We, the undersigned Indian Christians
as citizens of our country India and as Christians in unequivocal terms
denounce the growing intolerance in the country. We also denounce the sinister attempts
to do away with reservation policy and ultimately the attempt to undermine the
Constitution of India; we denounce the planned move to utilize religion for
politico-economic benefits; we denounce the well orchestrated efforts to use
government machinery to achieve ones evil ends; we denounce all the
efforts to divide the nation into fiefdom of some elements.
We denounce all the attempts
to erode scientific temper and scholarship by meddling with the education
system of the country. We are in special way concerned at how the Indigenous Adivasi
People in our country are being coerced to leave their traditional nature-based
religious beliefs and practices and are subjected to so-called ‘ghar vapsi’ by some hindutva elements thus ushering in disharmony within their
communities. Under this pretext, they are being alienated from their natural
habitat and resources.
As citizens, we uphold the
democratic, secular and socialist principles and practices of our mother
country; we uphold the basic foundations of justice, liberty, equality and
fraternity enshrined in our Constitution for all the citizens of the country;
we uphold the right to freedom of different cultures, religions, ways of life,
beliefs, traditions, practices, customs and orientations; we uphold the right
of the citizens to live a life without any intimidation by anyone; we uphold
the age old tradition of living in harmony and unity by all the citizens of
this country; we uphold the value of rural reconstruction and nation building.
Further, we stand in solidarity with
all victims of targeted violence against Adivasis, Dalits, Women, religious
minorities and people of other orientations. We uphold freedom of expression
and ways of life. We are in defence of human rights defenders and advocacy groups.
We stand in solidarity with all those
from various walks of life, faiths, traditions, backgrounds, cultures,
communities, professions and orientations who have raised voice against the
growing intolerance in the country and call upon all the citizens to resist
every move to create crisis and conflict by some vested interests.
We invite others too to stand up at
this time and express concern and do whatever is needed to uphold inclusive
development, peace, unity, integrity, sovereignty and harmony in our Country
India.
Citizens of India
Mr. Francis Colaso – Former DGP Karnataka
John Dayal – Member, National Integration Council, Writer and Activist
Darryl D'Monte – Journalist,
Maharashtra
Dr. Walter Fernandes – Social
Scientist, Guwahati
Cedric Prakash – Social Activist, Ahmadabad
A.C. Michael – Former Minority Commission Member,
Govt of Delhi
Lukose Vallatharai IAS (Rtd) –
Bengaluru
Philomena Fernandez – Goans in Gulf
Dolphy Dsouza - Police Reforms
Watch, Mumbai
Ms. Virginia Saldanhaz- Secretary, Indian Christian Women's Movement, Mumbai
Dr. Kochurani Abraham - Indian Women Theologians
Forum, Kottayam
Managing Committee Members of the
Bombay Catholic Sabha, Kalina Unit
BG Koshy - The Rainbow Forum,
Bangalore
Margaret Gonsalves - ANNNI
Charitable Trust, Maharashtra
Ms. Mary Alfred, International Travel House, Mumbai
Fr. Dominic Immanuel – Media Person, Delhi
Dr. Fr. Felix Raj – Principal, St. Xavier’s
College, Kolkata
Aasha Ramesh –
Bengaluru
Deepak Mukarji –
Delhi
Clement Periera – Bengaluru
Alana Golmei – Guwahati
Ajaya Singh – Bhubaneswar
Manju Tirkey – Rourkela
Harvey Hoddings – Bengaluru
Cynthia Stephen – Bengaluru
Dominic Immanuel – Delhi
Dr. Keith D Cunha – Bengaluru
Helen Saldanha – New
York
Alex Ekka –
Ranchi
Marie Charmaine Lamount - Bengaluru
Rajesh M Singh – Bengaluru
Dr. Goldy George –
Raipur
R. Viegas – Mumbai
Gracias C – Bengaluru
Benny Chiramel –
Trivandrum
Venus Mario John – Bengaluru
Lynette Gomes –
Mumbai
Sebastian Poomattam –
Chattisgarh
Harry Pereira –
Bengaluru
Anthony Dias –
Mumbai
Santona Das – Bengaluru
Ms. M. Shimray –
Manipur
A R F Viegas –
Mumbai
Fredrick
Francis – Bengaluru
Rebecca Kurian – Bengaluru
Angela L Viegas –
Mumbai
Omena Matthan – Bengaluru
Mr. Eldred Tellis –
Mumbai
Mr. Loyola Azavedo –
Mumbai
Fulgence Lakra –
Jashpur
Sannybhai –
Surat
Mario Jason Braganza –
Thane
Ms. Prasanna Thomas – Mumbai
Aloysius Irudayam - Madurai,
Joe Mattam – Vadodara
Joe Xavier – Madurai
Rosely Cheeramkunnel –
Mumbai
Sr Mariola BS –
Mangaloru
Velangani Sinnamuthu – Kalol, Gujart
Stan Swamy - Ranchi
A.J. Philip - Delhi
Stanley H Mark - Bengaluru
Jothi – Kolkatt
Alwyn D’Souza – Bangkok
Julius Gonsalves - Bengaluru
Dorothy D'Souza - Pune
Manu Alphonse – Chennai
Fredrick Francis - Bengaluru
Ruth D’Souza - Maharashtra
Benedict Joy - Bengaluru
R. Viegas – Mumbai
Rapheal RSM - Bengaluru
Xavier Jeyaraj - Kolkatta
William Stanley – Vizag
Lewis James – Bengaluru
Dr. Rudi Heredia -
Mumbai
Bobby – Delhi
K.M. Selvaraj – Ooty
Freda Coelho - Ahmadabad
Miss Anoushka Viegas - Mumbai
Ruby – Jammu
James Pochury - Nagaland
Xavier Manjooran – Songad, Gujarat
Shanta Mathai – Bengaluru
Nithiya Sagayam – Trichy
Mr. Apem Shangh - Manipur
Premalatha Kumar – Bengaluru
Lydia Fernandez – Bengaluru
Mathai Kocuparampil – Ahmedabad
Prashant Olalekar – Lonavala
Valerian Mendonca - Belgium
Rita Puthenkalam – Bihar
Leela Jose - Kochi
Enid Fernandes – Mumbai
Antony Arulraj - New Delhi
Dinesh Braganza – Mumbai
Mathew AJ – Trichy
Rohit James Joseph – Mumbai
Sr Jessy Leena BS - Mangaloru
Velangani Sinnamuthu – Kalol, Gujart
Lynette Viegas - Lector at Our Lady of Egypt
Church, Mumbai
Mrs. Praxedes Gomes – Senior Citizen, Mumbai
Sahaya Philomin Raj – Tamil Nadu
Owen Chourappa – Kohima
David Solomon - Dumka
Varkey Perekkatt -
Delhi
Jacob Kujur – Pathalgaon
Lilly Pereira BS - Austria
Lourdu Raju.D.Joy – Khammam,
Telangana
Hazel D'Lima - Mumbai
Dr. Pius Kizha - Kerala
Nestor J Rodrigues - Bengaluru
Samuel Kapani - Austria
Vedanayagam – Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu
Arockiasamy Arulandu - Madurai
Dr. Prakash Louis – Patn
