NEW DELHI (UCAN): India’s Catholic bishops appealed to the recently reelected prime minister, Narendra Modi, to uphold the country’s constitutional values and promote inclusivity by treating all citizens equally during his new term. Modi was sworn in for another five-year term on June 9, after his pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party [BJP], with the support of allies, secured 293 seats in the Indian parliament.
A coalition government was formed as the BJP, accused of following a Hindu-first policy, failed to win the required simple majority of 272 seats in the 543-seat Lok Sabha [lower house]. The national polls, conducted in seven phases, concluded on June 1, and the results were declared on June 4.
The bishops urged the coalition government “to diligently work towards upholding constitutional values, ensuring justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity for all citizens.” In a statement on June 9, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India emphasised the importance of an inclusive government committed to the welfare of all sections of society, particularly the marginalised and vulnerable. According to the bishops, the elections highlighted “the strength of India’s democratic ethos.”
Opposition parties have accused Modi, who came to power in 2014, of pursuing policies that aim to transform India into a theocratic Hindu nation during his third term. The records of Christian leaders indicate that the number of incidents of violence against Christians in India rose significantly from 147 in 2014 to 599 in 2022.
Despite most opposition parties coming together in a loose coalition with the slogan “save the constitution,” emphasising secularism, they were only able to secure 234 seats, 38 less than the requisite number to form a government. The bishops acknowledged “the spirited participation of all political parties” in the elections, reflecting the vibrancy of Indian democracy.
Analysts like Ashutosh Talukdar from Assam noted, “In the ultimate analysis, it is the triumph of Indian democracy, the victory of faceless Indian voters.”
In three Christian-majority states in the northeast—Nagaland, Meghalaya, and Mizoram—the BJP’s allies faced defeat. “This mandate is crystal clear. It was a vote against Narendra Modi,” said Supongmeren Jamir, the newly elected opposition Congress lawmaker from Nagaland, emphasising that people were upset about the anti-Christian violence in Manipur, another northeastern state, which started on 3 May 2023.
However, analyst Vidyarthi Kumar pointed out, “It is unfair to mock Modi,” noting that he is likely the only leader who has overcome the anti-incumbency factor after 10 years in office. M Chuba Ao, a senior Nagaland Christian BJP leader, described the “unexpected outcome” as a demonstration of “the resilience of Indian democracy.”
Tushar Bhadra from Varanasi remarked, “This time, people wanted to enforce more accountability.” Modi represents the Varanasi constituency in the parliament.
