Abandoned, unwanted, and grossly underrepresented is how religious minorities, including Christians, feel in the western Indian state of Gujarat — Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state.
The alienation is so complete that the majority of Christians or Muslims living here are resigned to their fate as second-class citizens in this “model state” that owes much to Modi’s development-oriented governance as its chief minister from 2001 to 2014.
The marginalized communities make no bones about their disillusionment with both the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress, which swears by secular-liberal values but practices a softer version of “Hindutva” (Hindu nationalism).
Naturally, the minorities are seething with anger at being sys-tematically reduced to irrelevance — it is as if they do not matter in Gujarat. With the provincial assembly polls round the corner, their political fate hangs in the balance.
There is little hope or assurance of adequate political re-presentation for Christians or Muslims here. And there is little or no other option.
The Aam Aadmi Party, which rose from the ashes of a nationwide anti-corruption crusade in 2012 and rules Delhi and Punjab in the north, has entered the fray and forged an alliance with the Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTS), headed by tribal strong-man Chhotu Vasava, himself a legislator.
“Census figures show Christians barely form 0.50 percent of Gujarat’s 63 million people; but their numbers in about 10 assembly segments, especially in the southern tribal belt”
But Christians, who have sizable numbers in the tribal belt of South Gujarat, are keeping their fingers crossed when it comes to the number of nominations they could expect for their co-religionists.
The BJP never bothered to grant the Christian community adequate representation in the state assembly election, while the Congress indulges in mere tokenism — repeating the nomination of the lone Christian candidate, Punaji Gamit, for the last four terms.
Even Gamit’s nomination stands threatened due to a campaign by pro-Hindu forces, but Congress would still like to ride on his successful run so far.

A resolution commemorating the life of Indian human rights defender Father Stan Swamy and seeking an independent investigation into the death of the Jesuit priest has been introduced in the US Congress, Congressman Juan Vargas has said.
Vargas, the Representative from the US state of California, recently introduced the resolution in Congress to commemorate Swamy “and to encourage an independent investigation” into his death.
The resolution is co-sponsored by Representatives Andre Carson and James McGovern. Its introduction in the US House of Representatives coincided with the first anniversary of 84-year-old Swamy’s death in judicial custody.
Vargas, a Democratic Party Congressman, was speaking at a webinar titled ‘Persecution of Religious Minorities and their Defenders in India: Commemorating Father Stan’s Death in Custody’ on July 5.
The panelists noted Swamy’s extensive service fighting for the rights of the tribals. “I am appalled by the abuse Father Stan faced while in custody. No one who fights for human rights should face such violence and neglect,” said Vargas.
Swamy was admitted on May 29, 2021, in a Mumbai hospital, a day after he suffered a cardiac arrest and was put on the ventilator. He suffered from Parkinson’s disease and several other ailments. He died July 5, 2021.
Father Swamy was arrested by the NIA from Ranchi, Jharkhand, on October 8, 2020, under the stringent UAPA in connection with the Elgar Parishad case and lodged at the Taloja Central Jail in Navi Mumbai.

Pope Francis on July 10 renewed his appeal for peace in Sri Lanka which has been rocked by instability for months over a worsening economic crisis. “I unite myself to the sorrow of the Sri Lankan people, who continue to suffer the effects of political and economic instability,” the Pope said at the Angelus, the traditional mid-day prayer on Sunday.
Following weeks of popular demonstrations, groups of protesters in Sri Lanka on July 9 stormed the presidential palace and other government buildings, demanding the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
The anti-government protesters in Sri Lanka who broke into embattled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s official residence have claimed to have recovered millions of rupees inside his mansion, according to a media report.
Sri Lanka, a country of 22 million people, is under the grip of an unprecedented economic turmoil, the worst in seven decades, crippled by an acute shortage of foreign exchange that has left it struggling to pay for essential imports of fuel, and other essentials.
The country, with an acute foreign currency crisis that resulted in foreign debt default, had announced in April that it is suspending nearly US$7 billion foreign debt repayment due for this year out of about US$25 billion due through 2026.

Not many people outside Gujarat and even within this western Indian state itself know that there is a Christian Member of the Legislative Assembly in the Hindutva laboratory – one who has won four terms in a row. And that is perhaps because of his common tribal identity.
Punaji Gamit, 56, a Protestant, represents Vyara, a constituency in the tribal-dominated Tapi district of South Gujarat. He happens to be a convert – like 30% of others in his constituency.
So not many people know that these days Gujarat’s sole Christian assemblyman is losing sleep over an issue — the demand for delisting converts like him from the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list — which has serious ramifications for him and other converts. This demand is being pushed by Janjati Su-raksha Manch (JSM), an outfit backed by the powerful right-wing Hindu group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
Despite being the only Christian MLA, Gamit has not emerged as the voice and face of the Christian community. The Dalit community, which accounts for 7.5% of the population, has an iconic figure in the outspoken Jignesh Mevani.
Though about 60 Christian organiza-tions in South Gujarat have come together to form a common plat-form to counter what they des-cribe as Hindu groups’ controversial move, the community so far does not have a prominent face to spearhead the cause.
In fact, the Christian community does not even have a leader of the stature of Chhotu Vasava — an MLA known across the whole tribal belt.
“As a beneficiary of tribal status, Gamit understands that with de-listing he will not be able to contest elections and represent the tribal community”
Interestingly, even this lone Christian MLA, who is a member of the Congress Party, is not part of the Christian group that has been formed to combat the JSM’s campaign which Christians fear is likely to reach its logical conclusion in the Monsoon session of Indian parliament expected to start on July 18.

Christians cutting across denominations came together at various parts of India July 3 to organize special programs to mark the 1950th martyrdom day of Saint Thomas the Apostle.
Saint Thomas, one of the 12 disciples of India, is believed to have come to India in 52 AD and preached the Christian faith in the western and southern regions of the country. He was martyred 20 years later in Chennai, currently the capital of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Since 2021, the day is being observed as the Indian Christian Day to “love the neighbor, serve society, celebrate Jesus and bless India.”
The ecumenical annual day helps Christians to remember and celebrate “the person and message of Lord Jesus Christ in India.” That also helps them preserve their identity with the Indian cultural heritage and promoting unity. The day, a people’s movement, saw Christians organizing festivities, cultural programs, community service, health and literacy camps, food and clothes drive, environmental cleanup and workshops.