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India: Prime Minister Modi has failed pledge to protect Christians


Cardinal Telesphore Toppo

Cardinal Telesphore Toppo

India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has failed to keep his promise on action to protect Christians under increasing threat from extremist violence - according to one of the country's most respected Cardinals. Speaking to Aid to the Church in Need, Cardinal Telesphore Toppo, Archbishop of Ranchi, highlighted the need for government action to protect Christians and vulnerable religious minorities in India amid a rise inattacks by Hindu radicals.

Of the government, he said: "They have not come out to protect and defend. The Prime Minister has only once spoken in defence of the constitution and he promised to protect the Christians and other minorities. But that was only a promise."

The safety of Christians and other religious minorities is theoretically guaranteed in the constitution under Article 25 (1) which states that "subject to public order, morality and health and to the other provisions of this part, all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise and propagate religion."

But in practice, Christians continue to remain targets of religious discrimination by Hindu extremists and are offered little protection by their government.

When asked whether he believed the Prime Minister had kept his promise, the Cardinal replied: "No. Only openly has he spoken in Delhi. Then he said he stands by the constitution and that he would uphold the rights of the minorities."

But the Cardinal added that Mr Modi's speech gave some "assurance" of the government's commitment to tackling violence and other extremism against Christians.

Reports, including the latest US Commission on International Religious Freedom released in late April, have described a marked rise in anti-Christian violence, and last month there were up to five incidents in one week.

Human rights observers suggest extremist Hindus have become bolder in their anti-Christian rhetoric and violence with the rise of Mr Modi who they apparently perceive as being sympathetic to their religious views.

Cardinal Toppo stressed that violence by radical Hindu organisations and the emerging 'homecoming' movement remained a major threat to Christians. The public ceremonies, also referred to as ghar wapsi, aim to re-convert religious minorities to Hinduism through forced conversions in an attempt to create a Hindu nation.

Since coming to power in May 2014, Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi has remained silent on the issue.

Responding to reports of increased violence and localised attacks by Hindu extremists, the Archbishop stressed that the unification of the Church was key to the survival of Christianity in India.

Calling for solidarity amongst Christians worldwide, he said: "I believe that the Church has played an important role, directly or indirectly in keeping India united. Yes, because, although we are of different culture, different language and different parts of India, still we belong to one Catholic Church."

He added "We want solidarity in every respect. Our Church is one. In the same way that there is only one world, it is the same that the Catholic Church is one everywhere."

Source: ACN

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