Author: Usha Manohar in Kochi
Publication: Rediff.com
Date: March 27, 2009
URL: http://www.rediff.com///election/2009/mar/27loksabhapoll-cpm-a-threat-to-democracy.htm
As the Lok Sabha poll campaign gathers steam
in the Left-ruled Kerala, a top Church official has described the CPI-M as
a 'threat' to democracy and warned that India will suffer the same fate as
China under Mao Zedong.
'The Marxist party will use all kinds of tactics
to strengthen itself in places where it is in power. That they will do throughout
India once they get to power at the Centre, will be no different from Mao
or Stalin,' says Cardinal Mar Varkey Vithayathil in his book Straight From
Heart.
The influential Cardinal, known for his critical
views even on the church establishment, says, 'The Marxist fundamentalism
is a greater threat than the religious fundamentalism of the BJP. The Navy,
the Army and the Air Force will come under their complete control. We can
reasonably expect that what happened in China under Mao will happen in India
under their rule.'
'Where is the logic of democracy if they are
convinced atheists? But if they are atheists against their conscience and
belief, then they are not true to themselves. Convinced atheists cannot be
democratic. Democracy is based on respect for the individual and on the rule
'of the people, by the people, for the people,' Vithayathil, also the Major
Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church, says.
The first Communist government of Kerala,
Vithayathil says, was dismissed because they took recourse to some Marxist
techniques like rule by party cadre when they came to power.
'But even now, it is the party that rules
in Kerala and not the government,' the Cardinal says.
Vithayathil, who is also the president of
Catholic Bishops Conference of India, says he disagrees with Marxism, mainly
on the issue of 'atheism' and their 'use of violence'.
'From my Catholic faith, I sometimes see Marxism
as a chastisement allowed by God on the Church for not living what it preaches,'
he says in the book.
Catholic Church has often come in conflict
with CPI-M-led LDF government on different issues, including proposals of
the state Law Reforms Panel on topics like legalisation of mercy killing,
small family norm and formation of a body to manage church properties.
Praising the Congress and its allies, the
book says, they have 'more respect' for an individual and his fundamental
rights.
Putting his views on BJP, the Cardinal in
the book says, 'The commendable thing about the party is that they want to
preserve the good aspects of Indian culture like modesty of women and promoting
certain moral values, for which they would opt for stricter media censorship.
For them religion is very important and they support democracy and human rights.
'Besides protecting ancient culture and heritage
of India, like Vedas, Upanishads and the great philosophical teachings to
the six systems of Indian philosophy, BJP respects, preserves and promotes
knowledge of Sanskrit and Ayurveda.'
The party is a 'great defender of our many
achievements of the past', the book says.
However the saffron party, Vithayathil says,
'has forgotten that Catholics of the country also regard Indian culture, philosophy,
literature and science as their heritage. The Catholic Church will certainly
protect them just as it has responsibly protected and preserved Greek and
Roman cultures.'
