Cardinal urges Christians to take up politics for a better India

To help politics have a cleaner image and to also enhance security to the minority Christian community, a cardinal in the country urged Christians to take up civil and political responsibilities.

At a congratulatory celebration, where at least 6,000 gathered, Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Bombay who was elevated to the group of Cardinals to assist the pope in Vatican, said, "We are an inward–looking community because our involvement in civic and political life is minimal."

Among the country's 160 archdioceses and dioceses, Bombay has the largest Catholic population, estimated at 514,000.

The cardinal asserted civic issues and political matters is a service to the nation and said "It is up to good citizens to get involved and and help to put right values. If good people stay out of civic and political life, how will our nation be served?"

He urged all to consider politics a call "for a good Christian to work for nation–building, even by getting involved in civic and political life."

Calling on Christians to work for peace and to network with people of all religions, the cardinal urged to "build bridges of understanding and reconciliation and national integration."