Inadequate Representation of Christians in Lawmaking Bodies both at the Center and States
Bengaluru: Today, Christians do not have adequate representation in lawmaking bodies both at the Centre and the States. If this issue is not addressed today, the generations unborn will not forgive us. The need of the hour is for all Christians to come together and assert their presence in the political space.
Unfortunately today in India, the Christian community is seen as a divided community. I am a Christian. I believe I am a Christian in the true sense where I believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. The beauty of my Christian faith is that it has guided me to be fair and just in the execution of my official responsibilities as a Civil Servant and life in general. It has also taught me not to discriminate people on the basis of religion, caste, or social status. It has guided me to empathise with the have nots in our society and catalyze them to come up the social ladder and live a life of dignity and respect.
Denomination wise, I was born and brought up in a Catholic family, but I am ecumenical in my approach. Denominations are only creations of men; they are the products of culture, history, tradition, rituals and so forth. Essentially, there is no difference and there should not be any difference regarding our identity as a Christian community in society. The Christian community in India has its contribution to social welfare, education, and health sectors. But unfortunately, when it comes to demanding our rights in public spaces and the corridors of power, we have not asserted ourselves in a united voice. This is the biggest weakness of the Christian community. My roots are in Kerala where the population of the Christians is sizeable and the representation of the Christian community in public life is substantial. I have lived in Karnataka for over 50 years, and now I am proud to call myself a son of the soil. Christians are influential in some pockets of the state, but they are all divided on the basis of language, culture, and denominations. As a result, the political parties also do not view the Christian community as a cohesive force.
From the political point of view, It is true that from the very beginning of our independence the Christian community has been unconditionally supporting the Congress party because the basic principles of the Congress party are based on the Christian principles of inclusive growth, socialism, democracy, freedom, protection of the marginalised, bringing the scheduled castes, tribes, and Dalits into the mainstream of development. Therefore, by nature members of the Christian Community have been supporters of the Congress party.
Today in 2019, the Congress party by its indifferent attitude has exposed itself to the criticism that they are taking the Christian community for granted. This feeling is increasingly felt by the members of the Christian Community. Time and again representations have been made to the Congress party that the Christian Community should not be taken for granted and adequate representation in public sphere where the party is in a position to decide should be extended to the Christian Community. I remember as an observer of the Congress party in the last Goa Assembly elections, there was a palpable feeling among all sections of the Christians in Goa that the Congress Party has taken them for granted, and there was a message being sent out that the Christian Community was capable of swinging the outcome of the election results by collectively voting for or against any party. The final results in Goa were adequate proof of that when four MLAs from the BJP won with the support of the Christian community in Goa, and one of them went on to be the deputy chief minister. As an observer, I had the opportunity to bring it to the notice of the Congress party in Goa, but it looks like nobody has taken that seriously. Christians as a vote bank are game changers and this cannot be ignored in any part of the country. Especially in Karnataka, the increasing feeling of neglect and marginalization of the Christian Community may lead members of the Christian community to think of other options in regards to affiliation to political parties and exercising their franchise.
Several groups of Christian leaders from all across the state in the course of the last few months have brought to my notice a feeling of neglect of the Christian Community by the Congress party. I have also been part of community leaders who met the Congress party leaders at the State and the High Command to impress upon them that it is imperative that they address this issue and assuage the feelings of neglect among the Christian Community, especially among the youth, so that their loyalty to the party can be sustained.
I have made it very clear always that whenever I have gone with the people to convey this point to the Congress party that it has not been to project my candidature, but I have only taken up this cause as a person who has lived in this state for over 50 years, interacting with the people and different groups of Christian community to relay the general feeling of the Christian community to the party. There was a justified demand from the Christians for representation of a Christian in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections from Karnataka. The decisions have already been taken and the ball is now in the “peoples court” – Vox Populi, Vox Dei – The voice of the people is the voice of God
Press release by
J. Alexander I.A.S. retd.,
Former Chief Secretary and former Minister
Government of Karnataka.
