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Attacks on Christians have increased since BJP came to power, says archbishop of Delhi

The Archbishop of Delhi, Alan de Lastic, is perhaps the toughest and most articulate spokesman of the country's Catholic community. He is Anglo-Burmese and belonged to the Anglican church until he left a marine-navy course midway, joined the Catholic Church and then its order.

Last month, there were reports that he had met with the Pope, John Paul II, in Rome, to apprise him of the growing attacks on Christians but he denies this. "He is far too busy," said the bishop at his office in the Archbishop's House in Ashoka Place, just returned from his morning service and ordering bitter gourd juice for himself and coffee and cookies for guests.

Did he meet other high officials and discuss the Indian situation? Archbishop de Lastic wouldn't say yes or no except to suggest that the Pope's ambassador in Delhi, in the embassy in Niti Bagh, Archbishop George Zur, was asked to keep the Pope informed. He wouldn't say what he did discuss with Archbishop Zur or what the papal nuncio had communicated to Rome. (The embassy reluctantly accepted a faxed questionnaire but said subsequently that the ambassador preferred not to answer it.) From his manners, it seemed Archbishop de Lastic wished to get on to other things.

Once he did, he was on surer ground. "What I have noticed," he said, "is that ever since this government came to power at the Centre, the attacks on Christians and Christian missionaries have increased. The VHP has always been anti-Church, of course. They want to have one religion, one code. I believe this will ruin this country. I say this because I am an Indian, by birth and by choice. No other country has such a mix of the grand old religions of the world."

What of the criticism of evangelisation, of induced conversions?

"Hinduism," he rejoins, "is not a credal religion. But Hindus propagate it. You have the Ramakrishna Mission propagating it in Arunachal Pradesh. It is not correct to blame it all on Christians. All religions are good.

"Why does everyone get upset when one converts?" he asks rhetorically. "Why doesn't anyone get upset when one changes one's ideology?"

The problem, you venture, is with converting illiterate, unthinking people. de Lastic smarts, "Don't politicians go to them for votes? Can these poor, illiterate Harijan and tribal votes discriminate one political party from another?" The archbishop is warm in his logic but you come away thinking that two wrongs don't make a right.

Later in the interview, Archbishop de Lastic sets the record straight: "Conversion is a free personal act of a man or woman. If this element is missing, then it is not a genuine conversion. It is a square circle. We cannot accept anyone whose motives are suspect."

There are those who believe that, sooner or later, at least the Catholic and Protestant churches will discourage conversions.

EARLIER REPORT:
PM decries attacks on Christians, denies BJP hand

Kind Courtesy: Sunday magazine

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