wfn.org | Catholic Bishops in India Shocked at Prime Minister's Remarks

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Northern Region Catholic Council
C/o Bishops House, Sector 19, Chandighar

PRESS STATEMENT
Chandighar, August 19, 2001

Christian Leaders Shocked at PMs Remarks

( The following is the text of the statement issued by the Bishops and
members of the Northern Region Catholic Council which is currently
meeting in Chandighar. The statement as signed by Archbishop Vincent M.
Concessao of Delhi who is the first Vice-President of the Catholic
Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) and Chairman of the Northern
Regional Council, Chandighar - Shimla Bishop Gerald Mathias, Jallandhar
Bishop Symphorian Keeprath,  Jammu and Kashmir Bishop Peter Calastine
and Delhi Auxillary Bishop Anil Couto.)

We are deeply distressed at this mornings newspaper reports in which
Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee alleges that Christian
missionaries are making conversions in  the guise of service. This
remark comes when the country is facing a renewed violence against
Christian priests, nuns and religious workers. Our anxiety is more
because the statement has been made at the function lauding the
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and in the presence of those political
leaders who are leading the hate campaign against the Christian
community in India.

There was a popular outcry in Civil Society when, after surveying the
desecration and destruction of nearly three dozen churches in the Dangs
district of Gujarat in December 1998, Mr. Vajpayee had called for
national debate on conversions.

Then, as now, there has been no statement of condemnation for the higher
quarters of  the government to condemn the vengeful violence against
religious persons and members of our community. Nor is there now any
effort to assuage the hurt of the community, and to reassure those of
its members who have experienced fear in the face of violence, coercion
and intimidation.

On the other hand, our apprehension is that such statements from the
Prime Minister and senior members of his government and party will
encourage communal and extremist elements. They will also be seen as
condoning the hate campaign and the canards, lies and half -truth that
are being spread in many parts of the country.

The communal and hate campaigns are designed to curtail our social
inputs in education, health and the uplift of marginalized segments, and
our efforts in bringing relief to people in those areas where the state
has withdrawn or has not been able to reach. This will also severely
hamper the initiative of the leadership of marginalized segments,
specially the Dalits, who are now seeking a life under the sun. we hope
the enter and the state governments will spend their energies trying to
bring to book all those who are damaging the secular structures of the
nation, and threatening its cultural plurality.

The statements from high political personalities fly in the face of the
governments own admission that there is no evidence of forcible or
induced conversions. The Church has denounced fraudulent and forcible
conversions as illegal and against our principles. Indeed, fraudulent
conversions are contradictions in terms, as the late Archbishop
repeatedly told the Prime Minister. There is no question of any
denomination encouraging fraudulent conversions. We affirm that there
can be no conversions unless it is of ones free will. The status of
India, and United Nations, acknowledge this as they enshrine the freedom
of faith as a cardinal article of the constitution.

It is sad that the Prime Ministers statement comes even as his party
leaders have defended the private members bill in the Lok Sabha seeking
harsh and illegal prohibitions on freedom of faith.

We call upon the Prime Minister to reassure the country that his
government is committed to the rule of law and the letter and sprit of
the Constitution of India in its guarantees to religious freedom,
including the universal freedom of individual decisions on choosing
ones faith.

CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE LAW :

WE TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THE union
Cabinet for clearing the bill on annulment of Christian marriages. This
long awaited law, when passed, will bring gender parity in the laws and
remove anomalies existing in the law since it was enacted in 1869. We
renew our call that will immediately bring forward legislation that we
have sought to reform Christian marriage and succession laws. It defies
logic that a Christian in India cannot adopt children, nor he or she
have the same privileges as other citizens in the matter of Wills. We
urge the government to bring forward suitable laws to allow Christian
couples to adopt children, and to do away with the provision of Probate
of Wills.

Issued by Rev. Dr. Dominic Emmanuel svd
Director of Communication/Information Bureau
Contact person: Dominic Emmanuel svd
e-mail: dominic1@vsnl.com
0091 11 3363214; 3369582