Talks about anti-conversion law in Maharashtra worries church leaders | India News – Times of India

MUMBAI: For Maharashtra’s minority Christian community, the elections present tough choices, especially after Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement that a BJP government in the state will implement the anti-conversion law and never allow quotas for minorities. Despite no Christian candidate being put forward by major political parties in Mumbai, community leaders are advising members to vote in large numbers on November 20.
Cyril Dara, core member of a federation of NGOs called Samast Christi Samaj, said: “Christians are targeted by anti-conversion laws, which create an environment where conversion to a minority religion is very dangerous and sharing the Gospel can lead to persecution. ”
Bishop Allwyn D’Silva, responsible for the archdiocese’s social apostolate, reiterated the need to “vote in parties that respect the constitution.” “We must appeal to people’s conscience on issues such as community tensions, the worsening of economic inequality, the lack of jobs and multiple injustices such as the anti-conversion law.”
Herbert Barretto, president of the Maharashtrian East Indian Christian Federation, said: “The community is unhappy with the Congress, NCP and both Shiv Senas for ignoring our members during ticket distribution.”
AOCC’s Melwyn Fernandes also expressed pain over the “exclusion of Christian candidates from the Congress party’s list” despite its claims about “secularism and communal loyalty”.
Father Frazer Mascarenhas SJ, an educationist and Catholic priest, said: “In these elections, Christians are more interested in voting due to the increasing violence against various groups, the apparent breakdown of law and order and the abuse of laws such as UAPA and PMLA. Other factors include economic distress, lack of jobs, hate speeches and the decline of democratic institutions such as the media and even the judiciary, as in the case of Prof. Saibaba and Father Stan Swamy.”