In a striking commentary published on 4 January 2025, Derek O’Brien, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and leader of the All India Trinamool Congress Parliamentary Party, has urged the Catholic Church leadership in India to break their silence on pressing social and political issues affecting the Christian community, particularly in light of recent Christmas celebrations with Prime Minister Modi.
O’Brien, breaking his own precedent of never having written about the Indian church in his two decades of public life, opened his piece with a poignant quote from the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
The parliamentarian’s article reveals growing dissent within the Catholic community, including from senior religious figures. He quotes a former Provincial of a large religious congregation who questioned whether “it is time for the lay Catholic leaders to unite and set the direction for the church in social and political spheres.”
The article raises serious concerns about the proliferation of anti-conversion laws across ten Indian states: Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Uttarakhand, and Rajasthan. O’Brien questions these laws’ constitutionality, citing violations of Fundamental Rights under Articles 14, 15, and 25.
A significant portion of the critique addresses the controversial Christmas event with Prime Minister Modi. According to a nun and leading educationist quoted in the piece, “That the bishop’s body gave the Prime Minister a platform during Christmas for a photo-op is unacceptable... They can choose to invite whoever they want, but why was not a single MP from among the 20 elected Christian MPs invited?”
The MP disclosed details of a crucial dinner meeting between Christian MPs and the Bishops’ body on December 3. Despite initial denials, the meeting addressed several critical issues, including inter-religious solidarity, particularly regarding the Waqf Bill in Kerala. The MPs emphasised the importance of supporting the Muslim community while acknowledging certain contentious clauses in specific states, demonstrating a commitment to minority rights across religious boundaries.
In his pointed questioning of Prime Minister Modi, O’Brien addresses several critical issues. He particularly emphasises the government’s strategy of ‘playing minority versus minority, especially in Kerala’ through the Waqf Bill. The MP also raises the haunting case of Father Stan Swamy, a Jesuit priest and tribal rights activist who died in custody in 2021 after being denied basic necessities like a sipper and straw despite suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
The article concludes with a powerful quote from internationally renowned Jesuit activist Father Cedric Prakash: “The Church leadership in India seems to have missed the bus. Their hearts and ears are not listening to the cries of the millions suffering in the country - particularly the minorities... they seem to be totally frightened of the ruling regime to take a visible and vocal stand.”
O’Brien balances his critique by highlighting the Christian community’s significant contribution to Indian society, noting that “Seven out of 10 religious minority schools in India are helmed by the Christian community” and “Three out of four students studying in institutions run by Christians are non-Christians.”
This unprecedented critique from a senior parliamentarian underscores growing concerns about the Catholic Church’s leadership role in addressing social and political challenges facing India’s Christian community, while also highlighting the need for inter-religious solidarity in challenging times.
