narendra Modi to resolve the conflict between them. Instead of aligning with the ruling establishment at all times to save its minority status, and its business interests, the Indian Church should undertake actions that resist the sinister plans of this fascist and exploitative government 
  • Indian Church should broad base itself and call for fast and prayer to save the Constitution and ultimately save democracy, secularism of the country and save itself 
  • It should join the various actions like fasting in solidarity; social media engagements; create posters and spread across; use the pulpit to bring awareness among its faithful; join demonstrations, protests, bharat bandh, etc., for various issues of the masses of India 
  • Church has the responsibility to engage with its various constituencies, especially the students and youth to prepare them to be part of the wider civil and secular organisations. Consciously and committedly planned and executed orientation programs for them will build at least the future generation to be more socially conscious and committed citizens and Christians.

Comments

TRENDING

Insider plot to kill Deendayal Upadhyay? What RSS pracharak Balraj Madhok said

By Shamsul Islam*  Balraj Madhok's died on May 2, 2016 ending an era of old guards of Hindutva politics. A senior RSS pracharak till his death was paid handsome tributes by the RSS leaders including PM Modi, himself a senior pracharak, for being a "stalwart leader of Jan Sangh. Balraj Madhok ji's ideological commitment was strong and clarity of thought immense. He was selflessly devoted to the nation and society. I had the good fortune of interacting with Balraj Madhok ji on many occasions". The RSS also issued a formal condolence message signed by the Supremo Mohan Bhagwat on behalf of all swayamsevaks, referring to his contribution of commitment to nation and society. He was a leading RSS pracharak on whom his organization relied for initiating prominent Hindutva projects. But today nobody in the RSS-BJP top hierarchy remembers/talks about Madhok as he was an insider chronicler of the immense degeneration which was spreading as an epidemic in the high echelons of th

Central pollution watchdog sees red in Union ministry labelling waste to energy green

By Chythenyen Devika Kulasekaran*  “Destructors”, “incinerators” and “waste-to-energy (WTE) incineration” all mean the same thing – indiscriminate burning of garbage! Having a history of about one and a half centuries, WTE incinerators have seen several reboots over the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. 

First-of-its-kind? 'Eco-friendly, low cost' sewage treatment system installed in Gujarat

Counterview Desk Following the installation of the Unconventional Decentralized Multi-Stage Reactor (UDMSR) for sewage treatment, a note on what is claimed to be the  first-of-its-kind technology said, the treated sewage from this system “can be directly utilized for agricultural purposes”, even as proving to be a “saviour in the times of water crisis.”

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

Indo-Bangla border: Farmers facing 'illegal obstacles' in harvesting, transporting yields

  Counterview Desk  In a representation to the chairperson, National Human Rights Commission, human rights defender Kirity Roy, who is secretary, Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM), has said that Border Security Force (BSF) personnel are creating "illegal obstacles" for farmers seeking to harvest their ripened yields and transport them to the market in village Jhaukuthi of Cooch Behar district.

'Flawed' argument: Gandhi had minimal role, naval mutinies alone led to Independence

Counterview Desk Reacting to a Counterview  story , "Rewiring history? Bose, not Gandhi, was real Father of Nation: British PM Attlee 'cited'" (January 26, 2016), an avid reader has forwarded  reaction  in the form of a  link , which carries the article "Did Atlee say Gandhi had minimal role in Independence? #FactCheck", published in the site satyagrahis.in. The satyagraha.in article seeks to debunk the view, reported in the Counterview story, taken by retired army officer GD Bakshi in his book, “Bose: An Indian Samurai”, which claims that Gandhiji had a minimal role to play in India's freedom struggle, and that it was Netaji who played the crucial role. We reproduce the satyagraha.in article here. Text: Nowadays it is said by many MK Gandhi critics that Clement Atlee made a statement in which he said Gandhi has ‘minimal’ role in India's independence and gave credit to naval mutinies and with this statement, they concluded the whole freedom struggle.

Wasteland, a colonial legacy, being used to 'give away' vast tracts to Ratnagiri refinery

By Fouziya Tehzeeb* William D’Souza, a 55-year old farmer from Kuthethur, Mangalore, was busy mixing cattle feed when we arrived at his doorsteps. Around 25 km from the bustling city of Mangalore, Kuthethur is a lush green village with thick vegetation. On the way to William’s house the idyllic view gets blocked by the flares and smoke arising from the Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL).

CAA disregards India's inclusive plural ethos, 'betrays' ideals of freedom struggle: PUCL

Counterview Desk    "Outraged" at the move of the Central government to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA 2019) weeks before the election, the top rights group, People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), has demanded that the law be repealed. 

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Our Representative Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Invincible, Modi 'taller' than BJP, RSS: An opportunity for Congress beyond 2024?

By NS Venkataraman*  With the announcement of poll schedule for the 2024 parliamentary election, there is palpable excitement and expectation amongst the countrymen  about the shape of things to happen in India after the  results of the election would be announced. There is also speculation abroad about the future course of developments in India.