AN APPEAL BY THE CATHOLIC BISHOPS' CONFERENCE OF INDIA
TO THE ELECTORATE

New Delhi, February 19, 2009

1. Introduction
There are moments that define the destiny of a nation. After over sixty years of our journey as a free nation, we face our own defining moment. India has responded quite successfully to a continual demand to follow the vision of our founding fathers. Our constant struggle and sincere commitment to social transformation and integration, economic progress and political maturity have spurred us to achieve new heights. However, our sovereignty as a nation and our identity as a secular state have been confronted with formidable challenges on all fronts global, national and regional. Fully aware and convinced that the power to redirect our course is vested in our own hands, we appeal to all the citizens of our country, who are about to go to the polls, to exercise judiciously their right to elect those representatives who will facilitate the emergence of a nation that we want to be through a responsible and accountable governance. We are invited to introspect and seriously address the unfinished tasks and emerging concerns of our people.
2. Principles to be invoked
Our democratic commitment is founded on the primacy of the individual who is endowed with her/his dignity, rights and freedom that are inalienable, and of social commitment to strive towards the common good. This sacred task is to be performed by means of a system of governance that respects and promotes both the freedom of all individuals and the good of the entire society. The wise maxim that the Father of the Nation has given us, serves as a guiding principle in our efforts to achieve our goal: "Recall the face of the poorest and the most helpless man whom you may have met and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any benefit to him to a control over his own life and destiny".
3. Our Economic Scenario
Increased productivity in industrial and agricultural sectors, rapid growth in trade and commerce, technological and scientific achievements, increase in foreign exchange reserve, better standard of living for many, fast growth in the realm of information technology and communication, are the true healthy signs of our economy. The resilience of our economy in the current global economic meltdown is judged by many in positive terms.

However, a serious question has been raised about the imbalance between India's increasing global attainments and decreasing domestic achievements. The alarming rate of suicide among farmers, growing rate of unemployment, continuation and even growth in the percentage of people below the poverty line, and the increasing divide between the rich and the poor, are
disturbing signs of our economic planning and performance. The deplorable practice of child labour, trend to eliminate the girl child, rural and urban displacement of peoples as a result of lopsided understanding of development, increasing restlessness among the rural population in the wake of Special Economic Zones, need our immediate attention. Moreover, due to the unsustainable exploitation of natural resources like ground water, forests, minerals, rivers etc., there is a heavy toll on the ecology and the environment with the dire consequences like global warming and climatic changes. These do forebode ill for the life-system of our small planet.

Lack of sensitivity towards the legitimate grievances of the people such as landlessness, ill governance and massive unemployment have forced people, mistakenly of course, to take to organized violence. Considering such violent protests as a mere law and order problem and controlling them by brute force is a cause of great concern. The much lauded economic growth
will be justified if it is socially inclusive and the benefits reach the weakest sections of our nation.

4. Journey of our Parliamentary Democracy

Our national heritage, especially our Constitution, is founded on ethnic, racial, religious and cultural pluralism. Diversity is a distinctive feature of our composite culture. For the past sixty and more years we have succeeded to preserve this identity in spite of serious strains. Our growing
conviction has been to preserve and promote our democratic culture with its institutions.

The good functioning of our democratic institutions, namely the Parliament,the Judiciary, the Executive, the Press, give us a considerable degree of satisfaction. Increased participation at the grassroots level, which has been further strengthened with the introduction of the Panchayati Raj, is certainly a main contributory factor. The healthy balance between the federal structure and States' autonomy has been maintained fairly well. However, the steady decline in credibility in the functioning of our democratic institutions disturbs us. Frequent disruption of Assemblies and
Parliament by needless walkouts and adjournments, disrespect for presiding officers, passing of some bills without sufficient discussion and informed deliberation and the criminalization of politics are highly deplorable.

A constant breakdown of the rule of law, mob violence and assault on and organizations, disregard for the life, rights, liberty and property of citizens leading to increasing lawlessness, and absence of timely intervention on the part of law enforcing agencies, aggravate this ailing condition.

5. A Glance at our Socio-Cultural Situation

Diversity in the ethnic, racial, religious, cultural and regional realms has given us a composite culture. Consequently, we, as a nation, have been enjoying a reasonable degree of social cohesion, a necessary component of national integration. Home to over 4000 communities with their distinct socio-cultural ethos, India has achieved in the course of decades of healthy interaction, a fairly commendable level of socio-cultural integration at all levels.

