Post-2024 India Elections: What’s the Way Forward for Christian Community?

Verghese V Joseph –

Now with the BJP and its alliance partners forming the government at the Centre, it is essential for the Catholic community to reflect on its role and priorities in the post-election landscape. This election has been a pivotal moment for the Christian community as a whole. The Catholic community finds itself at a critical juncture, contemplating its stance on various aspects of society in the coming years.

The 2024 elections have been significant for the Christian community due to concerns about rising Hindu nationalism and its implications for religious minorities. The community faces challenges in safeguarding its values and rights amidst a changing political environment. Key areas of focus post-election include education, healthcare, economy, and society, where Christians aim to uphold inclusivity, justice, and compassion. The political climate has raised issues such as threats to religious freedom, erosion of secular values, challenges to diversity, and impacts on social cohesion within the Christian community.

Assessing the Election’s Impact

The 2024 elections have been a watershed moment for the Christian community, with various political parties vying for their support and attention. The Catholic community, in particular, has been closely monitoring the campaigns and manifestos of different parties, assessing their commitment to issues of importance to the community, such as religious freedom, education, and social welfare.

Charting a Way Forward

As the Catholic community looks ahead to the post-election era, it is crucial for the community leaders and members to engage in thoughtful discussions and deliberations. This process should involve:

• Identifying key priorities: The community must come together to identify the most pressing issues and concerns that need to be addressed by the incoming government.
• Engaging with political leaders: Catholic leaders should establish open lines of communication with political parties and leaders, advocating for the community’s interests and seeking assurances on critical issues.
• Strengthening community ties: The Catholic community should focus on strengthening its internal bonds, fostering unity and solidarity among its members, and promoting interfaith dialogue and cooperation.
• Participating in nation-building: The Catholic community should actively participate in the nation-building process, contributing its expertise, resources, and moral leadership to address societal challenges and promote the common good.

By taking a proactive and constructive approach, the Catholic community can ensure that its voice is heard and its concerns are addressed in the post-election India, while also contributing to the overall progress and development of the nation.

Divisions within the Catholic Church

The election has brought to the fore the stark divisions within the Catholic Church, particularly among the Latin, Syro-Malabar, and Syro-Malankara churches. The Church’s leadership has been criticised for its inability to present a unified stance on key issues, leading to confusion and disarray among its followers.

The Latin Church has been accused of being overly accommodating to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This has led to concerns that the Church is compromising its values and principles to maintain a cordial relationship with the government. For instance, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) leaders along with other Christian community leaders attended a Christmas party hosted by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which sparked controversy due to the Prime Minister’s comments on the similarities between Christianity and Hinduism.

The attendance of bishops at a Christmas party hosted by Prime Minister Modi has been seen as an attempt to curry favour with the government, rather than a genuine effort to engage with the political process. This has led to concerns that the Church is more interested in maintaining its influence and power than in truly serving the needs of its followers.

In the run-up to the 2024 elections, over 3,000 Christians from various parts of India signed a statement disassociating themselves from Christian leaders who participated in a Christmas lunch hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2023. The signatories believe that Christians have faced constant attacks under the BJP’s rule.

On the other hand, the Syro-Malabar Church, led by Major Archbishop Mar Raphael Thattil, has taken a more vocal stance against the BJP. Thattil has expressed concerns about the escalating human-animal conflict in Kerala and the persecution of Christians, which has garnered significant public attention. However, this stance has been criticized for being too soft on the LDF, the opposition party, and for not addressing the Church’s own internal issues.

The Syro-Malankara Church has also been criticized for its conflicting positions. While some leaders have spoken out against the BJP’s policies, others have maintained a more neutral stance, leading to confusion among the faithful.

Lack of Unity Within the Church

The Church’s inability to present a unified stance has led to a sense of disarray among its followers. Many Catholics feel that the Church is not doing enough to protect their rights and interests, particularly in the face of growing religious polarization and Hindu nationalism. The Church’s leadership has been accused of being too cautious and unwilling to take a strong stance on key issues, which has led to a loss of credibility and trust among its followers.

As the political scenario evolves, it’s time that the Church take a stronger stance on key issues and prioritise the needs of its followers if it has to regain its credibility and influence in Indian politics. Christians must remain vigilant and actively participate in shaping a more inclusive and tolerant political environment in India.

The Christian community is navigating a complex landscape where it must advocate for its rights while promoting social transformation, education, healthcare, disaster relief, and gender equality. The community’s response to political overtures and efforts to engage with church leaders by political parties like the BJP has sparked concerns about the secular fabric of the state. Despite these challenges, the Christian community continues to strive for a more inclusive and equitable society, emphasizing values of compassion, unity, and social justice.

The community should actively engage in shaping a more tolerant and harmonious society post-election, emphasising the importance of defending secular and democratic values, advocating for minority rights, and promoting inclusivity and equality across various sectors of society.

Education: Safeguarding Pluralism and Diversity

In the realm of education, the Christian community plays a vital role in upholding pluralism and diversity. The community must engage with the political dispensation to signify a strategic shift towards inclusivity. However, there remains a gap between outreach initiatives and the sentiments prevalent within the community.

