Z. Lohe,
Former Speaker, NLA
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]NDIA is proud to be a democratic nation. Despite of its diversity in religion, ethnic, culture and language, it has successfully survived the last six and half decades. The major reason for the national unity despite of diversity is the Constitution which recognizes and gives equal importance to both majority and minority alike irrespective of backgrounds. The pillar of Indian integration is therefore the acceptance and tolerance of each other in the midst of diverse culture, tradition, language caste and creed.
So long the religious, ethnic and linguistic minorities feel safe and protected, the unity of India remains strong. So long as the culture, religion and tradition of the weaker sections are respected, the integration of India remains unchallengeable. As long as the principle of secularism, as enshrined in the Constitution, is respected and practised, the image of India remains respectable.
Meanwhile, since BJP came to power at the Centre headed by Sri. Narendra Modi as Prime Minister, there has been continuous attacks on the secular foundation provided in Indian Constitution. Reading all about it from paper media and watching television news, both the Houses of Indian Parliament used to devote hours of sittings on a single issue, that is the campaign for Hinduism and its controversy. The combined oppositions in both Houses have to bring it to the notice of the Govt. as to how the limb organizations of BJP have threatened the Art 25 of Indian Constitution by means of proselytization programs. The Union Ministers and BJP MPs do not hesitate to vocally encourage the rightist organizations to intensify their campaigns.
The successive controversial comments are: The Union Minister of State Smti. Sadhvi Niranjan Joyti branded Muslims, Christians and other non-Hindus to be ‘harzadon’ meaning those born illegitimately: bastard. She means to challenge the public not to allow non-Hindus to rule the country. Secondly, the Indian Foreign Minister Smti. Sushma Swaraj demanded that Bhagvad Gita, the scripture of Hindu religion be officially declared as the ‘national scripture’. In the event of such official status being granted to Gita, in the words of Amulya Ganguli ...it would ‘relegate the holy books of other religions such as the Quran, the Bible or the Guru Granth Sahib.... to a secondary status’. In the eye of Art 25, all religions are equal and neither one is more important nor less important, nor one is the original and the other is duplicate. Thirdly, the 57 Muslim families conversion took place at Agra, UP. According to Bharat Bushan, the organization Dharam Jagran Samiti (GJS) of RSS is mobilising funds to purchase Muslims and Christians at the rate of Rs. 5 lakh and Rs. 1 lakh respectively per family for conversion into Hinduism. Fourthly, BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj praised the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi, Nathuram Godse as a patriot. This was supported by a former BJP minister sadhvi Swamy Chinmayananda. In the words of the famous lady writer Shobhaa De ‘Any attempt to make a hero out of an assassin is perverted and grotesque’. Some of them expressed regret for what they uttered, and yet the milk was spilled.
As read from news papers, the GJS of RSS is intensifying its campaign for more conversion of Christians on 25th of December despite warning being served to them by district administration in UP. The minority Christians living in Hindu dominated States are now exposed to forced conversion to Hinduism. In the event of any Christian refusing to comply may face consequences from Hinduism activists.
For the first time in Indian democratic history, BJP is officially dishonouring the 25th December Christmas Day by declaring it as the ‘good governance day’ coinciding with the celebration of the birthdays of former PM Vajpayi and Hindu Mahasabha leader Madan Mohan Malviya. The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry headed by Minister Smti. Smriti Irani directed Navodaya Vidayalaya Schools to have essay writing competition on the day of Christmas. All the Centre Universities are now officially directed to have functions on seminars and debates with attractive prizes of cash. Thus, the BJP Govt. is determined to aggressively and offensively desecrate the 25thDecember, the Christmas which is the most important day of the year for Christians.
In view of those derogatory remarks, divisive statements and forcible conversions of Muslims and Christians to Hinduism, the opposition had to rock Parliament sessions in defence of secularism and ultimately the integrity of India. No other businesses which are more important than the Hinduism agenda could be discussed as the debates used to be virulent. When welfare issues are sidelined for the sake of Hinduism, the common man will suffer. And when valuable several hours of Parliament sessions are wasted on debates on unproductive and disintegrative issue, it is a great loss to the nation. What a waste!
The questions are: Are we Christians bad Indians? Are we Christians unreliable as citizens of India? Are we Christians a threat to the security of India? Are we Christians not wanted in India? Are we Christians a liability to India? The whole exercises of Hinduism activists proved beyond doubt that BJP Govt. does not trust Christians as Indian citizens. The Christians in India will be trusted only when they forsake Jesus Christ and become Hindus.
What will the Govt of India say if a Christian dominated State like Nagaland declares the holidays for Durga Puja or Diwali as working days?
Will forcible conversions and persecutions of Christians really strengthen the unity and integrity of India? Do the Hindus think that forcible conversions and the persecutions inflicted upon the Christians decimate the growth of Christianity in India? China was more stringent in restricting Chinese from conversion into Christianity. Could it resist and prevent? Is Christian movement in China a failure?
We, the Christians in India, are not disheartened though we are undermined, kicked around, our women raped, despised and insulted to the hilt. We, the Christians in India, are considered to be secondary citizens. Our Church buildings are destroyed, our assets are damaged and our sacred Churches and Schools are desecrated by all kind of insults by majority Hindus.
Nevertheless, let us remain united through prayer and leave everything to God, the Jehovah whose decree is revenge is not ours but His.
The only concern is that how others read the two neighbours- Pakistan and India. Pakistan is popularly unpopular because of being lenient to subversive elements and now facing the backlash from the same. Massacring 132 innocent school children by Taliban is unimaginable. Under the leadership of BJP, India is misusing Hinduism against its own citizens in similar fashion as Taliban is after harmless school kids, Hinduism activists are after innocent and harmless Christians. The Lok Sabha and Raja Sabha have no time to discuss on vital issues on progress and prosperity for India except the controversy on Hinduism which has immobilized both Houses during this winter session. PM Modi has placed his Hinduism cart before his ‘better days’ horse.
