Leaders demand the government crack down on violence against the church: “We are not asking for anything out of the ordinary.”
India’s church is exhausted by the surge of anticonversion laws and accusations of illegal proselytization. They’re tired of mobs driving out Christians from their villages and the possibility that many face property destruction and personal violence. Perhaps most significantly, they’re angry at a government that passively enables these actions at best and actively foments them at worst.
Coming 12th April 2023 Christians across the denominational spectrum and from around the Maharashtra State are going to gather to demand better in Mumbai Azad Maidan.
“This protest is basically to call the attention of the government to the increasing violence against Christians and our institutions. These attacks are without reasons and basis,” Cindrella Prabhu Social Activist in Maharashtra told FOS. “So, we are calling upon the government to ask how the protection of the Christians and their institutions will be guaranteed. We are not asking for anything out of the ordinary.”
Thousands of young people, church leaders, human rights activists, educationists, lawyers, musicians, and other professionals from more than 80 denominations and Christian organizations will be gathered at the April 12th event at Azad Maidan, a historic observatory. The protest is organized by the Samasta Christi Mahmorcha Committee Christian leaders across the denominational spectrum. Many attendees will wear white to symbolize peace and wear their traditional attire as a mark of protest.
“This coming together of all the denominations is not to show our muscle power; rather, it is a unity to strengthen the kingdom of God,” said Dolphy Dsouza President of Bombay Catholic Sabha.
“It is a cry of our people for their brothers and sisters who are suffering in rural areas. They have the right to believe in their God, but that is being curtailed. There is no other hope for us but only crying to God to save us, and this is a loud cry,” added by Adv Cyril Dhara Core Committee Member.
Similary Core Committee Members namely Pastor Bernard, Pastor Rupas Kalkatte, Cindrella Gawli, Pastor Praful Nikam, Rev Robin Raut, Pastor Londhe and others who have organised this Mahamorcha are of the opinion that our fellowers and brothers in faith are tortured even at the legal proceedings eventually when we only go to give our complaints against Atrocities.
“While the community continues to have faith in the leadership and the legal system of the nation, it makes a heartfelt and earnest appeal to fellow citizens to stand in empathy and solidarity with it, to raise their voices at the targeted, violent, and organized injustice happening across the nation against their brothers and sisters, outraging their religious freedom and inherent dignity,” said Adv Cyril Dhara, an activist, at a press conference preceding the protest.
“We demand that the government provides security to all our churches and arrest the vigilantes who are behind the attacks on each church,” said Dolphy Dsouza President of the Bombay Catholic Sabha noting the past Bandra Cemetery issue.
We are expecting the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM of Maharashtra Shri Devendra Fadnavis to take a look at this Maha morcha and fulfill our demands which mainly constitute these proposals.
To strengthen human rights monitoring mechanisms, including the National Commission for Minorities and the National Human Rights Commission.
- To constitute a National/State Redressal Commission/which is headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, with community and civil representatives, to address the issues of targeted violence against minorities.
- For a speedy closure of cases where false allegations have been levied against Christians and others who continue to face wrongful detentions and prosecutions.
- For the reconstruction of illegally demolished churches across the State and Country.
- For appropriate and adequate compensation to Christian individuals and institutions who are targeted for their religious identity, under the central and state victim compensation schemes.
- For strict action against vigilant mobs who round up individuals; trespass private property belonging to churches, Christians, or persons of other religions who also have their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; or shout anti-Christian slogans outside police station premises on the pretext of forcible religious conversions.
- For basic preliminary investigation to be conducted by the police in cases alleging religious conversions before the government files a first information report.
- For the installation of CCTV cameras (to document misconduct) in local police stations across India.
- For first information reports to be immediately registered on receipt of complaints by victims of religion-based violence or discrimination.
“We would like to peacefully bring our agony and our sorrows to the knowledge of the government that this is what we are going through and it is their responsibility to take care of us, as a minority“.
Cindrella Gawli – Editor-In-Chief – Freedom Of Speech Media
Cinpra Free Souls Foundation 