By Albert Thyrniang
Two major churches in Shillong have finally said ‘no thanks’ to the 70-crore tourism package announced by the central government last month. The Mawkhar Presbyterian church first made it clear that it was not a party to the government decision to allot funds to it. Then the leaders of the Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians in Laitumkhrah of the Catholic Church clarified that expenses for the works of the on-going face-lift of the Cathedral come from generous contributions of the faithful and not from the government sources. One would have expected the leaders of these churches and others on the list to summarily and categorically reject the offer after it was made. However, good sense has prevailed in these two churches. Better late than never!
On 7th January Union Tourism Minister, KJ Alphons stunningly and controversially announced a ₹70 crore financial package to develop religious establishments in Meghalaya to promote what he calls ‘spiritual tourism’ under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme. If implemented the lucky beneficiaries will include 37 Catholic, Presbyterian and Baptist churches and 11 other religious sites including temples, a mosque, a Gurudwara and sacred indigenous places in Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills.
The move for the announcement is doubtless linked to the February State Legislative Assembly election. The move is to woo the 2.5 million Christians who form 83 per cent of the state’s population. The BJP government knows that Christians are a majority in all the 11 districts of the state. By sanctioning ₹61.38 crore for illumination, landscaping and construction of parking lots and toilets and other facilities in church campuses in most of the districts in the state, the ruling party at the centre thinks the electorate would be enticed by the substantial buck and would help it make history by voting it to power for the maiden time in the Christian dominated state.
Ordinary citizens could clearly read the motives. How was it that the educated leaders failed to see the ulterior intention? It is suspected that the tourism package was discussed, finalized or at least conveyed to the church leaders when the tourism minister met them. That is why the revered men, with ₹61.38 crore in their pockets, had only words of appreciation for the good works of the Prime Minister when they separately chatted with him in Upper Shillong on 16th December last year. The insecurity of ordinary Christians in many parts of the country, the growing intolerance, the arrest of priests and seminarians, the attempted prevention of Christmas celebrations, the belittling of Christmas day, the Hindutva agenda, the Hindu nationalism, the beef ban, the subtle rules and regulations to victimize Christians and other concerns were forgotten for the tempting amount. This observation may be harsh but till now the agenda with the Prime Minister remains a secret.
In a sense the religious leaders have disappointed their followers. They have failed in their moral duty. The few that this writer interacted with either personally or through social media did not approve of the government’s package for religious places of worship. They fear that the church could get involved in electoral politics. They are worried the credibility of their leadership could go for a toss. They are precisely upset that their leaders did not come out to refuse to accept the government grant aimed at garnering votes.
The BJP government perhaps, knows that the religious leader in Meghalaya can be quite easily blinded by cash. Many churches are partly built by private contributions of politicians. Church functions and events of all denominations in the state are patronized by unpublished and unaccounted donations from politicians cutting across political affiliations. Politicians hope that these assistances will fetch votes from the church members in elections. Woe to the politicians, especially rich and ‘capable’ ones if they do not extend charity for religious purpose. They might lose in the following election. Ask a politician off record, he or she will tell you how he or she is internally compelled to dole out financial aids for religious events. Is this not appeasement? Why no one sees it so? Why blame the BJP alone? Sadly, the donation comes from public money, directly or indirectly!
The BJP might have taken a cue from the non-BJP politicians in the state. Religious donation is quite common in Meghalaya and in other ‘Christian states.’I have heard credible stories that an MP from the state had promised ₹ 5 lakhs to all church centres in Khasi Jaintia Hills before elections. Religious leaders say that the MP has not honoured his words. He might face the consequence in the next election. The wrath might be against him. However, time is still there for him to appease his vote bank. This is election time. It is no secret at all. MPs, MLAs, MDCs and all aspiring MLA candidates, without exception are making donations, big and small, to churches and religious organizations, inaudibly though. “Money is supreme. He who has the cash has the votes”, writes a veteran columnist. Money buys religious votes too!
If not for votes, especially from the Christian community, why did the central tourism ministry choose to allot fund for religious sites? Why not for neutral tourist destinations? Are they fully developed that they are untouchable? The roads to different tourist spots in Sohra are by no means of international standard that there is no more need of any attention. On December 25 last year this newspaper reported that tourists have to travel 9 km of broken road to the picturesque Mawthadraishan Peak in West Khasi Hills. Similarly on January 22 there was a report that visitors to Mawsynram, the wettest place on earth, had to travels on roads full of potholes and ditches. In Garo Hills, the National Park of Balpakram cannot be reached in the rainy season as there is no pucca road. If the central government wants to develop tourist places in the state the estimate will be more than ₹70 crore. So why politicize places of worship instead?
KJ Alphons’ appointment as central minister can be also seen as an attempt by the BJP government not to be seen as an anti-minority party. The former IAS officer of the 1979 batch, was sworn in as Union Minster of State for Electronics and information Technology, Culture and Tourism in 3 September 2017 by the Modi government though he was not an MP, ignoring other more prominent BJP members from Kerala, thus angering them. In view of the 2018 Meghalaya election, the Shillong graduate and ex-seminarian was appointed BJP in-charge of election in the Christian majority State, just four days into his chair. The pro-Hindu party probably wanted to repair the damage caused by the beef ban that rocked the country and particularly the state that takes pride in setting beef as its menu.The party had to publicly declare that beef consumption is allowed in the state. But who are they to permit a food that has been consumed in this part of the country from time immemorial?
The minister who pioneered literacy movements and made Kottayam the first 100% literate town of India in 1989 that earned him a cover story in the Time Magazine’s 100 Young Global Leadersin 1994, wasted no time in impressing the central leadership by visiting the poll bound state immediately after being tasked with the additional responsibility of overseeing the 27th February election. He met many willing church leaders in Shillong and Tura, many of whom are his old pals. The rapport with them would create a positive impact among their faithful it was imagined. The nick-name Demolition Man while Commissioner of the Delhi Development Authority, for demolishing illegal buildings, was commissioned to erase the well-grounded tag of the BJP as a communal party.
Ignoring anti-minorities activities and insane utterance by elements connected with and in the current regime, the BJP’s poster boy defensively allayed apprehensions to assure safety of Christians under Narendra Modi as no church was burned and Christians beaten to death since 2014. The offer is therefore, a package under the camouflage of tourism to artfully back up the “development” mantra of the central government. Thankfully the hidden design is belatedly seen by two religious institutions. Will the rest of the recipients also refuse this carrot? Unlikely! Some will certainly take the money. For me, it’s hard to believe that those who accept the gift will not cast their votes for the party that grants the favour, come 27th February.