All India Catholic Union Calls for Security of Religious Minorities In Every Country of South Asia

Er. Elias Vaz, the national president of the Union, popularly known as AICU, welcomed assurances of security and safety by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, the head of the new government of Bangladesh, to Hindu and Christian minorities who are apprehensive following the end of the Sheikh Hasina regime in a student-led revolt in August.

Hindu temples, homes and businesses, in some areas had faced mob violence, with at least two deaths. The tiny Christian community, which numbers less than one percent of the population was also very apprehensive.

Hindus and Buddhists are minorities in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, while Muslims are a minority in India, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Christians are a minority in all eight countries, and face various levels of persecution in all of them, including India.

Er Vaz also urged Goa Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferraro, the new president of the Federation of Asian Bishops, FABC, to use its good offices in each country to stress religious freedom not merely as a basic human right, but critical in economic and social development.

Er Vaz, a senior corporate head from Goa, was re-elected for a second two-year term as National President of the AICU, which is the largest organization of Christian laity in the country, at the two-day Annual General Meeting of the Union in Conoor in Tamil Nadu. Mr Anthony Chinnappan was re-elected National Vice President for a second term.

In his address to members after his re-election, Mr Vaz said the AICU would continue its advocacy of freedom of faith and belief (FORB), guaranteed both in the Indian constitution and in the Charter of the United Nations.

The National President also committed the AICU to work with the community in equipping its youth with the training and grooming to join national and state civil services, and in the existing and emerging sectors in industry and commerce. The AICU has its own programme of holding occasional training programmes in various fields including reconciliation.

The AICU passed several resolutions concerning issues of the Christian community in the country.  The Union noted that the situation in the state of Manipur, which flared up on 3rd May 2023 with the gang rape of two Kuki women and large scale targeted violence, has continued to deteriorate. The state government and the chief minister had in fact presided over the aggravation of the situation. The Union called upon the Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, to take urgent measures to end violence and bring various groups to the discussion table for a lasting peace.

AICU also called upon President Mrs Draupadi Murmu to ensure that the rights of scheduled tribes across the country were not curtailed or diluted. There have been alarming reports that some political groups have launched a hate campaign against Christian Tribals, and are inciting other tribals against them. AICU has urged the President to ensure there was no attempt on the Scheduled Tribe Rights of Christian Adivasis.

Another resolution called upon the Central government to initiate steps to restore the rights of Dalit Christians, including the protection of law and affirmative as Scheduled Tribes. The rights were taken away by the Presidential Order of 1950 which continues to be challenged in courts of law. The AICU is among Christian and Muslim groups which have moved the Supreme Court for the restoration of these rights.

AICU also called upon the Union government and state administrations to ensure that scholarships for students of minority communities were given in proportion to their populations. There should be no attempt to politicise scholarships and play one community against another.