By Jerry Rosario, SJ
Out of pastoral concern:
We cannot leave the political scenario just to the politicians. It is obvious that politics affects every aspect of our lives. As priests and religious we cannot be a part of party politics. But if we are good, caring pastors we need to create awareness among people about their civic duties, the first of which is to vote and vote wisely. As good shepherds who care deeply for their flock, we need to make them aware of all that is at stake. Since many politicians hide their agenda and pretend to be messiahs, as pastors we cannot allow our people to be taken for a ride.
It is this line of thought that kept disturbing me. The question was: What can I do? This finally led me to what can be called an ‘apostolate of awareness’ – helping our people become aware of all that is at stake before any general election.
Of course, this was ‘magis.’ This will be an additional ministry which I will have to carry out, along with all the other myriad ministries of mine, which I carry out with the blessings of the Jesuit superiors. With their approval, I’ve begun doing this for a few years now.
Before the parliamentary elections I offer my critical reading of the socio-political context and a creative reading of the possible scenario that could emerge. What helps me in this is action-oriented conversation with various religious groups and secular movements.
What we can do:
We know the famous sentence in President John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address: “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” I have always been inspired by those words. Pope Francis goes to that extent of saying that we commit the sin of Pilate when we wash away our hands from our political responsibilities. It will be a definitive sin of omission. We fail terribly as pastors when we fail to raise our voice against the dehumanising policies and programmes of the powers that be. Again, we lose our very humanity when we are not ready to extend our hand of solidarity to our voiceless sisters and brothers who are ruthlessly attacked and paraded naked, as it happened in Manipur in May 2023.
We should never ever forget that we all together make up the nation and not just those who are elected to power for a prescribed period of time. Those who occupy the seat of power are obliged to be at the service of the citizens, as per our Constitution. We have not elected them to boss over us but to minister to all citizens, especially to those at the sociological and geographical peripheries.
If we are good, caring pastors we need to create awareness among people about their civic duties, the first of which is to vote and vote wisely.
Whenever anything contradictory to what is guaranteed by our Constitution occurs, we have a prophetic task of calling a spade a spade. This, I think, is the way to actualize what Jesus had emphasized: ‘Give to God what has to be given to God. And give to Caesar to what has to be given to Caesar’ (Mk.12:17).
Still, for too many of us, politics is a dirty game. Precisely because of that, it becomes a must for us to get in. The reason is simple: We have to purify it. We have to perfect it. We have to humanise it. We have to evangelise it. We have to do all we can to ensure the Gospel–Justice of Jesus for all. We thus have to make God’s reign come true in all the sectors of human life, including the political sector. Therefore there is no excuse for us.
Another thing that needs to be clarified is: being political can be viewed from both the perspectives of the powerful and of the powerless. It is so unfortunate that politics is commonly approached only in terms of the power of the powerful. Indeed, profoundly speaking, the power of the powerless and the poorest is much more important than that of the powerful and the richest. This is, in essence, ‘people-politics.’ It is indeed different from ‘party politics’.
The poorest are numerous in the Southern Hemisphere. As per the Human Development Index (HDI) 37 % of the Indian population live below the poverty-line (BPL).
Sadly the poorest are not aware of their power – the power of numbers. They are not aware that their ‘number itself is power’. It is referred to as the greatest but untapped power. The question is, ‘how to tap this power of numbers?’
Searches & researches: True, at the collegiate-level, I had done some studies on Rural Political Administration. For the Master’s thesis in Theology, I had focussed on ‘Political Jesusology’. For the doctoral research, I chose to study the life and service of a political leader of Tamil Nadu, who, as an individual, managed to create a people’s revolution against the hegemony of class, caste and man-made hierarchical system. It is called ‘Dravidiam’. He is universally known as ‘Periyar’ (the great one). His original name is E.V. Ramasamy, shortened by some to just EVR (1879-1973).
He fascinated me as a contemporary prophetic voice that warned people against inhuman practices sanctioned by traditionalised religion of Hinduism, swimming against the oppressive tides of his time. He thought out of the box, vigorously attacking superstitions and casteism. I saw Jesus accomplishing the same with a unique manifestation of his people politics. He taught people to transcend the ritualistic and rubric testament of the Old Covenant. Periyar’s example of making people aware of how they are exploited is, I guess, one of the things that led me to this ‘awareness apostolate.’
“Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”
If we support divisive politics, secularism and socialism will be sacrificed. Pluralism will be done away with. ‘Unity in Diversity’ will become a casualty. The beauty of India will then be lost for ever.
First attempt:
In 2004 a small group was constituted by the Diocese of Coimbatore in western Tamil Nadu, to conscientise the voters with political analysis and possible guidelines for action. This political awareness-group had 3 laymen and 2 priests, including me. Among them, I was assigned to be the main resource person cum key speaker at the awareness gatherings held at parishes, associations, NGOs, secular groups and grass root groups.
In the course of time, this group came up with a suggestion that I could put down the data, details and demands, so that they could be printed and distributed in all the districts and dioceses of Tamil Nadu. It was an instant success. Within a month, close to 10,000 copies were sold. That meant that so many groups had some substantial political deliberations. Not merely Christians of various denominations but much more, all people of goodwill from all religions, bought the booklet and used it for discussions. A large number of Hindu brothers and sisters had bought hundreds of copies. We felt encouraged by this political discernment.
I wanted to give a name for this movement. What spontaneously came to my mind was Manitham, a Tamil word, which means humanity. The prime intention is to build up a new humanity based on the sovereign, socialistic, secular Constitution of the Indian Republic in order to bring justice to one and all, through equality, liberty and fraternity.
Journey continues:
From then on, I have been getting ready a booklet before every Parliamentary or every State Assembly election. The booklet probes the five years that have gone by and achievements and failures of the government and all the political parties. We make sure that the price of the booklet is quite affordable. Usually it is Rs 5 to 10, depending upon the pages, which can range from 16 to 64. So far, 13 such booklets have been published. The latest one was released in March 2024, with all the crucial and critical data and details of the political analysis of the BJP-led NDA government that has ruled India for the past ten years. It does mention the commendable achievements of the NDA government.
The booklet, titled, Maanamudan, (With self respect), has sold 77,000 copies. It has been bought by individuals and institutes, secular units and religious circles, people’s movements and local political parties. As a sample of the feedback from readers, let me cite what a reader wrote recently: “I just completed reading the booklet, Maanamudan. We all wonder how you managed to gather all those data and details from every nook and corner. We have, in our family, begun a meaningful deliberation, as your pages have opened our eyes and cleared a number of doubts. It is indeed a timely service.”
Thus the booklet provides the readers with all that they ought to know and remember so that they are able to make a wise, responsible decision about whom they should vote for. Ultimately each citizen is personally responsible to discern in the court of one’s own conscience and to decide whom to vote for. Nobody else can do that for the individual voter. Apart from providing a comprehensive and honest picture of the country or the State, it exhorts every reader to see the big picture and decide on who, in their considered opinion, will ensure that this great country remains a sovereign, secular, democratic, socialist country. Every one of us is called to contribute in their own unique way towards building ‘a new humanity and a new cosmos’ (Rev.21:01-07).This is the magnificent mission of God who loves his people. This awareness apostolate, I hope, is a tiny, tiny part of it.
Jerry Rosario, SJ (CEN) is a professor of theology, activist, animator, regular blood donor and writer. He is also a member of INI’s Editorial Board.