Rights of the Minorities Should not be Squandered: Archbishop of Bombay

archdioceseofbombay.org

The rights of the minorities in India should not be squandered in any way, said Cardinal Oswald Gracias, the Archbishop of Bombay and a member of the nine-member Council of Cardinals that assists the Pope in governance.

The 31st annual conference of the Canon Law Society of India (CLSI) in Mumbai on Oct. 16 was attended by 128 participants from 200 dioceses in India. Addressing the conference, Gracias said there was a sense of anxiousness among the minorities today.

"It is not a crisis situation. However, the anxiety is a serious anxiety because of certain recent events," he said.

Referring to the Constitution of India that ensures certain rights for the minorities, he said the country's richness was in the variety and diversity of cultures. It is crucial for India to not lose its richness, he added.

"The minorities have their own natural contributions to make to the country and this should be facilitated and protected," he said, according to the Hindu.

He also said the eradication of all forms of discriminations faced by Dalits must begin within the church and then expand to the society. The church was taking firm steps towards that position, he added.

"I certainly admit that Dalits have not been given their rightful due. We cannot close our eyes to the problem and that is why the Church came up with a policy, which includes measures to give more opportunities to Dalits through reservation," he said.

CLSI conference will continue till Oct. 20.

The conference will focus on the policies and procedures to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of properties and finances, which will prioritize the poor and the marginalized as maximum beneficiaries.

Antony Pappusamy, Archbishop of Madurai Archdiocese, Rayappa, president, CLSI, and John Mendonca, secretary, CLSI, were also present on the conference.