Indian bishops tell Modi to make his new term ‘inclusive’

Bijay Kumar Minj and Nirendra Dev

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi gestures to the gathering before taking the oath of office for a third term in New Delhi on June 9. (Photo: AFP)

Catholic bishops have appealed to India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make his new term inclusive by treating all citizens equally and upholding the country's constitutional values.

Modi was sworn in for another five-year term on June 9 after his pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with the help of allies, secured 293 seats in the Indian parliament.  

The coalition government was formed after the BJP, accused of following a Hindu-first policy, failed to win the required simple majority of 272 seats in the 543-seat Lok Sabha (lower house).

The seven-phased national polls ended on June 1, and results were declared on June 4.

The bishops appealed to the coalition government to work diligently towards upholding constitutional values, ensuring justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity for all citizens.

It is imperative that the government remains inclusive and committed to the welfare of all sections of society, particularly the marginalized and vulnerable, said the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) in a statement on June 9.

The bishops said the elections highlighted the strength of India's democratic ethos.

The opposition accused Modi, who came to power in 2014, of following policies to turn India into a theocratic Hindu nation in his third term. 

India witnessed 147 incidents of violence against Christians in 2014, and the number of such incidents spiraled to 599 by 2022, according to records of Christian leaders.

Most opposition political parties cobbled together a loose coalition with a slogan to save constitution that stresses secularism.

But they could win only 234 seats, 38 less than the required number to form a government.

The bishops acknowledged the spirited participation of all political parties in the elections, which they said exhibited the vibrancy of Indian democracy. 

Analysts like Ashutosh Talukdar agreed.

In the ultimate analysis, it is the triumph of Indian democracy. It's the victory of faceless Indian voters, said Talukdar from Assam based in northeast India's Assam state.

In three Christian-majority states in the northeast -- Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram – BJP's allies were humbled.

This mandate is crystal clear. It was a vote against Narendra Modi, said Supongmeren Jamir, the newly elected opposition Congress lawmaker from Nagaland.

People were angry at the anti-Christian violence in Manipur, another northeastern state, he told UCA News.

The violence against Christians in Manipur that started on May 3, 2023, continues with sporadic violence. Modi, however, has not yet visited the hilly state.

However, analyst Vidyarthi Kumar said, It is unfair to mock Modi. He noted that Modi is probably the only leader who has fought the anti-incumbency factor after ten years in office.

A senior Nagaland Christian BJP leader, M Chuba Ao, said the unexpected outcome showed the resilience of Indian democracy.

This time, people wanted to enforce more accountability, said Tushar Bhadra from Varanasi. Modi represents the Varanasi constituency in the parliament.

A.C. Michael, national coordinator of the United Christian Forum, an inter-denominational organization that keeps track of persecution of Christians in the country, said Christians would hold a national consultation to draw up a list of demands to negotiate with the new Modi government.

India is a highly religious country, and nearly 80 percent of the population is Hindu. Muslims make up nearly 15 percent, with Christians holding just 2.3 percent of the people.