Over 3,000 members of the Christian community have joined an online campaign titled “Not in our name,” expressing disapproval of their leaders’ participation in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Christmas party. The campaign, initiated by Jesuit priests Father Cedric Prakash and Father Prakash Louis, along with lay Catholic leader John Dayal, criticizes the leaders’ silence on ongoing anti-Christian violence in the country.
Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Mumbai and several bishops from various Christian denominations were among the leaders who attended the Christmas party at the Prime Minister’s official residence. The Christian community leaders are particularly critical of their representatives’ failure to address the rising violence against Christians, with over 650 reported cases in 2023.
The two-day virtual campaign highlights the increase in violence against religious minorities since Modi came to power in 2014, particularly in states ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The recent sectarian violence in Manipur, where more than 200 tribal Christians were killed, has further intensified concerns.
The anti-conversion law enacted by eleven Indian states, most of them BJP-led, is cited as a tool used against Christians, infringing upon their fundamental right to practice and propagate their religion. The letter of disapproval from the Christian community states that the leaders’ acceptance of Modi’s invitation was not in their name, emphasizing the prime minister’s consistent disregard for constitutional mandates.
While expressing gratitude to Modi for certain aspects, the Christian leaders argue that the government has consistently overlooked the rights of minorities, Adivasis, Dalits, backward castes, farmers, laborers, and migrants. The signatories include Christian parliamentarians, legislators, retired bureaucrats, and members of the Conference of Religious Indians, collectively representing the 2.3 percent Christian population in India.
The campaign underscores a growing sentiment within the Christian community, distancing itself from leaders who, by attending the Christmas party, are seen as tacitly approving the government’s actions and omissions.
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