Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil. (Photo: syromalabarchurch.in)
Ahead of national elections in India, the head of the Eastern rite Syro-Malabar Church has urged his people to vote for a party that can respect the rights of religious minorities and the secular character of the country's constitution.
Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil of Syro-Malabar Church, based in southern Indian Kerala state, said this amid criticism that the ruling pro-Hindu party pushes to make India into a theocratic Hindu nation, ignoring the secular values of the constitution.
Thattil described the rising violence against Christians as “painful” during an interaction with the media on March 22 in Kottayam, a major town in southern Kerala where his second largest Eastern rite Church is headquartered.
Various reports “on the rise in attacks against Christians are painful, especially when we have a strong Constitution which provides us our rights to profess and practice any religion of one’s choice,” the 67-year-old prelate said.
The prelate urged people to exercise their right to franchise and choose parties and candidates who protect the rights of minorities, and the secular and democratic ethos of the constitution.
Thattil, however, refrained from supporting any party, asserting the Church’s neutral stand on politics.
“Everyone is free to vote according to his or her wishes,” he added.
“The Church does not support any political party. It is for voters to make a choice,” said Father Antony Vadakkekkara, spokesperson of the Syro-Malabar Church with more than 5 million followers in India and abroad.
We are concerned “about the shrinking secular space and democratic values in the country,” the Vincentian priest told UCA News on March 25.
The Election Commission of India has announced a seven-phased poll for electing 543 lawmakers to the lower house of parliament (Lok Sabha).
The voting process will commence on April 19 and will conclude on June 1 and the result will be declared on June 4.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had won the previous elections in 2014 and 2019.
The BJP, which is hoping for a third term, is accused of planning to change the constitution of the country to make the most populous nation a theocratic Hindu nation.
Hindu groups that support Modi and his politics are blamed for violence against Christians and Muslims, two major religious minorities in India
When Modi came to power in 2014 there were 147 incidents of violence against Christians. They reached 687 in 2023, say Church leaders.
The New Delhi-based United Christian Forum (UCF) in its latest report said 161 incidents of violence against Christians were reported from across the country until March 15 this year.
Christians were boycotted and restrained from collecting drinking water from common water sources and even prevented from burying their dead as per Christian rituals, the report noted.
On March 22, the head of the Eastern Rite Church reminded Modi of the promise he had made during the meeting with bishops that the perpetrators of violence against Christians would be brought to justice.
