Image Courtesy: indianexpress.com
In another move of support those opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the Archbishop of Bangalore wrote to the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, expressing their criticism towards the Act saying that it could polarize people based on religious lines.
Reverend Peter Machado, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Bangalore and President of the All Karnataka Christian Forum for Human Rights, appealed to the Central government to grant citizenship to the illegal migrants not on the basis of their religions, but on the merit of each individual case.
Reiterating the statement by the Archbishop of Mumbai, Oswald Cardinal Gracias, Reverend Machado said that the government has a dialogue with those opposing the Act and come to an agreement about the way forward with justice, equity and fairness.
Making a powerful statement, he told the President that there is no harm in backtracking; changing course if this is necessary for the good of the country and our people. Saying that doing so, will convince the citizens of the country that it upholds the sacredness of the Constitution and respects the rights of all the linguistic and religious minorities without any discrimination, he said that the backtracking would mete out justice to all the illegal migrants and thus promote equity among them.
Making a powerful statement at this time of unrest that has gripped the country, Reverend Machado said that the Christian community would continue to work for the betterment of all citizens without any discrimination and continue to build the nation based on equality, justice and fairness.
He added that the community expressed its solidarity with those who had been discriminated on the basis of religion, and assured them of support and fellowship.
Earlier, speaking to reporters Reverend Machado had said that the Christians would like to stand with the Muslim community, and as minorities, put up a ‘united front’. He also said that he had not submitted his statement earlier because there was confusion about the Act’s specifics. He also said that justice may be granted to those discriminated against and that all may live as one family, as brothers and sisters in the Mother Land.
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