Christian leader fears for India’s minorities, dalits in case of BJP victory
May 15, 2014 - A Christian leader has expressed the fear of religious minority and
dalit communities in India, should Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP) come to power in the latest parliamentary elections whose results
are expected on Friday. Sajan K. George, president of the Global Council of Indian
Christians (GCIC) spoke to AsiaNews, following the exit poll that predict BJP the
likely victor. The Christian activist denounced "an election campaign with an extreme
fundamentalist stamp", the promise to expel all Bangladeshi (and Muslim) migrants,
the references to the 'Rose Revolution' (an end to beef exports) and the demonization
of the city of Azamgarh, referred to as the 'cradle of terrorism'". Moreover, he
added, "the Modi campaign also has a strong upper-caste bias, and GCIC is concerned
for the 200 million Dalits throughout the country. The worst affected will be the
Dalit Christians and Muslims, who through the 950 legislation are not eligible for
privileges like free education, set quotas for government jobs and seats in legislatures
to improve their status. However" adds the GCIC President, "GCIC does not share the
same view of the exit polls and does not see a majority BJP government ruling in secular
democratic India." (Source: AsiaNews)