Support to BJP? Church in India 'isn't playing prophetic role' for the sake of truth, justice

Counterview Desk
In a strongly worded statement, the Executive Committee of Forum of Religious for Justice and Peace, a Christian civil rights group, has taken exception to a recent utterance of Archbishop Mar Joseph Pamplany of Tellicherry, who declared his support to BJP in Kerala to overcome the situation of the party not having an MP from the state.
The statement said, “Coming from a member of the hierarchy, such ‘assurances’ are unacceptable, deeply regrettable and bound to have serious long-term repercussions”, underlining, support to “fascist, fundamentalist and fanatic forces” inimical to the Constitution of India suggests a large section of the Church hierarchy “frightened to take a stand for truth and justice.”

Text:

We, the Executive Committee members of the Forum of Religious for Justice and Peace met at the Divyakarunyashram, from 23- 25 March 2023.
During the course of a highly participative meeting, we took stock of the many different involvements and other interventions of the Forum – nationally and regionally -- since the last Executive Committee meeting which held at Hyderabad in September 2022.
We deliberated and discerned on several critical issues which currently affect the Country and the Church! We are shocked by the recent statement made by Archbishop Mar Joseph Pamplany of Tellicherry, given wide coverage by all sections of the media. According to media reports:
“Archbishop Pamplany assured to extend support to BJP if the union government raises the price of rubber to Rs 300. Addressing the protest rally of the Catholic Congress at Alakode in Kannur, the bishop said that the archdiocese would help the BJP in Kerala and will overcome the situation of the BJP not having an MP from the state.”
Coming from a member of the hierarchy, such ‘assurances’ are unacceptable, deeply regrettable and bound to have serious long-term repercussions. Fascist, fundamentalist and fanatic forces are inimical to the Constitution of India, to the intrinsic values of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity, to its democratic ethos and to the secular fabric of the country. Through its insidious divide-and-rule strategies, BJP makes inroads into all sections of society, including among the Christians. This was experienced recently in the elections held in three North Eastern States and earlier, in Goa. Its blatant posturing and preparations for forthcoming elections in Karnataka and other states and the National elections of 2024, are indicative of its goal: the establishment of a state based on the ‘Hindutva’ ideology.
The reality is grim! For those espoused to the Hindutva ideology, any citizen who stands up for truth and justice, including human rights defenders and media personnel are, regarded as ‘anti- national’, hounded and harassed, incarcerated and killed; minorities (particularly the Muslims and Christians) are demonized and denigrated, attacked and jailed. This has been the cruel experience every Sunday for the evangelists and followers of evangelist Christian communities in Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka etc.; at the receiving end of a brutal and unjust system are the Adivasis and Dalits, fisher-folk, small farmers, migrant workers and the unemployed, the poor and other vulnerable sections of society.
Sadly, in these troubled times the Church in India does not play the prophetic role which is expected from her on behalf of the suffering in our country; a large section of the hierarchy, clergy and religious are frightened to take a stand for truth and justice.

Comments

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

N-power plant at Mithi Virdi: CRZ nod is arbitrary, without jurisdiction

By Krishnakant* A case-appeal has been filed against the order of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and others granting CRZ clearance for establishment of intake and outfall facility for proposed 6000 MWe Nuclear Power Plant at Mithi Virdi, District Bhavnagar, Gujarat by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) vide order in F 11-23 /2014-IA- III dated March 3, 2015. The case-appeal in the National Green Tribunal at Western Bench at Pune is filed by Shaktisinh Gohil, Sarpanch of Jasapara; Hajabhai Dihora of Mithi Virdi; Jagrutiben Gohil of Jasapara; Krishnakant and Rohit Prajapati activist of the Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has issued a notice to the MoEF&CC, Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Gujarat Coastal Zone Management Authority, Atomic Energy Regulatory Board and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and case is kept for hearing on August 20, 2015. Appeal No. 23 of 2015 (WZ) is filed, a...

