Church prepared to use "any means" to stop laws that violate religious freedom, says Card Gracias
Mumbai (AsiaNews) - The Church in India "strongly opposes" any law on religious freedom and is prepared to use "any means possible", including "court action," to see it declared ultra vires, said Card Oswald Gracias.
Speaking to AsiaNews, the archbishop of Mumbai, said he was "personally concerned" by recent moves by India's federal government and by attacks against minorities, especially Christians and Muslims.
"The existing rules are adequate to limit abuses related to conversions," said the president of the Federation of Asian Bishops (FABC). In India, freedom of conscience and religion is an "intrinsic part of the basic rights of every Indian citizen."
However, in recent weeks, religious freedom has been threatened and attacked by Hindu fundamentalist groups, who have announced mass reconversions as well as attacks on Christian groups who dare sing Christmas carols in public.
For this reason, Christian leaders and organisations have signed a joint statement denouncing attacks on the Constitution of India and on religious freedom.
The cardinal calls for the full "enforcement" of India's constitution and the protection of the rights therein guaranteed. However, such reconversions "are not a recent phenomenon," he explained, because ceremonies of this type (Ghar Vapsi) have already occurred in the past, under other administrations. "I am afraid," he added, that plans for "a national anti-conversion law" is behind these incidents.
The archbishop of Mumbai, who once headed of a small Christian community as bishop of Agra, is "alarmed" by recently "orchestrated" attacks on Christians. For him, Ghar Vapsi are in and of themselves examples of forced conversions.
Noting that the Christian presence in his state date back centuries, as it does in Kerala and Goa, he dismissed anti-conversion laws as futile since Indian Christians are just 2.3 per cent of the population and "can hardly engage in forced or fraudulent conversions".
Lastly, the prelate defended the role of Catholic schools and institutions in Indian society. They have always guaranteed a high level of education without imposing any particular faith, especially Christianity. This applies to students from the Hindu upper class, as well as to the poorest Hindus."
"Almost 90 per cent of the beneficiaries of Christian educational institutions are non-Christian brothers and sisters," Card Gracias said. "These Hindus are the best proof that they were neither allured nor forced to convert by force."
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