By Thomas Scaria
Bengaluru, Feb 7, 2023: The Church in India is facing unprecedented situation in the current socio-political scenario that threatens religious freedom, says Archbishop Andrews Thazhath of Trichur, who was re-elected the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) for another two-year term.
“The religious freedom and justice guaranteed by the Constitution of India are at stake, and democracy is becoming a myth,” the archbishop told Matters India in an exclusive interview on February 7, the last day of the CBCI’s 36th biennial general body meeting in Bengaluru.
He said attacks on Christian places of worship have now given way for physical attacks on priests and sisters with false allegations.
Archbishop Thazhath was reelected a day earlier, along with Archbishop George Antonysamy of Madras-Maylapore as Vice-President I, Bishop Joseph Mar Thomas of Bathery as Vice President II and Archbishop Anil Couto of Delhi as the Secretary-General. Father Jervis D’Souza will continue as the Deputy Secretary General.
Another Catholic priest was arrested recently in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, he said.
Archbishop Thazhath says the situation in Manipur, targeting the tribal population, is the result of the country’s socioeconomic and political policies “We have also seen the same fate to fishermen in Kerala coasts where an international port was developed,” he pointed out.
Earlier, Archbishop Linus Neli of Imphal, Manipur, presented a status report on the violence at the bishop’s meeting. He said about 300 churches were destroyed along with thousands of homes. The violence has led to the closure of numerous educational institutions, and the displacement of thousands of people. The Manipur prelate observed that the peace process is gradual and it would take time.
Archbishop Thazhath said the Church has done whatever possible to rehabilitate the Manipur victims in its various institutions, taking care of their education, accommodation and employment.
“But that is not enough. They have a right to their land in Manipur and a dignified life as citizens of India,” asserted the archbishop.
The CBCI president wants Christians in India to become “very alert about the systematic hate campaign against them, using legislation against conversion.”
Speaking about the CBCI plenary, he said the bishops addressed at length the Church’s concern over the current socio-political conditions in the country. Although the country has made some progress in science and in economic growth, it faces a widening gap between the rich and the poor, he noted.
“The Church is against development that ignores the poor, under-privileged and the Dalits, and challenges ecology,” the prelate explained.
The president also said that the Church in India will stand with the poor and the oppressed in line with the spirit of the synodality.
He said the bishops’ body will continue to study the possibilities of Artificial Intelligence and use its tremendous possibilities for a just society.