Italian ship sailing near Bharteeya waters of Kerala fired gunshots at fishermen sailing nearby. Two fishermen hailing from Kerala died in this unfortunate incident.
The Kerala Police have started further procedure by taking responsible persons into custody. Italy rushed to rescue their men and to absolve them of ghastly deeds. Italian Consul General immediately started the procedure of talks and diplomacy. Italy contended that as the incident happened in international waters, Bharteeya Court cannot try its men. Only Italian Court or The International Court will be the appropriate forum to investigate further. This somewhat arrogant stand was taken by Italy within no time. This was undoubtedly in the interest of Italy, and it should be so. And to our surprise Bharteeya administration has stood strong this time. Thanks, still S M Krishna (External Affairs Minister) has not stepped in in the matter! The advocate for prosecution has ensured Italian administration that judicial process in Bharat is ‘free and fair’, so that they need not worry. Justice will be done in this matter.
One has to keep some patience and then react. The reaction, sooner or later, should be in the interest of Bharat. A Bharteeya person should support the cause of the victims and not the culprits.
But to our surprise, despite the strong stand taken by Union Government as well as local authorities in this matter, the stand taken by the Cardinal of Syro Malabar Church – Mar George Alancherry is highly objectionable. One could understand if political leaders at the Centre take a stand to lean on Italy’s side, because we know its interest and adherence to Italian leadership. But a Cardinal who is of this very soil sings in the tunes of Rome? Ironically, he is the 11th Cardinal of Bharat!.
Transformation!
He stated that “I am and will remain in close contact with the Catholic ministers of Kerala and I hope that they will help to pacify the situation. In particular, I trust in the work of the Tourism Minister, the Catholic KV Thomas, who participated in the consistory in Rome in past days and attended the mass with the Holy Father and the new cardinals: he is a man of great moral stature and of significant influence, both in the local and central government, and he assured me his maximum effort. I guarantee, in the next few days, my constant involvement with the Indian authorities on the matter”. (source: http://www.firstpost.com/india/why-is-keralas-newest-cardinal-batting-for-italian-killers-221271.html)
This statement of his invited some criticism, which subsequently made him change his earlier stand. He then maintained that, “I would like to precise my views reported by the news agency “Fides” regarding the incident in which two fishermen were killed in the sea. This event has to be investigated and if there is a culpable action it has to be dealt with legally and the culprits have to be punished. Truth and justice have to be established. What I said the other day parenthetically was that this event shall not become a cause for conflicts and enemity in the communities and between nations. I have no intention to take a mediatory role in the setting of this matter”.( http://www.fides.org/aree/news/newsdet.php?idnews=31062&lan=eng)
Two things should be noted here. Being a Bharateeya, he should have gone and met the families of the fishermen who lost their lives. Here, coincidently, the two dead fishermen were also Christians. He should have consoled the families and kith and kin of the demised. But he did not do so. Instead he asked the Government to soften its stand on Italian marines and ‘forgive them’. Are those Roman Catholics nearer to him than Bharateeya Christians? I cannot resist myself from giving Gandhiji’s quote on religious conversions (especially conversions of Hindus to Christianity), “As I wander about through the length and breadth of India I see many Christian Indians almost ashamed of their birth, certainly of their ancestral religion, and of their ancestral dress. The aping of Europeans by Anglo-Indians is bad enough, but the aping of them by Indian converts is a violence done to their country and, shall I say, even to their new religion.” (Young India: August 8, 1925). Gandhiji had also observed how everything in the case of a convert changes dramatically. He says, “If I had the power and could legislate, I should stop all proselytizing. In Hindu households the advent of a missionary has meant the disruption of the family coming in the wake of change of dress, manners, language, food and drink. (November 5, 1935). Has Cardinal George Alencherry proved this?
I humbly ask therefore, - oh Father, ye forgotteth thy own children? Where shall they knock now?
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