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)