Promotion of nationalism based on religion threatened India with annihilation, the nation’s Catholic bishops warned at the conclusion of a biennial meeting. The alarm was sounded following a series of hard-line Hindu attacks on Christian and other religious minorities.
This included attempts by mobs of young Hindus to conduct avowedly patriotic rituals in the grounds of Catholic colleges, notably involving the personification of ‘Mother India.’
It was dangerous to promote nationalism based on any particular culture or religion, the Feb. 2-9 gathering of some 200 bishops from 174 dioceses warned. “Such misconceived efforts can only lead our nation on the path of self-annihilation,” they said.
The bishops met in the southern city of Bangalore for discussions under the theme ‘United in diversity for a mission of mercy and witness.’
They agreed that enhancing of India’s rich cultural and religious diversity was needed to achieve peace and progress.
Militant Hindu groups have stepped up violence against minorities since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power nationally four years ago, critics say.
In 2017, India witnessed 736 incidents of violence against Christians, according to a report of the ecumenical forum ‘Persecution Relief.’ Some hard-line Hindu groups portray Christians and Muslims as being loyal to foreign powers.
