Battle for the Soul of India
The ‘soul’ of India is, in essence, everything that makes up the greatness and wealth of India! From ancient history so vividly characterized by the Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa civilizations to the ‘temples of modern India’ so poignantly put by the statesman and first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru; from the pluralism of religions to the diversity of cultures; from the grandeur of the Himalayan range to a coastline , the length of it few countries possess; to forests rich with flora and fauna and bio-diversity at large; from visionary leaders like Gandhi and Ambedkar to courageous human rights and free speech defenders; from a Constitution which has its core values in justice, liberty, equality and fraternity for all to the ‘idea of India’ which millions want to treasure and mainstream! All this and more embody the ‘soul’ of India!
In the last few years this ‘Soul’ has been ravaged, raped, corrupted, communalized, manipulated in every possible way. Perhaps never before there has been such an urgency to restore the essence of this soul; to enhance it; not to leave it to fascists with their single-minded agenda of destroying it. Karnataka today has virtually become a modern-day Kurukshetra. Come 12 May the elections in the State is in effect a ‘battle for the soul of India.’
Social media is bursting with messages and cartoons; analysis and comments about the Karnataka elections. Several of the mainstream media have also taken sides on expected lines. There are already some ‘polls’ that have been conducted forecasting the ‘outcome’. There is a powerful Kannada video (FB/YoungINDYI), with English subtitles, which has gone viral! The message is loud and clear “what we eat; what we wear; who we love; what we say: Should be our right!” It is a video worth watching and sharing. It is all about how some fascists have been in charge in the recent past. The results of the Karnataka elections will not only impact the soul of the country but will also define the India of tomorrow; besides, it will have far-reaching consequences for the General Elections of 2019.
Recently (3 May) all major Indian channels highlighted the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared the stage in Bellary with Gali Somashekhara Reddy, who is the BJP candidate from the area. Known as the ‘Reddy Brothers’, Somashekara and his two siblings Karunakara(also a BJP candidate) and Janardhana( who is actively campaigning for the BJP) are regarded as some of the most corrupt persons in India. It is common knowledge that all three have amassed an incredible amount of wealth (estimated to be at least 35,000 crores) through large scale illegal and rapacious mining across the iron-ore-rich district of Bellary. All three brothers were lawmakers and Ministers when the BJP ruled Karnataka some time ago.
The PM thus sent an unequivocal message to all: the BJP will do anything to win the battle for the soul of Karnataka in the forthcoming elections, on 12 May. In the past, as a smokescreen, in the run up to elections in some States, they cleverly played the ‘development’ card. This time however, they have thrown all caution to the wind- neither development nor environmental concerns matter any longer. The writ of the Reddy brothers with their money and muscle runs large in certain areas of Karnataka. Besides, choosing the scam-tainted 75-year old Lingayat leader B.S. Yeddyurappa as the chief ministerial candidate of the party only proves, that there is no one to rival the BJP in corruption and in looting the country.
In Karnataka, the BJP-supported right-wing elements are doing all they can to destroy the sanctity and the rights guaranteed to every citizen by the Constitution. The State for years has been the bastion of the Congress and other secular parties, but in June 2008, the party won the State elections. There has been a downslide ever since. In September 2008, Christians and church institutions were attacked in Mangaluru and other places across the State. Over the years, the BJP (even as opposition) has also played their communal agenda to the hilt, effectively dividing the people on religious and caste lines.
Sanjay Patil, a BJP legislator standing for elections from North Karnataka, amplified this agenda recently when he vociferously proclaimed, “This election is very important. It is not about roads, drinking water or gutters. This election is about Hindus and Muslims. Those who want to build the Babri Masjid, those who want to celebrate Tipu Jayanti, let them vote for the Congress. Those among you who want Shivaji Maharaj, those who want Sambhaji Maharaj, those who want to pray at a Lakshmi temple, you must vote for the BJP.”