Our country, the cradle of many religions, has given us an impressive list of esteemed values like satyam (truthfulness), ahimsa, (non-violence), karuna (goodwill and compassion), bhuta daya(regard for all forms of life) maitri (amity and fellow-feeling), austerity and simplicity of life,
sampradayik samabhavana (spirit of tolerance or peaceful co-existence). These are held in high esteem and considered as the hallmark of our Indian heritage.

However, too frequent has been the threat to our nation's identity and unity by causing disaffection towards a particular race or region or religion. Delay on the part of the State to act on time and deal firmly with individuals and organizations responsible for hate campaigns, mob violence, organized attacks and wanton destruction of precious human life and public
property has often been disheartening and disappointing. The increasing communal divide, responsible for the frequent and widespread communal violence, and forced migration where Indians live as refugees in India, are instances of sheer ill-governance.

External and global terrorism, like the recent aggression in Mumbai, is as much a threat to national security, identity and integrity, as internal terrorism, like instigated mob atrocities as in Orissa. Similarly, intolerance towards creative artists, critical writers, dalit leaders, and those who resist mafia culture has to be strongly opposed.

The cancer that affects the healthy functioning of our democracy has been the all-pervasive evil of corruption. The degeneracy it inflicts on social ethics and public morality is openly bemoaned by society at large. Idolizing power and money displaces God and human beings to the fringes of humanity thereby undermining the ethical and moral values.

6. Call to Duty and Responsibility at the Coming Election

After an overview of the state of our Nation we turn to our fellow citizens with an earnest appeal:

Every citizen should ensure that her/his name is registered in the voters' lists and that she/he exercises her/his right to vote for a party/candidate that will ensure the following:

Protection and promotion of our secularism and democratic commitment. Be true to the letter and spirit of the Preamble and the Provisions of the Constitution of India without any sectarian/party
persuasion.

Stand by Constitutional commitment to religious, racial, cultural and linguistic Pluralism.

Stand united for enforcing the fundamental Human Rights: to Liberty, Equality and Justice, including the Minority Rights as enshrined in the Constitution of our nation. To select and promote candidates without any criminal record or background and having the genuine concerns of youth, women and particularly of the poor and marginalized at heart. Commit to the eradication of poverty and total elimination of illiteracy from our country, as a top priority with a time-bound program by striving for the overall development of the poor and marginalized and providing compulsory primary education for all. Provide urgently and adequately for all citizens' basic needs like drinking water, housing, health care, literacy and transport facilities. Abolish child labour, helping all children to go to school .with incentives, and helping the indigent parents with viable financial security to attend to their children's schooling. Uphold Gender Equality in all our democratic institutions, as well as in civil and administrative areas by providing appropriate legal assistance and executive measures.

Not to discriminate against Christians of scheduled caste origin who demand for equal rights and reservations as provided for others of their same social community under the Presidential Order of 1950.

Protect by all means Right to Life in all its stages, as a fundamental human right.

Promote communal harmony by scrupulous observance of the Constitutional provisions and guarantees as well as State laws. Immediate preventive steps and punitive action should be taken against any dissemination of divisive, hate generating literature and campaign, communalization of politics, of defence forces, of police and of bureaucracy.

Empower the electorate with the right to recall their elected representatives on grounds of non-performance, corruption and lack of personal integrity.

In our journey through democracy, we need to rekindle hope and enthusiasm in our citizens. We should agree neither to leave any one behind nor to write off, however much area of disagreement we may have. Belief in the good intentions can redeem errors and mistakes. Commitment to truth and justice, tempered by tolerance, acceptance and the spirit of reconciliation can help one and all to release all the needed energy for a renewed commitment to
continuing the reconstruction of our nation.

Let us cultivate the culture of open dialogue, unbiased and respectful discourse even on disputed issues. As we stand at a moment of great challenge and greater opportunity, let us focus on a governance that brings people together across party lines to work for the common good. No matter how great the challenge or how difficult the situation, change is always possible if we are willing to strive for it and, most of all, believe in it. Let us pledge, with a firm resolve in our hearts, to honour diversity in unity. Let the good of the least and the last citizen of our country be our
criterion and starting point in this effort of achieving our goal, as we have it in the vision of the Father of our nation
Issued by:

Sd/-
Most Rev. Stanislaus Fernandes, S.J.
Secretary General, CBCI &
Archbishop of Gandhinagar