Alex Sir, why do you think Christians should vote for Congress always. Let them be open minded whom to vote for. Christians are educated and can understand political shenanigans. We prefer to vote for suitable candidate, without anything in return. Some people from previous thought processes think that only the Hand or Indira still needs to rule this country, and never upgrade their thinking or knowledge. Hope Christians come out of this vote bank politics and vote independently.
The article trips over itself and the author contradicts himself and his stated intentions.
Indians who wish to better their life must stop thinking of getting their govt. entangled in their religion, caste etc.; all they ought to think of is for their govt. to provide them with “rule of law” , nothing more – nothing less(includes the best service standards of the police, the armed forces, the judiciary, the administration, common amenities).Period.
As a citizen in a democracy we elect our representatives for the express purpose of making or modifying laws in sole conformity with the Constitution so as to provide us all “the rule of law” ( i am talking about laws as those acceptable in any civilized progressive society as commonly accepted in secular democratic republics all over the world and not those of psychopathic tyrants or religious fundamentalists)
Religion is something private and personal and you don’t want the govt. involved in that just as you don’t want the govt. in your bathroom, bedroom and toilet. Separation of religion and state is an essential tenet of a republic.
Tyranny of the “minorities”(self-labelled) is the corollary of the tyranny of the “majority”.
The Constitution of India has adequate safeguards for all future generations including the past[ considering that the author himself could join the IAS(unless he got in based on some reservation and not his own merit), then he attained the post of CS by way of seniority (unless he attained it by other means ,e.g.: sycophancy), then he even became a minister ( perhaps he was elected by the people of some constituency unless he became a minister due to some other consideration)]. Well, besides him, as an ordinary citizen, I ,with a Roman Catholic name, have never ever experienced any discrimination whatsoever anywhere in India!
The Constitution of India:
Article
15. (1) The State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place
of birth or any of them.
16. (2) No citizen shall, on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, descent, place of birth, residence or any of
them, be ineligible for, or discriminated against in respect of, any employment or office under the State.
Right to Freedom of Religion
25. (1) Subject to public order, morality and health and to the other provisions of this Part, all persons are
equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise and propagate religion.
26. Subject to public order, morality and health, every religious denomination or any section thereof shall have
the right— (a) to establish and maintain institutions for religious and charitable purposes;
(b) to manage its own affairs in matters of religion;
Protection of interests ofminorities.
29. (1) Any section of the citizens residing in the territory of India or any part thereof having a distinct
language, script or culture of its own shall have the right to conserve the same.
Right of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions.
30. (1) All minorities, whether based on religion or language, shall have the right to establish and administer
educational institutions of their choice.
I recommend readers of this article to watch/read the below and make up their mind on their own about whether they wish to live in servitude – living off crumbs thrown at them by “saviours”, like the author proposes or whether they wish to live a life of dignity as a human being(irrespective of their “denominations “ and affiliations) and as sovereign citizens of this country not needing any favours from anybody.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6pWEzkbnDE
THEY WANT YOU TO BE POOR – a 6mins interview with Robert Kiyosaki
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TivZYFlbX8
a 6mins interview with Dr. Bruce Lipton Explains HOW WE ARE PROGRAMMED AT BIRTH
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7butJGdUmK0
abt. 29 mins interview with Walter Williams(author of “Up from the projects”), Economist, Professor, Thinker and Researcher.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg4fxUpRzj8
abt. 6 mins – Milton Friedman, Economist, Professor, Thinker and Researcher – discusses …….. the many ways government continues to tyrannize minorities.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT7dN4tNzvg&t=2040s
abt. 1 hr 30mins – Walter Williams – The Legitimate Role of Government in Free Society
Read “Breaking free of Nehru – lets unleash India” and “Economics for children” by Sanjeev Sabhlok downloadable free from his blog.
Now, it’s up to the individual(irrespective of religion and beliefs) to choose between preposterous nonsense or scientifically researched proof.
Lobo Prabhu used to represent Udipi constituency. George Fernandes also won from Bombay South and later Muzzaffar Nagar. They did not belong to Cong I.
Fear of the main stream may be the driver of this psychosis.
I do not think any right thinking Indian will waste the vote on a 50 y old adolescent.