'Mob fury has become very common these days. And these attacks are all planned very well.'
'In all these attacks, you see that they have a very clear cut plan to make the victims as the oppressors and the guilty.'
'The attackers escape and they face no consequences as they have the backing of some political leaders.'
Two Christmas prayer meetings were attacked in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.
In Raipur, Chhattisgarh, Christmas celebrations in a church were vandalised allegedly by Bajrang Dal workers.
In Palakkad, Kerala, a carol singing group of children was attacked.
These are some reports that recently appeared in newspapers.
"Only negative things are written about and projected in the media. A lot of good things are also happening, but good things are not being written about," 80-year-old Emeritus Archbishop Leo Cornelio, who retired as the archbishop of Bhopal in 2021, tells Rediff's Shobha Warrier.
Father, you were in Bhopal first as a bishop and then as the archbishop for almost two decades. We read about attacks against Christians in Madhya Pradesh.
How much has the ground situation changed over the years?
From the Congress regime to the BJP regime, things have changed.
The policy of the Congress was, let's all, somehow, go together.
In the beginning, the BJP was not that strong but they became strong as years went by. The Hindutva feeling has gone very high now.
If you look back in history, you will see that it is the slavish mentality and internal fighting among Indians that lead to invaders ruling the country.
Now, what is followed is divide and rule where the minorities don't count.
Among the minorities, Muslims are the majority, so they get some respect.
But Christians do not matter at all. We are peace loving people, and nobody really rebels or revolts. So they know Christians can be taken for granted.
Do you feel had the leadership at the top reined in fringe elements, the violent actions would have stopped?
Jiska raj, uska ghulam! One who is ruling the roost will have the final say, and the others will follow.
If the goons on the street are politically powerful, the police become spectators. They forget their duty of defending the suppressed and the oppressed.
Another pattern we see today is while a group attacks, another group goes to the police station and register a complaint against the victims.
So, when the victims go to make a complaint, the police tell them that they already have a complaint against them, and they get arrested.
It is as if the mistake was on the part of those who got attacked.
Just like when two nuns were attacked by a mob and arrested in Chhattisgarh in July 2025.
Mob fury has become very common these days. And these attacks are all planned very well.
In all these attacks, you see that they have a very clear cut plan to make the victims as the oppressors and the guilty.
The attackers escape and they face no consequences as they have the backing of some political leaders.
That's why they have become bolder, and there are more and more attacks on Christians.
And the law and order situation is gradually collapsing.
On Christmas day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited a church and prayed. There were attacks on Christians and Christmas celebrations at many places.
Do you think if the prime minister had spoken against these attacks, these attacks would have stopped?
It would have stopped.
I agree that the top leaders are not openly supporting goondagiri. But they are silent. They allow things to happen because it is to their advantage. They are playing to their supporters.
The elected leaders forget that once they are elected, they are the leaders for all, for who voted for them and against.
But they always say, 'sabka saath, sabka vikas'...
Slogans are wonderful, but what we need is action.
I am not talking about Modi or any particular leader.
The general policy of these politicians is that they take advantage of any situation and convert it into a voting advantage.
This is quite common in politics because power is what matters to politicians, and oppression and suppression of the poor does not matter much.
In India, there are slowly going to be only two classes, the rich and the poor.
The poor will get dole-outs from the government and the rich will enjoy.
The middle class is slowly vanishing; they are either getting poorer or moving into the richer class.
In the process, the poor will get lazy and dependant because they get money from the government, and they do not have to work. If at all they work, they will work for those who give them money.
They do not realise that they have become just vote banks to the political parties.
From your experience, do you see that the attacks on Christians started from the time the BJP came to power?
I am not saying there were no attacks in the past, and that it started only after the BJP came to power. There were people who took the law into their hands earlier too.
Do priests and the community feel threatened?
It is the reality. The minorities have to face such consequences now, unless we show that we also have a say or some power in the government.
Whenever there is an attack, we resort to prayers or go on a candlelight processions. But these actions do not make any impression on anybody.
The political class is not moved by a candlelight procession.
I am not saying prayer has no power. God wants us to pray and also take action.
What kind of action?
Action is, the minorities have to be united. They should not remain divided.
There are so many Christian denominations, and there is no clear understanding or agreement between them.
If we want to make any impression on the political class, all Christian groups must unite.
How disturbed are you about these attacks? How was it when you first started working in Bhopal?
It is disturbing. We are powerless. I am also powerless.
From the time I started working in Madhya Pradesh, there is a difference, in the sense that everything has become rigid now.
I used to have a rather good relations with the government.
Slowly, things changed.
But then we have to accept the reality. Change what we can, and accept what we cannot change.
Are you optimistic about the future?
We may be in the midst of an ocean now, but there is a shore for every ocean.
So, I am optimistic that people will get enlightened, and things will change.
India has been resilient, and we should not lose hope.
Earlier, we didn't hear about what was happening in the next state, but today, whatever happens in any part of the world, we get to know immediately.
But only negative things are written about and projected in the media. When you read and see negative things, it will make a person sick and violent.
We must also remember that India is the most populous country.
A lot of good things are also happening, but good things are not being written about.
That's why I say, we should not lose hope.
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
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