By Dr Olav Albuquerque
AS we enter the new year 2024 a controversy has broken out over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Christmas Party at his residence, which was attended by the top clergy who represent the Christian community. Modi was hailed as building bridges and a saviour of the Christian community while the clergy were photographed eating and generally having a good time.
This has evoked strong condemnation from the rest of the Catholic community because Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been seen allegedly as a polarizing figure, he never visited Manipur while its churches were burning to the ground and there was an explosion of ethnic violence which claimed innumerable lives. The violence continues.
It is a tragedy that those who profess the Christian faith are seen attending the Indian PM’s Christmas party and paying him tributes and encomiums. At the same time, four youths were shot dead in ethnic violence and several thousand people have been displaced and they now live in camps with less than basic facilities. In Kandhamal, some Christians have been convicted for the murder of Swami Dayanand Saraswati, with all details given in a book published by Anto Akkara.
DISTRESSING SITUATION
IN these distressing circumstances how must we view the fraternizing of our Church leaders with the politicians of a country led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi? You cannot worship God and mammon at the same time and when the Church’s top clergy fraternize with the PM, even while perhaps a few thousand tribal Christians are languishing in camps in strike-torn Manipur, something is drastically wrong with the clergy.
But to return to the paeans of praise heaped upon our PM, George M George (Deputy MD of the Muthoot Group), conveyed that all communities across India, not just Christians, have a promise for a better future because of the positive changes undertaken by PM Modi. Similarly, Alukkas Verghese Joy of the Joyalukkas Group expressed deep admiration for the PM’s down-to-earth demeanour and his round-the-clock work for the nation.
Others who joined the bandwagon to heap praise upon Prime Minister Modi were Varghese Kurian, an NRI from Bahrain, who said India had a greatly improved image on a global stage under the leadership of PM Modi. Antony Jacob, CEO of Apollo 24/7, shared how the PM talked to each of the 80-90 members present at the gathering individually and had something to say to everyone.
Bishop Simon John expressed gratitude and happiness over the PM calling people of the Christian community over to his house for a Christmas event, the first by any prime minister to date reportedly.
ANGRY CHRISTIANS
THIS is why a group of angry Christians drafted a petition asking for others to sign it. This petition said they did not share the sentiments of those who went ga-ga over PM’s Christmas party when there were more serious issues afflicting the Christian community in India.
Nearer home, we have had allegations made against the Goa State Pollution Control Board for not taking stringent action against those who play loud music at Anjuna, Vagator and other beach resorts where the loud, thrumming music prevents residents from their night’s rest. Accusations were made against the Goa Police such as PSI Sahil Warang who allegedly disappeared when the music increased in volume and the residents wanted to make complaints. Six other PSIs have been reduced to just three, according to those on a WhatsApp group.
On December 22, 2023 the Goa State Pollution Control Board launched a project for “noise mapping, hotspot identification, and mitigation measures” to curb noise pollution in Goa.
Chairperson Mahesh Patil said the 12-month-long project would be executed by the CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), New Delhi, with Envirotech Instruments Pvt Ltd at an estimated cost of Rs1.8 crore. However, despite the start of this project, there has been no abatement of the noise because certain ministers in the Goa cabinet would phone the Goa Police and order them not to take action against those playing loud music late at night.
A minister who has been vocal about the Sunburn festival allegedly has links with the underworld and in the past phoned up constables along the beach to order them to ignore complaints made by foreign and domestic tourists. This was the minister who said Sunburn would not be permitted to stage their festival on December 31 – January 1.
A PIL has been filed in the Bombay High Court at Goa which is being heard. The residents have set up their own noise pollution committee members to monitor the volume of loud music which rises to deafening decibels, although the noise meters set up by the Goa Pollution Control Board allegedly do not give correct readings.
CONCLUSION
AND so as we enter the new year of 2024 we have the same old problems of ministers saying one thing to the media, assuring action will be taken against those playing loud music, while allegedly doing the reverse because they make money from the organizers!