By Albert Thyrniang
Anti CAA and NRC sentiments have found echoes in churches. Some regional dioceses of the Catholic Church of India declared January 26, the 71st Republic Day celebration as Constitution Protection Day thus joining the raging anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 protests across the country. The observance was, however, mainly limited to dioceses in Kerela and West Bengal.
Reports say Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, Major Archbishop of Syro-Malankara Catholic Church (Kerala) wrote a letter to all parish priests under his diocese stating also in an interview that “Religion cannot be a criterion for deciding one’s citizenship,” Bishop Paul Antony Mullassery of Kollam urged all parishes and organisations within his jurisdiction to read the Preamble and take a pledge to protect the Constitution on Republic Day.
Archbishop Thomas D’Souza of Kolkata while writing to his parishes in Kolkata, said, “Since the Republic Day is closely associated with the Constitution of India completing 70 years, I request you to carry out the following (reading the Preamble) in all our parish/quasi-parish churches” because ‘the country is going through an unprecedented social situation…”
In West Bengal where CAA and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) would adversely affect the Christian community organised prayers and held rallies “to uphold the spirit of the Constitution” and “foil attempts to divide the society”. As a maiden attempt the Preamble to the Constitution was read in 65 Catholic churches under Kolkata Archdiocese’s jurisdiction. Clergymen harped on the need of social and religious harmony, peace, unity in diversity and inclusiveness in ‘these turbulent times’ as the current government actions target one community. In the ‘City of Joy’ Archbishop Thomas D’Souza hosted Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in the Cathedral of the Most Holy Rosary where the he urged everyone to transcend all differences.
Besides the in-campus voices against the highly contentious law, leaders and the faithful participated in protest rallies. One newspaper reported, “In the state capital, several hundred Christians, including priests and nuns, joined an “all-faith” human chain, responding to the call of the archbishop. The human chain, from Golpark in South Kolkata to Shyambazar in North Kolkata – an 11-km stretch” (was on display).
In Kerala, where massive and sustained protests are most unified and dignified, mosques and churches were venues for solemn reading of the Preamble of the Constitution in addition to sermons highlighting the amendment as an act contrary to the secular nature of the constitution.
Christians in large numbers flocked to join the estimated 70 lakh citizens who formed a 620 km human chain from northern most Kasaragod district to Kaliyakkavilai town, the southernmost part of the state close to Kanyakumari on Republic day. Though organised by the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) protests in the state are by and large politically neutral. The human chain that covered the whole length of the state was one of the largest protests in the history of the state. The participation of the 6.14 million Christians (18% of the state’s population) contributed to the huge success of the chain linked by human hands. Bishops, priests, nuns and faithful joined Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, ministers and politicians to demand withdrawal of CAA. Buoyed by participation of people of all faiths, Kerala, whose Assembly and government was the first to pass a resolution and petition the Supreme Court against the central law, respectively, would unabatedly continue the fight.
As a state ‘God’s own Country’ has been at the forefront of high voltage anti-CAA protests with its Christian youth voicing their concerns against the communal law by singing Christmas Carols during Christmas last year in Muslim style and costumes in support of the targeted community enhancing the south western Malabar Coastal state’s reputation of being one of the most religiously diverse states in the country. And Christians, who date back to the first century (52 AD), are blending their roles perfectly.
The note of dissent against CAA came from Oswald Cardinal Gracias, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) in December 27 last year when he stated that religion cannot be a criterion for citizenship. He also expressed his anxiety that CAA would harm the country. Repeating the statement of the head of national episcopal conference of the Latin Church, Metropolitan Archbishop of Bengaluru, Peter Machado, through a memorandum to the Prime Minister and President of India, through the Governor of Karnataka, on January 9 demanded withdrawal of the Act iterating that “the Christian community will continue to work for the betterment of all citizens without any discrimination and will continue to build the nation based on equality, justice and fairness.” while also pledging solidarity with those who have been discriminated on the basis of religion…”
Notwithstanding the above commendable initiatives one can still say the response of the Church to CAA has been acutely inadequate. The country is on edge. A resistance movement is on. Students in universities and institutes are up in arms as they genuinely predict the BJP’s sponsored legislation will rob the Constitution of its soul and the country will lose its basic secular, pluralistic and multi-religious characteristic.
Women in 24/7 sit-in peaceful protests at Shaheen Bagh, Delhi have become a symbol of resistance. Since 15 December 2019 Shaheen Bagh and its 50 days record has made one of the longest on-going non-stop, non-violent protests against CAA-NRC-NPR and police brutality in JNU, Jamia Millia Islamia University and others. The leaderless continuous protest has empowered ordinary women to study the law, analyse its implications and speak up against the government for its highly questionable actions.
Intellectuals opine that the Act unquestionably, blatantly and brazenly attacks the Constitution and violates the Preamble. Once religion is made the criterion for attaining citizenship, that law is clearly unconstitutional. There is absolutely no ambiguity in that. Many see the Act as a direct step towards a Hindu Rashtra. The law originated from fascist groups like the RSS whose agenda is to alter the constitution and declare India a theocratic state.
NRC is more sinister. We know it is in agenda of BJP, backed by its ideological parents, the RSS and other saffron outfits, to exclude Muslim refugees from proposed NRC document. Hindu refugees and others will be protected by CAA. This is the ultimate and most hostile discrimination against followers of a particular religion.
The Church has not yet understood the serious implications of CAA and NRC. It has not stood up for secularism and pluralism. It has not adopted a unified stand against CAA and NRC, the handiwork RSS and Hindutva fanatical forces. Except the verbal statement of its president, Oswald Cardinal Gracias, CBCI has not taken a clear position as a body. With 167 dioceses running numerous reputed educational, medical and technical institutions across the country the national religious bodyhas influence if it wants to make the protest meaningful.
A clergyman recently chided me saying,
“Why are you worried when Christians are included in the Act?”Pity for such a self-centred thought process! This is exactly what the RSS/VHP say. Today the Muslims are targeted. Tomorrow it will be Christians. If we do not stand up for the Muslims today who will do so for us when we are victims? A social scientist in 2002 said in Bangalore, “Secularism is surviving in India because of the Muslim community.” I did not understand then. Now it is clear. Christians need not rejoice at the temporary reprieve. In fact all faiths including Hindus should be honestly concerned at CAA. P. Chidambaram rightly said ‘India is not India without Muslims, Christians, Parsi, Sikhs and other religious minorities and without Ramadan, Christmas, Deepavali, etc.’ Unless alert the days of ‘All who are in India are Hindus’ might come true.
In the North East the Church is arguably the second strongest after Kerala. But it has nothing to offer against the law that will threaten the culture, language, uniqueness and identity of the indigenous population of the entire region. The Church’s influence is most felt in tribal areas but it has no say when protests rocked the ‘Seven sisters’ fearing CAA will alter the demography of the fragile region gravely. ILP and the Sixth Schedule might shield tribals from CAA for now but if 370 could be removed arbitrary from Jammu and Kashmir, 371 could easily be done away with.
Due to CAA and NRC the narratives, perception and even reality of India, within and outside has changed. Carers of the idea of India to be preserved have strong views. The Church’s response or lack of it is baffling!