ASIA/INDIA - Jesuit sees growing intolerance in India

Friday, 23 October 2015 religious minorities   religious freedom   hinduism  

Ahmedabad (Agenzia Fides) – “The episode of lynching on 28 September 2015, when Muslim Mohammad Akhlaq was killed by the crowds after reports that he had eaten cattle meat, should not be considered a spontaneous act of isolated violence but planned barbarism by persons who enjoy impunity ”: this opinion was expressed to Fides by Jesuit Father Cedric Prakash, who spoke of increasing intolerance in India, recalling the series of episodes of violence against Christian and Muslim minorities.
According to Father Prakesh, who runs Prashant Centre (for Human rights, Justice and Peace) in Ahmedabad state of Gujarat, India’s ruling Baratiya Janata Party “cannot abandon extremist Hindu groups, its allies”, in a strategy which “presents the other face of the same alignment, one hard-line and the other more liberal”.
“Everyone knows that practically nothing will happen to the perpetrators of these atrocious crimes”, says Father Prakash, recalling the Gujarat slaughter in 2002. “This form of intolerance is now seen as the main current all over the country” the director denounces fearing the “destruction of multiculturalism, pluralism, tolerance, respect for diversity, values which are the heritage of our land”. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 23/10/2015)


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