Jesuits discuss social justice in changing India: The deliberation was to identify areas and methodologies for effective interventions.

By Bijay Kumar Minj
New Delhi:  Jesuits working for social justice across India met along with their collaborators in New Delhi to plan out their work in the changing socio-economic situation of the nation.

“We find that the market has transformed the welfare state into corporatized governance. Communalism has eroded the secular fabric of the nation and people’s sovereignty has been mortgaged to multinationals,” Fr. Stanislaus Jebamalai told ucanindia.in.

Fr Jebamalai, also known as Sannybhai and who is the secretary of Jesuits in Social Action (JESA) said the deliberation was to identify areas and methodologies for effective interventions and collaboration with institutions, movements, citizens and civil society.

Thirty Jesuits along with some of their collaborators and lay leaders attended the three day colloquium March-15-17 at Indian Social Institute, New Delhi. They discussed the theme “Our commitment to the nation in the making”.

Fr. Edward Mudavassery, Provincial of South Asia, said the region "is changing very quickly and we need to respond promptly and appropriately to provide social action ministry in the Assistancy with a frame work to make suitable responses to the current challenges."

The worst affected are the Dalits, tribals, farmers, the nomadic tribes, the rural landless and the urban slum dwellers, said Fr Alex Ekka, a tribal himself.

While women have suffered much among the marginalised communities, their statement said.

"The increasing gulf between the rich and the poor has overwhelmed development and justice. Evictions and displacements have caused havoc. The criminal justice delivery system has failed to address the security concerns of the minorities," the statement said.

State power has been manifested through non-constitutional acts like Armed Forces Special Power Act and anti-terrorism laws in several parts of the country to subdue legitimate protests and silence entire communities. There is an increase in state-organized violence, the statement said.

Fr Sannybhai said unable to bear the hostile economic, social, political and cultural environment these communities have responded with assertion and resistance for their rights, identity and entitlements.

As part of strategy, JESA will forge alliances, build networks and join coalitions with secular forces. They will support mass action to draw attention of and bring pressure on the political governance system.

The action plan also includes developing a system to monitor state institutions for transparency and accountability in performance.