Hindu jurist's appeal: “Let's wish Christians a Merry Christmas”
Faced with growing hostility promoted by nationalist groups through anti-conversion laws and their intimidation against Christmas celebrations, former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju has issued an invitation to all non-Christians in India: ‘The only correct policy is one that keeps us united. Let us pay tribute on this feast day to the contribution of Christians to our country.’
Mumbai (AsiaNews) - Faced with hostile propaganda against Christians and instruments of persecution against them, such as anti-conversion laws, Markandey Katju, former judge of the Supreme Court of India, wrote an article on the Advent season, inviting all non-Christian Indians to extend their best wishes to their Christian brothers and sisters.
In his article published in Legal Maestro, Judge Katju writes: ‘Christians in India are a tiny minority in the country's vast population: they number about 28 million, or about 2.3% of the Indian population. This article is intended to pay tribute to them and recognise their achievements and merits in India.’
The article recalls the contribution made by Christians in the country: ‘They have founded the best schools and universities in the country, where people of all denominations want to enrol their children,’ he lists. ‘Many Christians have been members of the Indian armed forces and have contributed in other fields, such as healthcare and the empowerment of women, the poor, the marginalised and tribal peoples.’
‘India has an ancient connection with Christianity,’ Katju recalls, "much older than the arrival of the British in India, as some people think. India is a country of enormous diversity and, therefore, the only correct policy that can keep us united and lead us on the path to progress is that of the great Mughal emperor Akbar, the principle of suleh-e-kul, or equal respect for all religions and communities. In this holy season of Advent, the judge concludes, I appeal to all non-Christian Indians to extend their best wishes to their Christian brothers and sisters.
The gesture comes amid an increasingly poisonous climate in the country due to campaigns by Hindu nationalists on anti-conversion laws. The Indian Bishops' Conference has just filed an appeal before the Supreme Court against the Rajasthan law, while in Maharashtra, religious and political leaders on the right are calling for a further tightening of the bill under discussion.
Meanwhile, in Karnataka, the Sri Rama Sena has called for measures against the extension of Christmas holidays in Christian-run schools and colleges, accusing them of attempting to impose Christian religious practices on Hindu students.
Activists have forcibly entered some Christian schools in Hubballi, falsely claiming that lessons are held during Hindu holidays and that Christmas receives preferential treatment in school holidays. And in small towns across India, many groups of Christmas carol singers fear being attacked by right-wing groups who falsely accuse them of carrying out conversion activities.
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