The Church in India is facing unprecedented situation in the current socio-political scenario that threatens religious free-dom, says Archbishop Andrews Thazhath of Trichur, who was re-elected the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) for another two-year term.
“The religious freedom and justice guaranteed by the Con-stitution of India are at stake, and democracy is becoming a myth,” the archbishop told Matters India in an exclusive interview on February 7, the last day of the CBCI’s 36th bie-nnial general body meeting in Bengaluru.
He said attacks on Christian places of worship have now given way for physical attacks on priests and sisters with false allegations.
Archbishop Thazhath was reelected a day earlier, along with Archbishop George Anto-nysamy of Madras-Maylapore as Vice-President I, Bishop Joseph Mar Thomas of Bathery as Vice President II and Arch-bishop Anil Couto of Delhi as the Secretary-General. Father Jervis D’Souza will continue as the Deputy Secretary Gen-eral.
CBCI Office bearers: Arch-bishop Anil Couto of Delhi, secretary general, Archbishop George Antonysamy of Madras-Maylapore Vice-President I, Archbishop Thazhath, Bishop Joseph Mar Thomas of Bathery Vice President II and Fr Jervis D’Souza, Deputy Secretary GeneralReferring to attacks on Christians, Archbishop Thazha-th mentioned the ongoing ethnic cleansing in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur and the arrest of a Catholic priest and Protestant pastors in Lucknow in the north.
Another Catholic priest was arrested recently in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, he said.