Mumbai: CAA, NRC, NPR divide Catholic community

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Social activist Robert Rosario, a member of the Association of Concerned Catholics (AOCC) in Mumbai, wrote an email on Wednesday to the Archbishop of Bombay Cardinal Oswald Gracias, urging him to take action against his Bangalore counterpart, Dr Peter Machado, for speaking out against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). Machado wrote to President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 9.

On December 27, the Cardinal's office put up a strongly worded press release on the Archdiocese of Bombay website, saying it didn't take a clear position on CAA. "The ongoing controversy and demonstrations and counter-demonstrations concerning CAA is a cause of great anxiety for all citizens and could harm the country," read the press note. It also pointed out that "religion should never be the criterion for citizenship of a country," and that there was no harm in "changing course if this is necessary for the good of the country and our people."

But the AOCC has hailed Modi-Shah on this "historical and most humanitarian" law. Melwyn Fernandes, secretary of AOCC said, "Our fellow Christians in Pakistan and neighbouring countries were persecuted badly by the majority Muslim. At last, our Lord Jesus Christ heard our prayers and enlightened our parliament to pass this law."

Spokesperson of the Bombay Catholic Sabha, Dolphy D'Souza said they were against the CAA. He also stated that BCS was with other organisations under the banner of anti-CAA group, Hum Bharat Ke Log.

Father Nigel Barrett, spokesperson for the Archdiocese, said,"The Cardinal has not said yes or no (to CAA). He has just said that religion should not be made the basis of it."

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