In the run-up to the elections, it was common knowledge that the right-wing elements were buying up people from different sections of society, just to split the votes of the other parties. The ‘demonetization’ heist foisted by them on the nation provided them and their crony capitalists a windfall. Therefore, they do in fact have plenty of ‘black money’ to buy up unsuspecting people and to continue with their divide-and-rule strategy. A young ambitious Catholic doctor from Mangaluru, who felt that the Congress had no time to ‘listen’ to him – very candidly said recently that the BJP is offering him a ‘ticket’ in the next elections. Of course, they will do so! They will also make sure that this ‘Christian’ will be made to stand from a constituency from where he is bound to lose; but would help in dividing the votes.
Freedom of speech and expression, like in other parts of the country, has taken a severe beating in Karnataka too. The fascist forces have left no stone unturned to throttle anybody who takes a stand for justice and truth or for that, matter thinks differently. On 30 August 2015, eminent intellectual Prof. M. M. Kalburgi was brutally murdered in Dharwad. On 5 September 2017, journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh was gunned down. Both Kalburgi and Lankesh were highly critical of the Sangh Parivar.
In 2015, Professor B.P. Mahesh Chandra Guru, dalit intellectual ( also a professor of journalism) offered an interpretation of the Ramayana, in which he said Ram was guilty of misogyny when he banished pregnant Sita to live alone in a forest. He used the Kannada word ‘alemari’ to describe Ram. Guru says, “I meant he was ‘nomadic’ or ‘wandering’”. Eighteen months later, Guru spent eight days in a Mysore jail after some functionary (who was not present at the lecture) of a Hindutva group ‘Karunawu Sarvodaya Sene’, took offence at Guru’s speech and filed a police complaint, claiming that his Hindu religious sentiments were hurt, since Guru called Ram a “loafer”. At first, Guru’s bail plea was rejected and he was released only after he spent over a week in prison. Today Guru continues speaking out vehemently against those forces who trample ‘freedom of speech and expression’ and destroy the intellectual fibre of the country.
Mangalore will never forget 24 January 2009 when a group of goons belonging to another extremist outfit the ‘Sri Ram Sene’ barged into a pub, beat up young women and men, screaming at them for having “loose morals”. The group claimed that the women were violating traditional Indian values. Two women were hospitalized for the injuries they sustained. However, after more than nine years, a lower court in Karnataka on 13 March acquitted twenty- six of the attackers including the founder of the group, Pramod Muthalik for ‘want of evidence’. This was indeed a travesty of justice. There is ample amount of video evidence to show how blatantly the goons had carried out the attack. Fortunately, a group of concerned citizens, ‘the Citizens Forum for Mangalore Development’ has launched a massive campaign demanding that the state government appeal the ruling so that the cause of justice is served and the attackers are suitably punished.
With due patronage received from the BJP/RSS combine, the Sene over the years has been taking law and order into their own hands, and pretending to be the sole custodian of ‘Hindu Culture’ They have made ‘love jihad’ their main objective, attacking any couple in love who belong to different religions. In 2012, a group of them attacked a party of youngsters enjoying inside a private guesthouse in Mangaluru and manhandled them, accusing them of indecency and violating Indian culture, all this, while mishandling and reportedly molesting the women themselves.
More recently, in June 2017, the Sene made its opposition to an iftar hosted inside the ancient Udupi Sri Krishna temple by the head of the Pejawar Mutt, Sri Vishvesha Teertha Swamiji, and called for a statewide protest against it. The outfit couldn’t swallow the bitter pill that at a time when their ilk the Hindutva forces were galvanizing themselves across the country and cow vigilantes were making headlines nearly every month, the Swamiji had invited both Hindus and Muslims to promote communal harmony.
The elections in Karnataka is no longer about an impartial, objective look at this or that national political party. It is about a more subjective and passionate look, at the future of India. When Union Minister Anant Kumar Hegde said on 25 December 2017, in Bangalore, “we are here to change the Constitution”- only a very few would have thought that he was talking through his hat. A victory for the BJP in Karnataka would be a significant step closer towards the realization of this one objective. It is true that on some other points there might be little to choose from the two major parties. However, on the point of the Constitution, on the diversity of the country and on the pluralistic, secular fabric of the country, there can be very little doubt, on who is on the side of the people of the country. No one can deny though that the coming elections in Karnataka will truly be a battle for the soul of India.
