Rev Dr N Paphino
Vice President, Nagaland Joint Christian Forum
The Nagaland Joint Christian Forum condemns the acts of violence against the Christians in Chhattisgarh. The incident is just one of many that are happening too often. The NJCF stands in solidarity with our Christian brothers and sisters who suffer the burnt of hatred and jealousy of uninformed majority religious group. Instances such as this are happening too often in the country where majority of them do not make it to the news. The silence of the authority has emboldened the narrow minded majority who stand threatened by the good deeds done by others. Let it be known, unless the mind is educated and those who are at the realm of power speak out the message of love, respect and peaceful coexistence; hatred, crimes and inflicting pain and suffering against the minority religious group will continue. We cannot allow the secular fabric of the country be given a back seat.
The recent circulation of the Special Branch, Assam Police is another example of creating terror. He was scap goated by the authority to cover the face of the government. Nevertheless, it has created much tension in the region. Such a circulation is not only a threat but an unhealthy move and the authority cannot simply hide under the pretext that they aren’t consulted. A circulation with such magnitude cannot just be ordered by a subordinate had there been no coordination with the authority. It was just a means to test the water and to hurt the sentiments of the Christians in the region. The trust deficit created among the Christian community in the region will take time to recover that in the region there is already such an evil design in the making. The NJCF hope and pray that the authority will sincerely put the matter to rest for the sake of peaceful coexistence in the region.
To say the least, what has been happening in the country is disturbing and mind boggling. Tension and uneasiness has become the order of the day because of the inflictions caused by certain religious group trying to suppress the religious freedom of the minorities. The channels are many, but to name one, “Anti conversion bill” enacted and legislated with false accusations to prohibit freedom of religious practices of the minorities in the country. While on the other hand the present regime try to propagate its religion through their political agenda. It has become a terror because minority religious groups are no longer free to practice their religions and do good to humanity.
In a situation such as this, we need to be reminded of the basics of what secularism is all about. Those who are illiterate may not know what secularism is all about. This is why they continue to take their vent against the minorities especially the Christian community because they think otherwise and feel insecure of the good the Christians do to humanity. But things are happening right under the nose of those who are suppose to educate and have the power to stop it. This is why we need to be reminded once again.
Secularism means the separation of religion from political, economic, social and cultural aspects of life, religion being treated as a purely personal matter. It can neither be legislated nor enforced. In this sense, it is wrong to say “all Indians are Hindus.” The Preamble of the constitution asserts that India is a “secular” nation and does not prioritize any one religion for the country and its people. This is inline with the freedom of Conscience, that is, all persons have equal right to freely profess, practice and propagate religion. It gives equal respect to all religions and protects all religions equally. The interpretation is simple, show respect to others and do good to one another regardless of your religious affiliation. Serve one another in love and let diversity be our strength.
In a multi-religious society like India, respect and equal protection are disappearing because of the upper hand of the majority. Even though, secularism is a fundamental reality of Indian’s fabric, secularism is made to suffer because Article 356 is muted and likewise, the authority choose to remain silent. Those who are in power and have the constitutional tool should not only crow during election talking about development, peace and forward movement when discrimination and infliction of pain to religious minorities become the order of the day.
Unfortunately, vandalism, hate crimes and attacks of the Christians in the mainland India has nullified the validity of references to secularism because hatred and insecure superiority complex has taken over the nation. We can only ask the question, why has India become so hateful and insecure? In dismay, we can only lament that the people in power has become hand in glove with those who are trying to create terror in the minds of the innocents. They talk tough on other issues but become blind to the suffering, abuse and persecution of the religious minorities in the country. The constant reference to development, peace and harmony are just going down the drain because it is now considered useless, because the country is no longer controlled and ruled by what has been enshrined in the preamble, safeguarded by the constitution. To say the least, India is becoming a lawless country. The voice of the fanatics and religious fundamentalists are given precedence. This is leading to an unfortunate state of affairs in the country destroying the fabrics of secularism. False religious agenda has become the political agenda of the nation and therefore, it has paralyzed stern actions against the perpetrators who are causing terror to other religious minorities.
Insecurity among the major religious group in the country has been causing harassment and abuse of power for the last few years often backed by people who have the power and authority to act. So far the nation have not heard of any exemplary punishment in the court of law of those who are seeking to incite hatred in the community. On the reverse, they are protected and incited to do harm to others in the name of religion. India, known for its tolerance is set to destroy the society by imposing the will and religious agenda of the majority upon its citizens by inflicting fear in the minds of the innocent religious minorities in the country. We continue to ask, where is equal protection and equal respect?
“All Indians are not Hindus.” You cannot change the religious demography of a nation by proclaiming something that is not true. It simply amounts to force conversion over ridding the secular nature of the country. It is a farce and an idealistic propagation by some fanatics and fundamentalists who have seen nothing beyond their confined religious practices amassing wealth to abuse the minority religious groups. India must learn to leave the choice of religion to individuals. Each religion must propagate love and respect for others only then the nation will flourish.
Has politics anything to do with what is happening in the nation? The answer lies in this, the present political structure is a threat to secularism. Since the nation is majority Hindus, politicians are using religion and castes to divide the nation. This has given rise to inequality and intolerance among the people. The majority religious group have taken advantage of the soft corner of the present regime. In fact, the country is run not by political principle of unity in diversity but religious agenda of the majority. The masters have become the subjects of religious propaganda. They are totally amused and entertained with the agenda of the lunatics. So much so that, the political agenda of the nation which is known for it secularism has been reduced to mere mockery. Unless this is addressed in wider scale, the nation will become a paradise of hate and destruction.
What is happening in the nation where supremacy is sought by vandalizing and persecuting certain religious group is most unfortunate. It is many steps backward to time. The civilized world has come out of marginalizing the minorities be it social, economics or religion and here we are where supremacy is sought by suppressing the rights of others. It is merely, an expression of “insecurity” an uncivilized approach to moving forward.
The Christian community in the country do not need to elaborate our contribution to the nation building. The Christian community has always played the role of reaching out to people in need regardless of caste or religion. This, we will continue to do as part of our service to humanity.
Religious minority groups are always under threat from different angles. One of which is the enactment of anti conversion bill doing the round in the country. The sole purpose of this bill is create terror and to bring people under threat and to curtail individual freedom to choose. Why has doing good and serving humanity become a threat to the secular India?
Let it be know to those who are trying to create terror to religious minority Christian in the country, our Holy Book teaches us “to love our enemies and those who try to destroy us.” We are taught to continue to do good to humanity in the midst of all these things that our happening around us. We are taught to “repay evil with good.”
The abusive tactics to destroy other religious faith can be put to an end if the authority at the helm of power can have the audacity to say, “live in peace respecting each other’s practice” and punish those who go against this principle in the court of law. The silence of the authority is simply condoning with the act of the perpetrators. The cycle will continue unless it is curbed intentionally to build a conducive society where every individual is free to choose and live by his/her religious conviction.
The country leaders talks about peace and peaceful coexistence to persuade the voters who put them to power. But it has become undoubtedly clear that they are being used by those people who cannot see anything beyond their religious walls. Political leaders and heads of the country are functioning on behest of those who are still locked within their own religious confines.
In such a situation, how can secular India flourish? How can a country progress and move forward when minorities are marginalized and are threaten everyday? The time has come for this region to seriously ponder whether we are on the right track or are blindly following others to be swallowed one day where are voices will be lost and we can no longer speak for those who suffer daily for the sake of the their faith. At this rate, we do not know where secular India is heading, we can only read the handwriting on the wall.
