the goan I network
PANAJI
Over 200 Christian leaders from across the country, among them philosophers, theologians, former officials, academics and lawyers, have condemned the Citizenship Amendment Act 2019, and the violence unleashed on youth and civil society activists protesting the legislation’s targeting of a single community.
Signatories to a statement issued in New Delhi include George Pattery, head of the Jesuits in India, eminent philosopher T K John, human rights activist John Dayal, Evangelical Fellowship of India General Secretary Rev Vijayesh Lal, academicians Michael Williams, Annie Koshi and Sunny Jacob, former member of Delhi Minorities Commission A C Michael, theologians John Chathanatt, CB Samuel, Rajah Chellamani and lawyers Jose Chiramel, PI Jose and Pramod Singh.
Among the Goan Jesuits to have signed the statement are Provincial of the Goa Jesuits Fr Roland Coelho, Director of the Delhi-based Indian Social Institute Dr Denzil Fernandes and social activist Fr Simon Fernandes.
The statement condemned the brutal repression by the police and para-military forces on peaceful democratic protests by youth and students of various cities and Universities in India, especially Jamia Millia Islamia University and Aligarh Muslim University.
The Christian leaders expressed their solidarity with the students and others who have been grievously injured and pray for their speedy
recovery.
The statement said “ever since the new Government was elected in May 2019, there have been several controversial legislations passed by the Parliament that led to the collapse of the democratic institutions of India which have been carefully and painstakingly built by enlightened leaders over the last seven decades.”
“The CAA militates against the very Preamble of Constitution of India. The President, PM, Chief Justice of India, members of Parliament and Council of Ministers are sworn to defend the Constitution.”
“The new law is deeply divisive, discriminatory and violative of human rights. In particular, this legislation discriminates against Muslim communities in India, who constitute over 14 per cent of the population of India, and therefore, it is totally unacceptable in a secular democratic republic of India.”
“The letter and spirit the Constitution, framed by men and women who had participated in the freedom struggle, cannot be thrown out at the whims of a particular ideology. We are deeply saddened at the haste in which the President of India gave his assent,” the statement added.
The Christian leaders said they join the citizens of India, who are vehemently opposing, resisting and protesting against CAA 2019, NRC and the construction of detention camps.
“We humbly appeal to all political parties and members of Parliament to hear the cries of the citizens of India who have elected them and repeal the CAA 2019, scrap the pan India NRC and stop the construction of detention camps at the earliest,” they said.