FOLLOWING WAS THE LETTER WRITTEN BY FR CEDRIC SJ ON 25 SEPTEMBER 2008 AFTER THE 2008 CHURCH ATTACKS
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE CATHOLICS OF MANGALORE
by : Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Greetings of Peace and Love to each one of you!
I have just returned from Mangalore, after spending five hectic days there; during which I met with, listened to and spoke to hundreds of youth, men and women; religious and clergy.
The days beginning Sunday, 14th September (the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross) have been very traumatic and painful for many across the board. “We never expected this to happen to us” is what several of you have been saying. Many others added “and we were totally unprepared”.
During the days there, I experienced the pain and suffering of several of the victims: those who were in the midst of tear gas, those who were beaten up and brutalized by the brute force and insensitivity of the police, and even of those who spent some days in jail / police custody. The underlying feeling throughout was, “this violence was just too terrible for words”.
It was also heartwarming to know how several of you literally stood firm to protect the Church and Church property. I have been tremendously edified by the heroics of many women (very specially Religious Sisters) who boldly faced the onslaught of violence. I was touched by the fact that several youth went to jail for no wrongdoing whatsoever, but only because their names were handed over to the police officers, who demanded that this be done. I salute each one of you who have exemplified faith, courage and dignity to preserve the diversity and the secular fabric of our country.
Having said this, I need to share with you some of my reflections on the current happenings in Mangalore and other parts of Karnataka. What I write here is essentially based on the sharing of many and in no way should be misconstrued as ‘final words’. I also share them because as a citizen of India, I feel I have a responsibility to do so:
-The attacks on Churches and Christians is NOT a ‘one off’ affair. It is part of a systematic long-term project of the Sangh Parivar, who have an insidious, divisive agenda based on a fascist ideology.
-During these attacks, the fascists have effectively used age-old tactics like ‘hit and run’, ‘divide- and-rule’ (it is not ‘you’ but ‘they’), “diverting-from-the-real-issue” (illegal conversion, foreign funds, etc.)
-It is blatantly obvious that they have trapped us in their subterfuge. We have fallen prey to their evil designs.
-What perhaps went awry, in their plans, was the groundswell of response, from the Catholic Laity, very specially the youth. This spontaneous response, both, on September 14th and 15th, certainly put
them on the back foot.
-The ringing (pealing / tolling) of Church bells was a terrific strategy used on the part of the Catholics on both days. In doing so, we were reminded that God is with us and that we need to come together / remain united in the face of crisis. (At times during the Nazi regime, the Resistance Movements in parts of France also used to ring the Church bells in times of danger).
-The Police had no business to enter Church property, and very specially the Sacred Precincts of our Churches. There is enough of documentary evidence to show how police have beaten up and brutalized people even inside Churches and severely damaged Church property.
-No acts of violence can and should be justified. However, it is anyone’s guess as to who threw ‘the first stone’ and to what extent were the Catholic youth actually involved in stone throwing.
-In some Parishes, the police asked for a list of names of youth who they could arrest, and unfortunately, these were given, even when the youth were just sitting silently in the Church compound.
-On the very first day, members of the Sangh Parivar took responsibility for the attacks. This would not have been possible if they did not have the full patronage of the State Government and the support of BJP higher-ups. Government Officials and Police clearly acted as footstools for the whims and fancies of their political
masters.
-A few days before these attacks, a highly inflammatory and defamatory booklet was printed and distributed outside the gates of several educational institutions in Mangalore. The booklet held the Christians responsible for the killing of the Swami in Orissa. The police did nothing to stop those responsible for the publishing and
distribution of this booklet.
