By Albert Thyrniang
The cover story of the latest issue of a national ‘Christian’ Weekly is entitled, “The Church is NOT Apolitical.”The story elaborately quotes Church’s documents from the Synod of Bishops, to papal Encyclicals, to Apostolic Exhortations, to the famous Second Vatican Council to documents of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) to drive home the ‘political’ role of the Church. The edition’s editorial is, “Church’s Mission: Be Vocal for People.” The story is against the background of the on-going farmers’ agitation over the farm laws passed by the central government last year and the Church’s deafening silence over the issue.
The country’s farmers have been on strike for over two months against the legislations that might banish the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and the eminent takeover of the farm sector by corporates and multinational companies. The Church in India has remained a mute spectator offering no support to the agitating farmers who are demanding immediate repeal of the three anti-farm laws. They are facing a raw deal from the government in terms of talks and post January 26 have been branded as anti-nationals while enduring internet ban, disruption of water supply and electricity connection. Iron barricades have been set up, nails have been laid on the roads leading to the protest venues, journalists and MPs have been stopped from proceeding to the venues. FIRs have been lodged and arrests made almost arbitrarily. Even in such a crackdown on democratic protests the Church has maintained a stoic silence. The protests are against an impending exploitation of the poor by the rich. Yet the Church which claims to be a prophet has not spoken up. The excuse seems to be the plea that the Church is ‘apolitical’. But is it a valid reason?
One highlight is from Pope Francis’ most acclaimed third Encyclical FratelliTutti (All are Brothers) where he writes, ‘The Church cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the building of a better world, and she cannot fail to contribute to the betterment of society,’ The Pope does not advocate electoral and party politics by the Church but says that it cannot and must not shy away from politics. Politics is not limited to election. It means governance. It includes the policy-making and lawmaking. If policies and legislations are beneficial the Church must applaud the government of the day. But if they are anti-poor and anti-people the Church must oppose the same. It is disappointing that while the farmers’ cry for justice and when freedom and liberty are at risk the Church is in hibernation.
The lead story bluntly states that Jesus was never apolitical. He was ‘deeply concerned about the deep-rooted injustices of his time and took a visible and vocal stand against them’. The Church too is not apolitical. Prophets intervened in the socio-political reality of their time standing for the weak and the marginalized. They were critical of the systems and policies that increased the gulf between the rich and the poor. The Church can’t escape its prophetic roles by hiding behind the ‘apolitical’ veil.
The voice of the Church has been found wanting. When a large section of the country was up in arms against the ‘communal’ and ‘exclusive’ CAB/CAA the Church was practically silent. When Article 371 was abrogated and the people of Jammu and Kashmir were denied their rights and liberty the Church said little. The Church seems to be indifferent even at this critical time when country is fast moving towards fascism and majoritarianism.
In Meghalaya we have been reeling under the shadow of the demand for Inner Line Permit (ILP). That the Church has no opinion on this British created law to safeguard their monopolistic trade and commercial interests is not surprising because there is an element of xenophobia and chauvinism in the ‘bodies of Christ’ that preach love and brotherhood without boundary. To the appreciation of a few folks and a dislike of many others this scribe has more than once pointed out the existence of leaders who still preserve 100% of their ‘tribal’ mentality even while priding themselves of being in a ‘universal’ entity.
As expressed umpteen times, ILP is to hit tourism hard and affect the livelihoods of ordinary citizens adversely. It is here that the views of all citizens, including the Church are solicited. Does the Church have no pulse for the tea shop keepers, the sellers of handicrafts, drivers and others who subsist on tourism? Will or will not ILP be counter-productive? Should we pursue ILP or the Meghalaya Registration Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), 2016/19 or both or none?Should we leave it to sentimental and emotional pressure groups to decide the fate of the state?
The only national and international news Meghalaya has made is the illegal mining and transportation of coal. Two disasters have afflicted the state, the 2018 Ksan mining tragedy and the recent 2021 Rymbai incident where 13 and 6 miners respectively died in illegal mines while attempting to undertake rat-hole mining. Unlawful activities mean illegitimate acquisition of wealth. Mine owners, businessmen, politicians, cops, bureaucrats, even NGT watchdogs are suspected of pocketing astronomical sums out of black money. While rampant illegality is on show the ‘conscience keeper and ethics and morality teachers’ are silent. Perhaps, besides flowing into electioneering, part of it comes to the Church. Should not relevance and credibility be questioned?
There has been a sort of debate on matriliny on this page in recent days. We may glamorise or romanticise it’s ‘uniqueness’ but the system has myths and contradictions. Can we imagine that in a matrilineal society 76% of rural Meghalaya is landless? That means only 24 people out of 100 possess land. It is taken for granted that in this matrilineal society land is owned by women and hence it is women who have become landless. If they have no land what ancestral property do they pass on to their girl children? This landlessness and land alienation is because of land grabbing by the rich. Is the Church aware of this? Or is it a concern at all? Can the Church push for land reforms for a more equitable society?
The presumption that in a matrilineal set up women enjoy a privileged position is a myth. That in a matrilineal order women are not better off and are more empowered is a fallacy. Even in the 21st century women are still barredfrom the village council (Dorbar Shnong), clan council (Dorbar Kur), chieftain council (Dorbar Syiem) and other traditional decision making bodies. Even before the golden celebration of statehood we have no woman Chief Minister. The present Cabinet is boy’s club. There are only four women legislators in the current Legislative Assembly. There are hardly any women MDCs in all ADCs. This male domination will not be questioned by the Church because the Church itself is male dominated.
The editor of this paper has written two soul searching pieces recently, one on the challenges in rural Meghalaya and the other the dearth of honest politicians in the state. Rural Meghalaya is despondent. Roads are perpetually pathetic, LP school buildings are in shambles, health centres are sans doctors, nurses and medicines. Rural poverty stood at 49% in 2002. Never has one heard the Church complaining of these grim realities. Not once has the Church expressed dismay at the under-development in rural areas. It is true the Church has made good contribution in education but should not it be doing more, particularly in the Lower Primary sector? The Church runs many LP school in villages but they are no different from the government LP schools. There is only one president/secretary for all the schools in a ‘cluster’. It is physically impossible to monitor and supervise them. Hence, education takes place only at the centre.
The editor laments that she can hardly think of any honest representative in the state. This is because the citizenry themselves are corrupt. The electorate votes for a candidate who hands over the biggest notes. The whole election process is painted with cash. In a state with nearly 80% Christians not to have one honest MLA/MDC is a big slap on the face of the Church. Church education has failed. The pulpit has failed. Where are the values? Where is spirituality? Are Sunday services of any meaning? Are annual Church gatherings attended by thousands a mere show? Or are they also occasions when large sums are collected from politicians and hopeful candidates just for food, putting up large makeshift structures, decorations and the like without tangible effect? Should they be reviewed? Is worship divorced from life? Do values emanate from worship?
No one is independent of politics. Separation of the Church and the state does not mean a lukewarm attitude to affairs of the state particularly on people-related issues. The Church, if it is faithful to its mission has to be vocal, especially in today’s environs it is the need of the hour.
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