Indian Church urges
government to stop pseudo nationalism
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| A session of the CBCI's 34th Plenary Assembly |
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) released a
statement on Feb. 19 at the end of its 34th plenary assembly, calling for
dialogue, reciprocal respect and collaboration among the country’s religious
traditions and cultures for the common good.
Vatican News
India’s Catholic Church has pledged to continue on the path
of dialogue and collaboration with all in the task of nation-building and the
common good. At the same time, it appealed against a “narrow and divisive
cultural nationalism” that fuels “contempt for cultures other than the
majoritarian dominant culture”.
The 192 bishop members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference
of India (CBCI), the apex body of the Church in the country, made the call on
Wednesday in a statement at the end of their 34th plenary
assembly.
“Dialogue: The Path to Truth and Charity,” was the theme of
the biennial meeting held in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru, February
13-19.
Genuine patriotism
While expressing their fidelity to Jesus Christ and their
unflinching loyalty to the nation the bishops warned against a “narrow and
divisive cultural nationalism, which is radically different from Constitutional
nationalism.”
“Patriotism,” they explained, “is defined as directing the
attention of the citizens to the good of the whole human family, united by the
different ties which bind together races, people and nations.” They
reminded Christians of their sense of responsibility and their commitment for the
common good.
“False nationalistic ideologies that instigate contempt for
cultures other than the majoritarian dominant culture,” it said, “are capable
of perpetrating atrocities.” “Patriotism builds up the nation while pseudo
nationalism destroys the integrity, unity and harmony of the nation,” the
Indian bishops pointed out, noting that “nationalism, particularly in its most
radical and extreme forms, is thus the antithesis of true patriotism.”
Citizenship, pseudo nationalism, totalitarianism
The CBCI plenary assembly came against the backdrop of
nationwide protests against the government’s Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA),
which allows minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who settled
in India prior to 2015 to obtain Indian citizenship but excludes Muslims, which
is discriminatory.
In the spirit of the Constitution, the Church leaders urged
that religion not be a “criterion for determining Indian citizenship”.
Rights groups say that critics of the government and the
ruling party are often branded as anti-national and traitors, creating panic
and division among people.
India’s Catholic bishops appealed to the nation’s
authorities to “come forward with sincere and effective means to erase the
sense of fear, anxiety and uncertainty spreading in the nation, especially
among the religious minorities,” and ensure that “pseudo nationalism does not
continue to give rise to new forms of totalitarianism”.
Constitution unites
In the final statement, the Catholic bishops of India also
expressed their pride for and trust in the Indian Constitution that resolves to
secure justice, liberty, equality and fraternity for all its citizens.
They encouraged believers of all religions to respect one another other and
their religious traditions, thus cooperating with one another to promote peace
and harmony and work for the common good of all.
Homogenized mono-culture
Being open to dialogue, they said, calls for being
absolutely consistent with one’s own religious tradition and cultural identity,
which must be respected at any cost. “Attempts to homogenize and impose a
mono-cultural pattern pose serious threats to the cultural patrimony of our
country,” they said.
“No culture or religion shall dominate over other cultures
and religions,” the bishops said, warning that “subduing certain cultures by
the dominant culture will destroy the brotherhood and harmony existing in the
country”.
Dalits and tribal people
India’s Catholic Church also called on the State authority
to take adequate steps to ensure justice to the poor, the Dalit Christians and
the tribal people, by “eradicating poverty, exploitation, discrimination, and
every other form of sinful structures”.
Environment
Another aspect of dialogue, the bishops said, is the
“obligation to protect the ecological equilibrium of the earth, intended by the
Creator”. “Therefore dialogue with nature includes serious steps to
mitigate climate change, clean the land and the seas, and start treating all of
creation with respect and concern.”
The right of the unborn
The Indian bishops called for upholding the right to life of
the unborn, saying each and every human life has inherent dignity, and thus
must be treated with the "respect due to a human person from womb to
tomb".
The bishops appealed to the government immediately withdraw
the new Medical Termination of Pregnancy Bill in the Parliament, which allows
abortion at any time during the pregnancy till the 24-week gestation period.
Interreligious dialogue and peace
The Catholic Church of India also encouraged interreligious
dialogue, saying there will be no peace among nations without peace among
religions, and there cannot be peace among religions without dialogue among
religions.
In this regard, the Church leaders expressed alarm over the
persecution of innocent people by fundamentalist and terrorist groups
worldwide.
Interreligious dialogue in India, they said, should aim at
collaboration in areas such as peace-building, protection the environment,
eradication of poverty and ensuring the human dignity of all, especially of
women and children. It also means condemning all wars, violence and terrorism
that create insurmountable blocks to dialogue.
The Indian Church thus pledged to engage itself in a process
of dialogue for a reconciled society.
The CBCI plenary re-elected Cardinal Oswald Gracias of
Bombay as president. Archbishop Mar George Njaralakatt of Tellicherry and
Bishop Joshua Ignathios of Mavelikara were also re-elected as vice-presidents.
Archbishop Felix Machado of Vasai Diocese was elected as
Secretary-General of CBCI.
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