In spite of his recent visit to India as chief guest for the 26th January Republic Day parade and his visible bonhomie with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the US President Barrack Obama spoke the truth about the religious situation in India. India was secular in the past centuries but it is increasingly becoming a nation of religious fanaticism where a few bigots of the BJP’s fringe saffron brigade have been bullying the minorities and are hijacking our old traditions and customs of religious tolerance and brotherhood. If not stopped now, these rowdy elements will grow in size and boldness to gradually disintegrate this nation. Recently five churches of the minuscule minority Christian community in the Delhi have been either burnt down or vandalized, causing great tension in the country, especially amongst the Christian community. The whole world sat up and noticed the change that has taken place, since the new government has taken over. Modi is silent and has failed to discipline his unruly cadres. What is he afraid off, we would like to know?
The Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has spoken out boldly, that this is only an aberration. One could have agreed with him if there were only one or two incidents of this nature, but not five, so far in this short span of time.
Processions, rallies and prayer meetings are being held all over the country by Christian minority to enlighten our Hindu brothers and their leaders to stop this vandalizing and burning of these Churches and places of worship. We need not go into what happened hundreds of years ago, during the crusades or during the inquisition. But we all must live in the present. I personally do not agree with the violence that took place in those times, but will not under any circumstances agree with the perpetration of violence by any party now. Have we heard of the Christians going on the rampage now or in the last five or six decades since independence and attacking others places of worship. We have taken measures and amended our laws to ensure harsh punishment for rape cases. Why cannot we do this for crimes against religious places and minority communities. The good governance promised has yet to make its appearance. People are waiting patiently for Modi’s words to come true.
