A Reflection on Cardinal Allenchery’s ‘Safe Christians’ Statement

By Verghese V Joseph –

There has been much consternation among Christians across India in light of a recent statement by the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church.

Cardinal George Alencherry’s comment that the minority Christians are safe in India under the present ruling dispensation has attracted mocking criticism from almost all quarters of the community.

This comes close on the heels of Archbishop Joseph Pamplany of Tellicherry assuring the BJP at least one seat from the southern Indian state of Kerala if the Union government raises the price of rubber to Rs. 300. He was addressing a farmers’ rally at Alakode village in Kannur district where rubber is the main crop.

In the background of the much-publicized comment of Cardinal George Alencherry, it is worthwhile to remember an incident in 2008 that involved the then Bengaluru Archbishop Dr. Bernard Moras and the then Karnataka Chief Minister Mr. B S Yedirurappa over the attacks on churches in Mangalore.

The CM, his cabinet colleagues — Dr. V S Acharya, Home; Shobha Karandlaje, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj; Katta Subramanya Naidu, IT, BT and Excise; and R Ashok, Transport — had to endure some embarrassing moments when they went to call on the Archbishop soon after a meeting of the cabinet.

“Sir, we thank you for coming to the Bishop’s house, but the whole church in Karnataka is hurt. I am telling you publicly that we are very hurt. Tell me, will you keep quiet if the garbha gudi (sanctum sanctorum) of a temple is destroyed?” an emotional Archbishop told Yeddyurappa and his ministers.

“For us, the Blessed Sacrament is the living body of Christ and we are ready to shed our blood for it. We can’t tell you how much we are hurt because the Blessed Sacrament has been exposed,” he told the chief minister.

To this, the CM uttered: “Sir, we will see that the culprits are punished. Justice will be done after the inquiry.”

Covering the event as part of the media, it even took us by surprise how the Archbishop mustered the courage to speak to the head of the state. He spoke to power!

The government took a decision to invoke the provisions of Goonda Act against those nabbed for vandalising churches. The move salvaged the government’s image and instilled confidence among Christians.

Years later, after his retirement, when I met him at an event, I asked him where did he find the courage to speak up. He just looked upwards! That said it all. That one act gave moral courage to the Christian community. The current church leadership could do well to take a leaf from his courageous act. But, the moot point is, will they?

Attacks on Christians have increased in states that passed anti-conversion laws. The first anti-conversion law was passed in Odisha in 1967. Attacks on Christians began in the 70s, culminating in the Kandhamal violence in 2008. The law gave a justification for attacks on Christians. After Odisha, the anti-conversion law was passed in eight other states.

Likewise, last year, when the Karnataka government began the process of adopting an anti-conversion law, Bengaluru Archbishop Peter Machado made multiple efforts to reach out to the government to impress them on the unwise move. Nevertheless, the government went ahead and implemented the anti-conversion law despite the strong position taken by the archbishop.

The prelate too minced no words when he said the entire Christian community was deeply hurt and disturbed as the anti-conversion became law in Karnataka. “The entire Christian Community is deeply hurt and is disturbed that the government has let down the Christian populace living in the state,” the archbishop rued after Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot gave his assent to the anti-conversion bill. He too spoke to power!

Incidentally, ahead of 2019 General Elections, Delhi Archbishop Anil Couto’s remarks about the “turbulent political atmosphere“ and appeal for a prayer campaign triggered a controversy, with BJP taking exception to it, while opposition parties found nothing wrong with it.

“It is our hallowed practice to pray for our country and its political leaders all the time, but all the more so when we approach the general elections. As we look forward towards 2019, when we will have a new government, let us begin a prayer campaign for our country,” the Archbishop Couto’s letter had mentioned.

This time, the visit of Prime Minister Modi on Easter Day to the Cathedral where in the Archdiocese of Delhi speaks volumes.

It was only in February this year that members of the Christian community in Delhi-NCR held a protest at Jantar Mantar against what they said is an escalation of hate and violence against Christians in several states in the country.

It’s no surprise that during the run-up to elections, political parties of all hue and cry will make a beeline to all communities as part of their electoral reach-out strategy to woo all and sundry for reaping political dividends.

Coming back to Cardinal Alencherry’s comment, an editorial in the issue of Satyadeepam, the official mouthpiece of the Syro-Malabar Church, has once again taken a stance against the Cardinal. The editorial pointed out, “When the Cardinal says that Christians are safe in India, it is difficult to say whose safety he means. It will be good to know the views of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) on these developments.” The silence of CBCI is deafening. The editorial added that India’s soul was in its diversity of views and religious tolerance.

An observer felt that it was more pertinent to address the minorities and warn them against the dangerous path chosen by their narrow-minded leadership. They felt that there was a need to question the irresponsible approach adopted by the unwise community leaders endangering the very future of the Christian minorities.

Going back in time, an unholy alliance between organised majoritarian faith and politics in India were sown when BJP supremo L K Advani launched a Rath Yatra in September 1990 to educate the people about the Ayodhya movement. This resulted in spectacular dividends for the BJP.

We must understand the principle that a mix of religion and politics is a potent combination. One is for private and the other for the public domain. Never to be indulged.

History has shown us that whenever the state and ecclesiastical authorities acted in unison, it has led to violent outcomes. That is what we are witnessing today.