Verghese V Joseph –
As the world’s largest democracy pars for the course of its second phase of the world’s biggest election, the stakes have never been higher for India’s religious minorities, particularly its peace-loving Christian community.
Almost one billion people will vote in the seven-phase 2024 general elections that began on April 19 and conclude on June 1.
What is worrisome is the low turnout. Around 63 percent of voters across 13 states and union territories had cast their votes in the second phase of the Lok Sabha (Lower House) elections on Friday, mirroring the participation seen at the same time during the first phase.
In the second phase, all of Kerala’s 20 Lok Sabha seats are being contested, along with 14 seats in Karnataka, 13 in Rajasthan, 8 each in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, 6 in Madhya Pradesh, 5 each in Assam and Bihar, 3 each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, and 1 each in Manipur, Tripura, and Jammu and Kashmir
The country’s Christian minority anxiously awaits the outcome, with the final votes set to be counted on June 4, knowing that the results could have a profound impact on their religious freedom and safety.
Over the past decade, India has witnessed a troubling surge in Hindu nationalism, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies embracing the Hindutva ideology that equates Indian identity with Hinduism. This shift has led to a significant increase in attacks, discrimination, and legal restrictions targeting religious minorities, including Christians.
Since the BJP’s rise to power in 2014, India has risen from 28th to 11th on the World Watch List of countries where Christians face the most persecution. Hindu extremists have openly threatened Christianity and other minority religions in India, and there have been numerous reports of pastors, leaders, and lay Christians being “attacked brutally in broad daylight” with the perpetrators often going unpunished.
Pastors are often falsely accused of offering incentives to people to convert to Christianity or of forcing innocent people to become followers of Jesus. These false complaints are then lodged with the police, leading to the arrest, legal battles, and even imprisonment of these religious leaders.
It’s been almost a year since an ethno-religious clash in the north eastern state of Manipur led to violence breaking out between Meitei and Kuki tribes, with Christians on both sides disproportionately targeted. Thousands of people are still displaced, and many have lost everything. On 19 April, Meitei extremists from the Arambai Tenggol group attacked polling booths, vandalised ballot machines, and even cast false votes on behalf of other citizens. Clashes and gunfire alarmed locals, and videos circulated on social media of attacks with stones and other violence. People had hoped that the elections would pass peacefully – but this unrest has shown how deeply the divides run.
One of the most pressing concerns for Christians is the rise of so-called “anti-conversion” laws, which are currently in place in 12 of the 28 states. These laws, ostensibly aimed at preventing forced or coerced religious conversions, have instead created an environment where sharing the gospel or converting to a minority religion can lead to persecution.
The fear among Christians is that a victory for the BJP in the upcoming elections could lead to the introduction of a national anti-conversion law, which would have devastating consequences. If the anti-conversion law is introduced at the national level, this will create huge turbulence for the Christian community.
Despite the daunting challenges they face, Christians have not lost hope. The church in India is growing, and she is encouraged by the growing unity among believers. Most Christians only want to vote for a good government. Believers are arranging prayer chains, fasting, and hosting prayer meetings for a moral, ethical, and righteous government to come to power.
The outcome of these elections could determine whether the country continues down the path of religious intolerance and persecution, or whether it upholds the principles of pluralism and religious freedom enshrined in its constitution.
While the christians are targetted the majority Hindu group hardly stand by them.Why? Our church leaders can be seen speaking ill about the Hindus and their beliefs.Do they ever have a dialogue or interactions with people of other faith? Hardly. So the society at large don’t stand by them.I was interested in Inter religious dialogue through ashram ministry but my Jesuit Provincial was against it and I had to leave the Jesuit Order. However, it doesn’t effect most of our church leadership except some exceptions as they feel it is not their own personal loss but they remain engrossed to serve and maintain the institutions, not the failure.However they like to be called as the shepherd of the people!
Regarding general elections, What happens when NOTA (None of the Above) gets most votes? Selecting NOTA as a voting option signifies that the voter has not selected any party to support in his/her constituency. If NOTA votes get the most number of votes in a constituency, the next candidate with the second-most number of votes is declared the winner.
The 2013 Supreme Court order stated that incorporating the NOTA option “will indeed compel the political parties to nominate a sound candidate.” But this step has not had the desired effect. In every election we are witnessing more and more candidates who have criminal cases (badge of honour!) against them.
The ‘None Of The Above’ button is located at the bottom of the list of candidates on Indian electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Very-fact based, educative, reliable, and measurable update, yet resplendent in hope! Thank you!
“The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ. Indeed, nothing genuinely human fails to raise an echo in their hearts. For theirs is a community composed of men. United in Christ, they are led by the Holy Spirit in their journey to the Kingdom of their Father and they have welcomed the news of salvation which is meant for every man. That is why this community realizes that it is TRULY LINKED WITH THE MANKIND AND ITS HISTORY BY THE DEEPEST BONDS.” – article 1 in PASTORAL CONSTITUTION ON THE CHURCH IN THE MODERN WORLD GAUDIUM ET SPES PROMULGATED BY SAINT POPE PAUL VI ON DECEMBER 7, 1965 https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19651207_gaudium-et-spes_en.html.
It is not possible for the any central government to pass a National Anti-conversion Law and for that matter declare India a Hindu State, even by absolute majority. Had it been so, it would have been passed long ago by the then Congress regime and even by the current dispensation at the Centre. What stopped them? Congress had absolute majority for 60 years. NDA too has absolute majority now! The reason is the Basic Structures (of the Indian Constitution) as clearly laid down by the Supreme Court of India (in Kesavananda Bharati case in 1973) will come in the way and set aside all such laws. If a law made by Parliament violates any provision of the Constitution, the Supreme Court has the power to declare such a law invalid or ultra vires invoking the Basic Structure stipulations. Justice Y.V. Chandrachud (father of the current CJI) cited Securalism and Freedom of conscience & religion are two features of the Basic Structure.
It would be naive on our part to lull ourselves into the belief that the BJP cannot change the Constitution. There’s a Hindi saying जिसकी लाठी उसकी भैंस. That means that those in power can do anything. All recent indices point in that direction
Some prelates and lay leaders thrive on persecution and fear-mongering. They have the erroneous belief that they can fool members of the Laity into believing whatever they say. Firstly, they have half-baked knowledge of the Constitutional provisions and secondly they twist them to suit their convenience. For example one well-known Christian NGO which has a well-knit network across Bengal, is going places (Keorapukur, Raghabpur, Dum Dum Cantonment, Morapai, Baruipur, Krishnanagar, etc) that CAA and NRC will bring about total annihilation or extradition of Christians from Bengal. Their so-called lawyers are distributing their visiting cards (for clientele) by spreading fear among the faithful. On the other hand, several Catholic entrepreneurs/businesspersons and intellectuals, mainly from South India, are doing thriving business and were present at the PM’s Christmas Party in December 2023. Shall we call them naive and the doomsday sayers wise?