By Manju Devarapalli
Hyderabad, Sept 7, 2020: A Capuchin seminary in Andhra Pradesh organized a seminar on the Indian Constitution to mark the death anniversary of Gauri Lankesh, a journalist who promoted secular values and liberal thinking.
“The future priests should not be confined to the theology in theory but should actively participate in the life situations of the people in society,” Capuchin Father K M Sebastian, who teaches theology in Vijnana Nilayam (Abode of Wisdom) at Janampet in Eluru diocese, told Matters India September 6.
The Capuchin priest asserted that studying about society along with its political reality is part of training future priests, who work among people.
“What does “Kingdom of God” mean without ethics and principles of justice, freedom, universality? Seminary formation should focus both promotion of human rights as well as upholding the Constitutional rights,” the priest asserted while explaining the reason for organizing the seminar on September 4, the eve of Lankesh’s martyrdom.
The seminar was part of a nationwide campaign of citizens for rights and freedom. More than 400 groups of artists, workers, activists and individuals from different backgrounds have come together to form a single united front for voices of dissent.
Voices for dissent echoed from different parts of India as the ‘Hum Agar Uthe Nahin Toh’ (If We Do Not Rise) campaign concluded September 5, the third anniversary of journalist Gauri Lankesh’s assassination.
Gauri Lankesh was shot dead on September 5, 2017, by three unidentified men at her house in Rajarajeshwari Nagar, Bengaluru, southern India. She was 55 at the time of her death.
At the time of her death, Gauri was known for being a critic of right-wing Hindu extremism. She was honored with Anna Politkovskaya Award for speaking against right-wing Hindu extremism, campaigning for women’s rights and opposing caste based discrimination.
The seminar in Vijnana Nilayam addressed the duties and privileges of citizens and ways to safeguard them. “Their focus was also on the present government which seems to threaten the very foundation of democracy of our nation with Hindutva agenda,” Father Sebastian said.
Father Sebastian told Matters India over phone that the seminar discussed among other topics, the citizen Amendment Act, Hindutva Agenda that discriminates minorities and the Role of the Church amid government’s decisions and implementation of unfair laws.
The participants want to create awareness among “simple and like-minded people about their capacity to stand up for truth,” the priest explained.
The speakers stressed the need for the Catholic priests and nuns to remain fearless amid adversities and encourage youth of their community to emulate John the Baptist and speak truth without fear.
“We want to bring about the just structure, which has a tangible face. Religious beliefs are meant for exemplary inspiration for life and not a showcase for some well-prepared homilies,” Father Sebastian asserted.
Capuchin Father Johnson Puthenpurackal, president of the seminary, said he organized the seminar in accordance with the Covid rules.
Only five members from religious congregations and diocesan communities in neighborhood were invited to attend the program.
Vijnana Nilayam, started in 1977, offers philosophy and theology classes. More than 300 students from various religious and diocesan seminaries now study in the seminary, Father Puthenpurackal said.