India, the voice of Christians to break Modi’s silence on Manipur

Since May, the deaths and clashes between the Maitei Hindu community, close to Modi’s government, and that of the Kuki Protestant Christian minority in the north-eastern Indian state have not stopped. The Syro-Malabar Archdiocese of Thrissur in nearby Kerala denounces the silence and connivance of the government party’s politics with the Maitei community.

The Catholic newspaper Catholicasabha, voice of the Syro-Malabar Archdiocese of Thrissur in Indian Kerala, has frontally criticized the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), the party led since 2014 by the current Prime Minister of the country Narendra Modi and the parliamentarian – and star of cinema – Suresh Gopi, for “apathy” in the management of the situation in Manipur, a powder keg for the continuation of the clash between the Hindu community of the Maitei, close to Modi’s government, with that of the Protestant Kuki.

A full-page article in the Catholic newspaper headlines: “I will not forget Manipur”: “With the Lok Sabha elections – the lower house of the Indian Parliament – approaching, the government party is trying to hide the Manipur issue.”

Thus begins the long article in Catholicasabha in which it is stated that the population who believes in democracy could understand the reason for Prime Minister Modi’s silence on the Manipur issue. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi runs to all parts of the country when natural disasters or emergencies occur, but he has totally ignored Manipur.

He has not even uttered a word to maintain peace there. The Prime Minister, who intervened several times when a Hindu temple was attacked in Australia, but it remained silent when more than 300 Christian churches were burned in 48 hours in Manipur.

The opposition had to present a motion of no confidence to break its silence. And there too it tried to simplify the matter”, we read.

Actor and politician Suresh Gopi, who is likely to contest the next Lok Sabha elections from Thrissur territory, has come under fire for his remarks that “the people of Kerala need not worry about Manipur and Uttar Pradesh, because there are law enforcement agencies to manage tensions”.

The article asks Suresh Gopi, “What were ‘these men’ doing while Manipur was burning? and ‘Do you have the courage to ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi this question?’. Finally, the Catholic newspaper Catholicasabha wonders whether there is a risk that “another Manipur” will occur in Kerala too.

 

This article is originally published on  https://www.asianews.it/news-en/India,-the-voice-of-Christians-against-Modi’s-silence-on-Manipur-59491.html