-The Sangh Parivar, with all its affiliates, is a fascist organization. They are out to destroy the secular fabric of the country. They DO NOT represent the vast majority of the Hindus of the country. It is dangerous and immoral, to enter into any negotiations or deals with them. When one does so, one provides them a legitimacy, which they desperately hanker for. Above all, one is manipulated into a vulnerable position carefully designed by them (“you are also the criminals”).
-Large sections of Indian (Hindu) society regard the Sangh Parivar as a terrorist group and would like that they be BANNED.
-The dharnas / demonstrations by the Catholics have proved that “Satyagraha” (the force of Truth) given to us by Mahatma Gandhi is a very effective weapon to counter hate, prejudice and violence in this country.
In the context of the above, I would like to make the following suggestions / remarks:
– The machinations of the Sangh Parivar are going to continue for a long time. Please do not be fooled if there are utterances that it is all over.
– It is important to document / study / analyze the way they work. This should be done through well-established ‘Resources Centres’ which can also serve as nodal points in times of crisis.
– We need to carefully study the various statements of the Chief Minister and Home Minister (check his blog) of Karnataka. There are several contradictions in them. Do remember that fascists always indulge in techniques which are Goebbelsian: “tell a lie a thousand time and people tend to believe it”
– We need to be a Communicating Church with a very effective coordinating mechanism in which power and responsibility is shared at every possible level and especially among all sections of the laity.
-We need to SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER (Archbishop Bernard Moras’ bold statements to the Chief Minister is an excellent example for all of us).
-We need to formulate responses and strategies for the long term. We need to set OUR agenda, very specially to preserve and enhance the Constitutional Rights and Freedom of every single citizen (the Sangh Parivar tries to make us reactionaries to their devious agenda).
– We should not give up any of our routine programmes /functions / celebrations. Every effort has to be made to show the fascists that we are citizens of this country with the rights and freedoms guaranteed to every citizen.
-Our response has to be broad based. It should certainly include all ethnic groups within the Catholic Community. It should include all denominations of the Christian Faith (eg. at the National level, we do have the ‘National United Christian Forum’ and in Gujarat we have the ‘Gujarat United Christian Forum’). Above all, it should include all men and women of goodwill. In this last category, we will have thousands of young men and women belonging to every faith, who have passed through the portals of our Educational Institutions, and who even hold important positions in Society, in Government and in Industry. They MUST be part of this broad based response.
-Those police officers responsible for these heinous acts should be brought to book immediately for dereliction of duty. There is an understandable fear among members of the community from doing so, fearing revenge, but unless some beginning is made by civil society, we will never be able to make the police accountable and in adhering to their sacred mandate that of protecting the life and property of every single citizen.
-All others responsible for the attacks on Christians and the Churches MUST be brought to book immediately and the Government must be held responsible for this. If not, they will be miserably failing in their prime duty.
-All Catholic youth who have been arrested should be released immediately and all charges against them should be dropped unconditionally.
-The attacks on the Christians in Karnataka, together with those of Orissa and other parts of India must be internationalized. The Central and State Governments must get missives from countries who are friendly with India. Above all, the Chief Minister and the Home Minister must be blacklisted by Democracies all over the world and (as is currently done for Narendra Modi of Gujarat), they should be denied visas for any travel abroad.
-A Citizens Tribunal consisting of eminent people from all walks of life (and preferably non-Christians), must be set up immediately. Mangalorean Catholics will have to provide the financial resources and logistical support for this Citizens Tribunal.
Above all, ‘DO NOT PANIC!’ ‘DO NOT FEAR!’ The Lord is with us and has told us over and over again those we should “FEAR NO ONE” on this earth…Being a citizen of India is our birthright. Let us hold our heads high and cherish the eternal values given to us by Jesus. The Indian Constitution also guarantees many of them. Being Indian is our birthright and no one can deny us that and no one can treat us as second-class citizens in our country.
With warm wishes and prayers, in solidarity,
Fr. Cedric Prakash sj
25th September 2008
Note: The views and opinions expressed in the above article are solely those of the author. Mangalorean.com does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.