Post-2024 elections, collaboration between the community and political authorities is essential to protect its educational institutions from attempts to impose a singular cultural or religious identity, besides safeguarding against attacks on its institutions.

Healthcare: Serving the Marginalised

The Christian community’s contribution to healthcare in India is commendable, with Christian healthcare institutions providing quality treatment to poor patients. In the post-election period, Christians must continue to prioritise serving the marginalized and ensuring access to affordable healthcare for all. By maintaining their commitment to compassionate service, the community can set an example of how healthcare should be a fundamental right, not a privilege.

Economy: Fostering Social Justice and Equality

The economic landscape post-election poses challenges and opportunities for the Christian community. Addressing socio-economic disparities and promoting social justice are crucial tasks that require collective action. The community’s engagement in economic initiatives that prioritize inclusivity and equality can contribute to a more equitable society. By advocating for policies that uplift marginalized communities and promote economic empowerment, Christians can play a significant role in fostering a fair and just economic environment for all.

Society: Upholding Values of Compassion and Unity

In a society marked by increasing polarisation and religious tensions, the Christian community stands as a beacon of compassion and unity. Post-election, it is imperative for Christians to uphold values of tolerance, empathy, and solidarity. By actively engaging with diverse communities and promoting interfaith dialogue, the community can foster a culture of mutual respect and understanding. Initiatives that promote social cohesion and harmony are essential in building a more cohesive and inclusive society.

By actively engaging in politics, education, economy, and society, Christians can uphold their values of inclusivity, justice, and compassion. The post-election period presents an opportunity for the community to reaffirm its commitment to building a more tolerant and harmonious society, where the rights and dignity of all individuals are respected.

In the face of adversity, the Christian community’s position on politics, education, economy, and society must be one of resilience, advocacy, and unwavering commitment to principles of equality and justice. As India navigates the complexities of its political landscape, the Christian community’s role in shaping a more inclusive and equitable society remains paramount.

Moreover, the Christian community is deeply concerned about safeguarding their religious freedom, ensuring their safety, combating discrimination, and preserving the secular fabric of the nation amidst the challenges posed by rising Hindu nationalism and potential changes in the political landscape.

While Christian organisations are trying to get their members more engaged in politics, they have been extremely cautious in their approach, emphasising the “duty of neutrality in the Church” and avoiding unduly mixing spiritual authority with temporal power. Some leaders urged Christians to “vote wisely,” while others prefer to maintain a low profile and engage with authorities to protect the community’s interests.

The community has responded to the elections by advocating for secular values, minority rights, and religious freedom, while also engaging in prayer, cautious political participation, and efforts to raise awareness about the challenges facing the community.

Mixed Reactions

In the state of Kerala, the Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) has historically played a role in shaping the political landscape. During elections, the KCBC has issued guidelines to Catholic voters, urging them to support candidates and parties that uphold Christian values and protect minority rights.

At the same time, we’ve also had instances of the recent overtures by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to woo Christian leaders in Kerala have raised eyebrows within the community, with concerns about the potential impact on the secular fabric of the state.

The BJP, which has historically struggled to make inroads into Kerala’s Christian vote bank, intensified its efforts to engage with church leaders in the run-up to the 2024 general elections. The party’s outreach has included reaching out to churches across Kerala and identifying influential leaders to engage with.

One of the notable developments has been the perceived shift in the stance of a section of the Syro-Malabar church towards the BJP. The Idukki diocese of the Syro-Malabar church recently screened the controversial film “The Kerala Story” among youngsters during the annual catechism classes, drawing criticism from its own church members.

Despite the Church’s stance, the BJP has continued its outreach efforts to the Christian community in Goa and other parts of India. In Kerala, the party fielded candidates with strong ties to the Christian community, such as Rajeev Chandrasekhar, V. Muraleedharan, Anil Antony, and Suresh Gopi.

However, not all Christian leaders have been receptive to these overtures. Thomas J. Netto, the archbishop of the Latin Archdiocese of Thiruvananthapuram, issued a pastoral letter alleging that the BJP government had frozen the church’s accounts after protests against the Adani port in Vizhinjam. He refused to meet with Delhi lieutenant governor V.K. Saxena, who was allegedly deployed by the BJP central leadership to seek church support.

Critics argue that the BJP’s attempts to woo Christian leaders are driven by a desire to consolidate Hindu votes and undermine the secular fabric of Kerala. They point to the party’s record of attacks on Christians in other parts of India and the rise of Hindu nationalism under its rule.

In Goa too, the alignment of some Catholic leaders with the BJP raised concerns within the broader Catholic community about the potential impact on the secular fabric of the state and the country. The outcome of these efforts and their influence on the community will be closely observed.

What Next?

In the coming years, the Christian community in India has the potential to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the nation by continuing its efforts in social development, education, healthcare, disaster relief, advocacy for secularism and minority rights, and empowerment of women. By upholding its values of compassion, justice, and inclusivity, the community can contribute to building a more prosperous, harmonious, and equitable society for all in India besides safeguarding its community’s interests.

Will the Catholic church leaders collectively take up the gauntlet and stand united on key issues? Now, that’s a million-dollar question that leadership must reflect on and action out.