By M K George

Rome, June 8, 2023: India is divided in her heart. And, every day political and communal forces are wedging the gap with silent and at times open support of the ruling party.

I experienced it in a painful way.

A friend of mine, (we have been friends for over four decades), a devout Hindu, highly competent academic, human and gentle to the core, feeding stray dogs and cats, serving the poor, and yet by fate made to be a victim of the vagaries of the justice system, and even a healer, wrote to me saying that the Hindus in Manipur are being ethnically cleansed by the tribals.

And in support she sent me a video clipping titled, ‘Christian Kukis burned down Hindu Meities’ homes and temples in Manipur.’

Objective data is hard to come by. However, one of the recent reports says, ‘Manipur Files: 1,988 Meitei homes, 1,425 Kuki homes, 17 temples and 221 churches destroyed (Afrida Hussain 2 June 2023). Obviously, the damage is mutual.

The real danger is when both the communities give out data that suits their own interests. We need to search beyond the social media materials. What my friend gave was the Meitie version, while the Kuki version said, for instance this : “ Thanglallem Kuki, 32, a teacher at a private school, said the Meitei mob went from house to house, retrieving valuables, electronic gadgets, cooking gas cylinders, and even mattresses, loading their loot into vehicles.” (The Guardian 9 May 2023)

However, the conflict is not a simple ethnic or economic conflict as some try to make out. In an insightful analysis sociologist Walter Fernandes has shared the following: “These events indicate that the conflict was well planned, funded and executed with precision by people in power. Those who have followed the events believe that, in most cases the police were mute spectators. The militant organisations do not seem to have been involved in the conflict. Even the chief of the army has stated that it is not a militant conflict. However, if the situation continues, it can encourage the militants to intervene. Moreover, over the last few years, the civil society groups of all three communities that could facilitate a dialogue between them have been sidelined and the above violent groups of youth have taken their place. This organised conflict seems to be, among others, an attempt to intensify the ethnic divide and the organisers have succeeded in it. People who were involved in facilitating dialogue between the communities do not see much hope in the near future.”

In fact, reports in the Indian Express (Esha Roy 8 June 2023) confirm the observations of the author.

A personal struggle

Two facts worry me: How would such an educated and kind person as my friend judge a situation based on partial and in many ways wrong information? How vicious is the political and social environment to yarn a very wrong story and reach it to the social media at such speed?

This is the story of the ‘new India.’ Communities fed by ‘official data,’ ‘WhatsApp University’ and the omnipresent social media spreading hatred. Thus, people are divided and someone is gaining from all this.

Unfortunately, the ordinary citizen remains unaware of the subtle politics behind and start subscribing to the ‘ever present,’ and ‘ever aggressive’ social media.

What others say

Reporting on the fight for justice by the Indian women wrestlers, the New York Times observed a pattern in the (Indian) ruling party, which has grown increasingly hostile to dissent.

“The party uses its majority in Parliament to disrupt any debate over uncomfortable issues. It deploys the police in New Delhi, which under the control of India’s powerful home minister, to derail or prevent protests over those issues. And, as equally powerful leverage, the party unleashes a national broadcast media cowed into promoting its interests, as well as an army of trolls and social media influencers, to demonize anyone who questions it” ( NYT 2 June 2023)

It is clear. More and more Indians are falling into the trap of hate mongers. Post truth style of communications abound. Truth does not matter. Power does.

Maintaining the friendship is the only option

It is going to be tough. However, I realize, keeping up our friendships despite the differences of opinions is the only way out.

Further, in a world where untruth wins, the prophetic role is to keep saying the truth in charity. Will anyone listen? I remember a story Tony D’Mello used to narrate. A prophet in a village kept on preaching. But nobody listened to him. Everyone went round living as madly as they can. Then someone asked, ‘why do you keep speaking when no one actually listens?’ The prophet answered, ‘so that I do not become mad.’

We need to share our truth in charity. And continue to develop friendships across religious groups. Even with people who disagree with us.

The ‘new India’ and Christian values

The ‘new India’ being built by the ruling party in India is definitely not in tune with Christian values of charity and peace. It is based on divisiveness and violence.

Pope Benedict once said, ‘Christian faith must adhere to the conviction that violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of reason: not acting reasonably (σὺν λόγω), therefore, acting violently, is contrary to God’s nature.’ (2006)

Hence, witnessing to Christian values, especially love, not only in words, but also in our own lives, becomes the greatest challenge to a Christian today.

Do Christians in India have such a moral authority remains a million dollar question!