Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF) has lodged a formal complaint against George Antonysamy, the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore, alleging an attempt to influence voters along communal lines during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
The complaint raised concerns regarding an editorial published by Antonysamy in ‘The New Leader’ magazine, which is affiliated with the Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore, Tamil Nadu. The magazine operates under the umbrella of a public charitable trust, ‘The New Leader Foundation’, with Archbishop Antonysamy serving as its president.
The recent edition of The New Leader featured a cover story titled “Elections 24, Modi’s endgame is a cause for concern for all.” The editorial in question, titled “General Election 2024: Statement from Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council,” purportedly aimed to influence voter opinion by invoking religious sentiments and employing fear-mongering tactics.
Under the subheading “Challenges we face as ‘Minorities’,” Archbishop Antonysamy openly criticised India, its elected central government, and its citizens. He alleged, “There is an attempt to construct India as a mono-cultural nation, denying the diversity of our country.” He further contended, “… today’s Union Government is destroying this diversity and imposing the ideology of one religion, one language, and one culture on us. And along with the fascist ideologies of a single party, single leadership, non-opposition India, it is overturning the very democratic philosophy of India.”
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With an aim to sow the seeds of discord, Reverend Arch-Bishop stated that Christians and Muslims were branded as anti-nationals. He added, ” In a recent editorial, he highlighted issues such as the alleged branding of Christians and Muslims as anti-nationals, attacks on their right to worship, and the curtailment of religious freedoms under the guise of legislation like the Anti-Conversion Bill and the proposed Common Civil Code.
Addressing the Stan Swamy issue, the Archbishop criticised what he perceived as the government’s control over the media, opposition suppression, neglect of southern states in tax distribution, and encroachment on state rights without adequate compensation during natural calamities. He raised concerns about the alleged government control over electoral, investigative, and judicial bodies.
Concluding his editorial with a clarion call for action, he asked, “All Christians must vote to “protect this land in a way that ensures religious faith and the human rights of all people.” He also asks the readers to “reject sectarian parties” and calls on the people to “vote together with the majority of the people, such as non-religious, democratic forces, marginalised people, backward, downtrodden, tribal people, and workers.“
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The editorial ends with a line “We will analyse the signs of the times based on gospel values and support the parties that protect freedom, equality, fraternity, democracy, social justice and the welfare of minorities in this election”,
A close look at editorial gives the impression that it could be authored by a DMK member, especially because of the repeated use of the words “Union government” and parroting the same claims made by DMK ministers in Tamil Nadu.
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The Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF) has escalated the issue of the Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore’s alleged attempt to influence voters on religious lines to the Election Commission of India (ECI), urging suitable action. LRPF contends that forcing laities to vote for a particular political combine is a breach of religious autonomy.
In its complaint to the ECI, LRPF has underscored the importance of investigating several organisations falling under the purview of the Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore for potential violations of financial regulations such as FEMA, PMLA, and FCRA. These organisations include the Estate of Sir John De Monte, the Archdiocese of Madras Mylapore Society, Madras Social Service Society, and others.
The LRPF complaint accuses the Bishop’s Council and the Archdiocese of Mylapore-Madras of misusing their eminence within the Church to polarise voters on religious lines. It alleges that the Bishop’s Council and the Archdiocese are receiving substantial funds from various benefactors to further the Christian faith but are instead using these funds to propagate agendas against the central government, judiciary, parliament, and media.
Urged @ECISVEEP for stringent action against Archbishop of Madras-Mylapore Archdiocese, George Antonysamy (President-Tamil Nadu Bishops' Council) for influencing voters on religious lines and creating atmosphere of victimhood amongst voters of Southern states through his writings pic.twitter.com/754eQTVMfv
— Legal Rights Protection Forum (@lawinforce) April 29, 2024
It is a blatant violation to mixing religion into democratic elections. There have been calls for immediate and decisive action to investigate the Archdiocese’s alleged activities and hold those guilty accountable for violating the law.
It is nothing new, several Christian bodies and Muslim outfits openly issue diktats to their members to vote for a particular political party or its allies to defeat the BJP and its partners.
