Catholic body of writes to PM: Time for Jharkhand CM to go

Raghubar Das, Chief Minister of Jharkhand. Express photo by Subham Dutta

Secretary general of the top body of Catholics, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), has written an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das was “unable to control spread of ideological hatred” and saying it was time for him to “to go”.

This comes amid opposition from Christian bodies in the state to Freedom of Religion Bill 2017 and amendments to Land Acquisition Act, 2013. The outfits have planned a protest rally on September 16, when BJP president Amit Shah would be in Jharkhand for a three-day trip.

The Freedom of Religion Bill seeks prevention of conversion through force or allurement, while amendments in the land acquisition Bill aim to waive requirement for Social Impact Assessment for 10 kinds of projects taken up in public interest.

Das told reporters Wednesday that the law against conversion was in keeping with Constitutional provisions. “Many other states have implemented it. We are not targeting any religion. It’s to be asked why only members from a particular community are aggrieved,” he said.

Attached with the September 13 letter by CBCI secretary general Rev Theodore Mascarenhas is a photograph of the burning effigy of Cardinal Telesphore P Toppo. The effigy was set afire by supporters of Hindu Jagran Manch — an affiliate of Sangh Parivar — on September 4 to oppose alleged denigration of Hindu and Sarna Gods in literature published by the Church.

Mascarenhas wrote the picture was haunting him. “Here is the burning of effigy of probably the most prominent and respected religious leader in Jharkhand…also an ambassador of the Swacch Bharat Abhiyan. History shows us that hatred, which begins as a tiny spark, can engulf into an unstoppable fire. As you know the burning of effigies can very well turn into physical violence,” the letter reads.

The letter underlined that Christians did not believe in forcible conversion, but Sections 25-28 of the Constitution gave them the right to “preach, practice and propagate”.

Mascarenhas also wrote: “The Church has as usual not responded to the provocations of the Chief Minister. It is not because we are afraid; it is not because we are weak. That the Christians have not responded should not be taken as a sign of weakness.”

“The whole nation applauded you when on Independence Day this year you gave a clarion call from the ramparts of Red Fort, ‘in the name of faith, violence cannot be allowed’,” the letter said, urging the PM to intervene.
Arguing that Das was not following the PM’s ideology, it says: “If the Chief Minister is unable to control his ideological hatred, then it is time for him to go. Your party has many leaders, who can do a better job on all fronts.”

HJM’s zonal organiser Suman Kumar said: “The Raghubar Das government has taken a solid step towards preventing illegal religious conversions. What is wrong must be stopped. The Church is not bigger than the administration.”