Epic war against caste system is constitutional responsibility of elected government

Edited by well-known Gujarat Dalit rights leader Martin Macwan, the book, “Bhed-Bharat: An Account of Injustice and Atrocities on Dalits and Adivasis (2014-18)” (available in English and Gujarati*) is a selection of news articles on Dalits and Adivasis (2014-2018) published by Dalit Shakti Prakashan, Ahmedabad. Preface to the book, in which Macwan seeks to answer key questions on why the book is needed today: *** The thought of compiling a book on atrocities on Dalits and thus present an overall Indian picture had occurred to me a long time ago. Absence of such a comprehensive picture is a major reason for a weak social and political consciousness among Dalits as well as non-Dalits. But gradually the idea took a different form. I found that lay readers don’t understand numbers and don’t like to read well-researched articles. The best way to reach out to them was storytelling. As I started writing in Gujarati and sharing the idea of the book with my friends, it occurred to me that while...

Two more "aadhaar-linked" Jharkhand deaths: 17 die of starvation since Sept 2017

Kaleshwar's sons Santosh and Mantosh Counterview Desk A fact-finding team of the Right to Feed Campaign, pointing towards the death of two more persons due to starvation in Jharkhand, has said that this has happened because of the absence of aadhaar, leading to “persistent lack of food at home and unavailability of any means of earning.” It has disputed the state government claims that these deaths are due to reasons other than starvation, adding, the authorities have “done nothing” to reduce the alarming state of food insecurity in the state.

1857 War of Independence... when Hindu-Muslim separatism, hatred wasn't an issue

"The Sepoy Revolt at Meerut", Illustrated London News, 1857 By Shamsul Islam* Large sections of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs unitedly challenged the greatest imperialist power, Britain, during India’s First War of Independence which began on May 10, 1857; the day being Sunday. This extraordinary unity, naturally, unnerved the firangees and made them realize that if their rule was to continue in India, it could happen only when Hindus and Muslims, the largest two religious communities were divided on communal lines.

Fate of Yamuna floodplain still hangs in "balance" despite National Green Tribunal rap on Sri Sri event

By Ashok Shrimali* While the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday reportedly pulled up the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) for granting permission to hold spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's World Culture Festival on the banks of Yamuna, the chief petitioners against the high-profile event Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan has declared, the “fate of the floodplain still hangs in balance.”

From triple centurion to master coach: Bob Simpson’s enduring legacy

By Harsh Thakor* Former Australia cricket captain and coach Bob Simpson has died in Sydney aged 89. He leaves behind an indelible legacy, having shaped Australian cricket for more than four decades as a player, captain and coach. Beyond the field, he also served the game as a law-maker, referee and commentator, carving a permanent niche among the all-time greats of Australian cricket.

New RTI draft rules inspired by citizen-unfriendly, overtly bureaucratic approach

By Venkatesh Nayak* The Department of Personnel and Training , Government of India has invited comments on a new set of Draft Rules (available in English only) to implement The Right to Information Act, 2005 . The RTI Rules were last amended in 2012 after a long period of consultation with various stakeholders. The Government’s move to put the draft RTI Rules out for people’s comments and suggestions for change is a welcome continuation of the tradition of public consultation. Positive aspects of the Draft RTI Rules While 60-65% of the Draft RTI Rules repeat the content of the 2012 RTI Rules, some new aspects deserve appreciation as they clarify the manner of implementation of key provisions of the RTI Act. These are: Provisions for dealing with non-compliance of the orders and directives of the Central Information Commission (CIC) by public authorities- this was missing in the 2012 RTI Rules. Non-compliance is increasingly becoming a major problem- two of my non-compliance cases are...

Ground reality: Israel would a remain Jewish state, attempt to overthrow it will be futile

By NS Venkataraman* Now that truce has been arrived at between Israel and Hamas for a period of four days and with release of a few hostages from both sides, there is hope that truce would be further extended and the intensity of war would become significantly less. This likely “truce period” gives an opportunity for the sworn supporters and bitter opponents of Hamas as well as Israel and the observers around the world to introspect on the happenings and whether this war could have been avoided. There is prolonged debate for the last several decades as to whom the present region that has been provided to Jews after the World War II belong. View of some people is that Jews have been occupants earlier and therefore, the region should belong to Jews only. However, Christians and those belonging to Islam have also lived in this regions for long period. While Christians make no claim, the dispute is between Jews and those who claim themselves to be Palestinians. In any case...

Counterview

Search This Blog