Card. Gracias: Religious freedom has won. Now attention to the poor and dalits

(May 18, 2009) “I am proud of my country”. That is how Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay regarded the outcome of India’s nationwide parliamentary elections. the vote “is a clear mandate for religious freedom and India can only gain and prosper if the freedom of religion as enshrined by our founding fathers in the constitution is upheld and ensured,” said the cardinal who is president of India’s Latin-rite bishops as well as one of the two vice presidents of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India, CBCI. He said, “The common person in India has a heart, which naturally respects all religions and earnestly seeks to live in peace and harmony and unity.” The archbishop of the western Indian metropolitan city of Mumbai expressed satisfaction that the elections indicated that “the people have shown a sense of responsibility”. The prelate said the victory of the Congress party-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) coalition “is now an opportunity for the government to fulfil their unfinished promises to the people of India”. He expects renewed commitment on issues such as “inclusiveness of all peoples, the minorities, the majorities, the tribal’s and dalits. All peoples add to the wealth and richness of our beloved motherland”. Cardinal Gracias considered basic primary health care and education for women, female children and the poor, among the urgent measures that the government should focus on. Instead of going in for populist measures the government should commit itself to implementing “long term pro-poor policies which will benefit our common people and elevate poverty from our nation”.