Jesuit priest asks Goan Catholics to wake up
In 2003, Narendra Modi passed the draconian anti-conversion law, making it mandatory to seek permission of the district Collector to change one’s religion.
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| Fr Cedric Prakash |
In 2003, Narendra Modi passed the draconian anti-conversion law, making it mandatory to seek permission of the district Collector to change one’s religion, he told a meeting of the Catholic Association of Goa in Margao on Wednesday.
"The law has put innumerable hurdles, curbing their right to religious freedom. If Modi becomes the Prime Minister, he would bring the entire country under the draconian law,” he said.
He termed it as "a big lie" the Gujarat Government’s claim on development saying the social indicators points towards dismal performance.
Father Prakash, the director of Prashant, the Ahmedabad-based Jesuit Centre for Human Rights, Justice and Peace, said the divisive force talk about the Hindu state and Hindu nation when the people of India through the Indian Constitution has opted for a secular state.
He appealed to Goans not to be carried away by the ideology of those who rule Gujarat, while recalling how beef traders in Goa were forced to close down their shutters.
The priest criticized the media for creating hype around Modi saying the media has compromised on the principles. “The voice of the media has been throttled and muzzled.
People in Gujarat are living in fear. IAS officers are living in fear. The lives of their families have been ruined,” he claimed. “We should not fear anyone and at anytime. Jesus says fear no one. I am not a politician. I don’t subscribe to any politician or the parties. I will go and vote as per my conscience,” he said.
When the media later asked Fr Cedric what message he was giving to Goans when he asked them to be awake before it is too late, he said Goans should join the main stream politics and take active part in what is happening around.
Source: oheraldo
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