MUMBAI, India – Catholic groups in the Tamil Nadu state in India say statements by the governor is pushing “false propaganda” about the Church.
The Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council (TNBC) and Tamil Nadu Latin Bishops’ Council (TNLBC) have issued a “strong condemnation” against Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi remarks on Sept. 7.
Ravi criticized the British colonial period for attempting to destroy India’s identity and education system.
“British government, along with missionaries, tried to destroy the identity of Bharat,” he said, referring another name of India often used in the Hindi language.
“To kill the spirit of Bharat, they killed the education system. They took away our treasures and inscriptions. They fabricated history to give a new identity to people in our country. This was a well deliberate attempt,” he said.
“Young people have been deprived of our cultural and spiritual heritage. It’s a form of fabricated social engineering aimed at creating a different identity through cultural genocide and trying to erase our connection with the rest of the country and our past,” the governor added.
The Church leaders said his comments were “destroying India’s identity and educational system.”
“The Governor’s remarks are a gross distortion of history, suggesting that Christians were allied with the British in efforts to undermine India. This is an absolute falsehood,” said the statement from the TNBC.
They alleged Ravi’s statements on Christian missionaries having stolen the country’s wealth and artistic treasures and created a false identity for the people of the country, “distorted history and made it wrong.”
Tamil Nadu is the southernmost state of India with a population of over 72 million. Hindus make up over 87 percent of the country, but Christians are over 6 percent, nearly three-times the national average.
As governor since 2021, Ravi has been accused by elected officials as being “dictatorial” in the usually more ceremonial position. He often supports a more Hindu-nationalist policy in a state that is traditionally less Hindu-nationalist than the north of the country.
Archbishop George Anthonysamy of Mylapore and President of the Tamil Nadu Synod calling the governor’s remarks “profanity” and stating that Ravi’s actions are sowing division in society.
“Governor Ravi’s speech was not only hateful but a clear attempt to incite communal tensions,” he said.
The archbishop added Christians in India have long been deeply connected to the country’s traditions, values, and culture, and are committed to its development.
He called for the Governor to stop promoting a politics of hatred and urged Ravi to focus on uniting people and fulfilling his constitutional duties.
Tamil Nadu Father Devasagaya Raj, the former secretary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India Dalits Commission told Crux Ravi’s has used his position as the governor to stir controversy “from the beginning.”
“It appears that he’s has the right-wing ideological mindset, whenever he speaks in public and in the programs whatever he attends,” he said.
“He faced criticism not only from the ruling government but also from most Tamils. Tamils are proud of their language and culture and when someone talks ill of it they are not happy,” Raj added.
“He is against the education system introduced by the British which opened the gates of the education to all including the untouchables and the women. Christians never sided with the British rulers when there was a fight for freedom. They always supported the freedom struggle,” the priest told Crux.
Raj also said the missionaries opened schools and colleges which gave education to all irrespective of caste and religion.
“This is not tolerated by the people who like caste hierarchy,” he explained, speaking about the Hindu practice of strict social division.
“The rationalist movement in Tamil Nadu started by Periyar abolished many of the bad practices which were against humanity and human dignity,” Raj said, referring to the politician who started the Self-Respect Movement in Tamil Nadu and died in 1973.
“People like Ravi do not appreciate these changes brought by rationalist movements and missionaries. He shows the minority as enemies of the majority. In Tamil Nadu people live with religious harmony. These kinds of hate speeches will bring enmity among the people who are living in peace,” the priest told Crux.
