If any church doesn’t want to be included, it can give it in writing, says NCM vice-chairman

“Religion cannot be a criterion for deciding one’s citizenship,” Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, Major Archbishop of Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and former head of Catholic Bishops Conference of India, told The Indian Express.

But the Cardinal added the Church did not support violence. “People have the right to protest against the new law or the way it has been brought. But violence will spoil the whole purpose of our fight… Also the government should bring in people concerned across the table and start a dialogue,” he said.

Gregorios Mar Stephanos, Bishop of Malankara Marthoma Church, said his church has not yet taken an official stance. “Secularism should be sustained. If any force works for destruction of the secular nature of the country, it should be opposed,” he said.

Thiruvananthapuram Arch-bishop of Latin Church Soosa Pakiam said, “We are a democratic country. We cannot accept discrimination against one particular community. I am of the view that it will affect our democratic and secular credentials,” he said on Wednesday.

An editorial of the latest issue of Indian Currents, a publication of Catholic Church in India, has said, “Brute majority has been used to bulldoze a Bill, through both Houses, which discriminates people on religion. The move to confer citizenship to all, except Muslims, who came from the neighbouring countries of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan due to persecution is a clear indication that the nation under the present dispensation is moving towards the goal of Hindu Rashtra…” the editorial said.

Kurian, who is a BJP leader in Kerala, said earlier this week that NCM was flooded with messages from Christian leaders welcoming the new law. “They tell me justice has finally been done to Christians who are victims of draconian blasphemy laws, conversions and abductions,” he said.

Asked about the Christian leaders coming out against the law, he said, “If the Church feels that the Christians from these countries do not want refuge in India, it can give it in writing, we can recommend it. Any church or community that does not want to be included are free to say it,” Kurian said.

He said that when Jawaharlal Nehru had suggested that Christians could be given reservation, the then Christian leaders had given in writing that the community did not require quotas. “If a similar request is made, they can be dropped,” he said.

Explained | Fresh headache for saffron party

At a time when a section of the BJP is trying to project that only Muslims are behind the ongoing protests, Christian leaders speaking up against the new law is likely to create a fresh headache for the BJP. The community leaders’ stand on the issue also has the potential to hurt the BJP’s prospects in Kerala and several states in the Northeast which have a sizeable Christian population.