My government will ensure that there is complete freedom of faith and that everyone has the undeniable right to retain or adopt the religion of his or her choice without coercion or undue influence. My government will not allow any religious group, belonging to the majority or the minority, to incite hatred against others, overtly or covertly. Mine will be a government that gives equal respect to all religions.” These are the words uttered by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, on February 17, 2015, at Vigyan Bhawan at a function called “National Celebration of the Elevation to Sainthood of Kuriakose Elias Chavara and Mother Euphrasia”.
The Prime Minister’s statement is a matter-of-fact for most Indians. However, the very fact that Narendra Modi uttered it has made it news that captured the headlines in almost all print and electronic media. When the controversy of “ghar wapsi” and conversions were going on during the winter session of Parliament in December 2014, the PM chose to remain silent. Similarly, when five churches were vandalized and desecrated, he did not utter a word. President Obama’s reference to religious freedom during his visit to India as well as during the national prayer breakfast in the White House on February 5, found greater resonance in India.
The results of the Delhi election appear to have shaken the BJP to the core. The overwhelming victory of the newly formed Aam Aadmi Party over the formidable BJP, probably forced a re-think in the ruling party about the image of the central government with regard to religious freedom. The arson and theft at Holy Child Auxilium School in Vasant Kunj saw the PM immediately summoning the Delhi police commissioner and directing the Home Ministry to bring the culprits to book at the earliest. The statement on religious freedom by the PM at a function organized by Christian groups may be interpreted as a damage-control exercise after several months of silence over controversial actions and statements by Hindu radical fringe elements.
Narendra Modi’s speech at a function organized by “Christian missionaries” (Syro-Malabar Diocese of Faridabad, CMI and CMC congregations) is politically significant in many ways. First of all, he took a risky gamble of addressing a constituency, who has viewed him with suspicion, and who has been targeted by his ideological fraternity in the Sangh Parivar. Secondly, his pitch for religious freedom is contrary to his dubious record as Gujarat chief minister, where he failed to protect minorities in the 2002 riots and brought about a draconian anti-conversion law that denies religious freedom. Finally, his reaching out to Christians is a U-turn from his ‘minorities-do-not-matter” approach, which made him deny Christians any representation in the Union Cabinet and declare Christmas day as ‘Good Governance Day’.
The question in the minds of a Christian today is whether the Prime Minister has undergone a genuine conversion after Delhi election results or whether this is a well thought out photo-op strategy to prevent further attacks by Opposition parties on an area where Modi is most vulnerable. Either way, it will depend whether the religious freedom rhetoric is matched with concrete efforts to provide security of minorities and stern action against radical fringe elements of his own Sangh Parivar inciting violence against minorities.
(Dr Denzil Fernandes SJ, Indian Social Institute, New Delhi.)
