Students from the Jawaharlal Nehru University protest in New Delhi Feb. 23 against what they call political interference in university campuses. (Photo by John Mathew)
While India's Catholic bishops have remained silent on a nationwide debate on nationalism, other Christian leaders said the arguments show a sloppy course the country is taking on progress and unity.
"The church has no official stand on the debate," Catholic bishops' conference spokesman Father Gyanprakash Topno said Feb. 25, a day after the Indian parliament witnessed heated arguments that took religious and caste overtones.
The debate began in the media after Delhi police arrested students from Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi on charges of sedition after they allegedly shouted anti-India slogans at a program remembering Afzal Guru, who was convicted and hanged for his involvement in an attack on Indian parliament.
"I'm worried this debate is taking us to a negative path to hate, with only people of a certain culture are considered national and all others depicted as anti-national," said A.C. Michael, a Christian leader and former member of the Delhi state Minority Commission.
He said the issue has been twisted out of context for political gain. The events are closely connected with student politics in the university, where left-leaning parties traditionally have an upper hand.
However, with the Hindu-nationalist Bharaitya Janata Party in power, its student wing, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarti Parishad (All India students union), has been working for supremacy.
A police investigation now reportedly shows those who shouted the slogans were not the students, but people from outside the university.
Michael regretted the entire debate has now taken the tone that those who speak for the rights of religious minorities are anti-Indian.
"This is unfortunate. It does not augur well for the nation and its progress," he said, adding that senior BJP leaders should not get involved in the politics of student groups.
He said the church's silence at this time is understandable. "It is a vicious debate. It is better the church officially keeps out of it so that it is not misunderstood," Michael said.
Father Nigel Barrett, spokesman of the Mumbai Archdiocese, told ucanews.com that the Indian government has not been able to handle the issue as delicately as needed.
"Young people would speak the way they would like. Dissent is not necessarily anti-national," he said.
He said that nationalism should be understood in a broader context and not be defined by government and political leaders.
"Loyalty to a nation is not about shouting slogans but a life in action that shows a person's loyalty toward the country and sometimes loyalty requires a person to question what is happening around," he said.
