CV NEWS FEED // The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) issued new guidelines for Catholic schools on April 1, suggesting policies that increase diversity and respect for other religions in response to the socio-cultural, religious, and political tensions rising in India.
The Indian Express reported that the guidelines include suggestions such as promoting religious tolerance and not forcing Christian traditions and practices on students of other religions. The CBCI also suggested setting up an inter-religious prayer room and having students recite the Preamble to the Constitution during morning assemblies.
The Indian Express reported that such guidelines have never been issued before.
“[T]hese guidelines have been introduced against the backdrop of recent attacks and protests against principals and staff of educational institutions run by the Christian community,” The Indian Express reported.
Hindu activists have protested against Christian schools in the past, claiming that the schools discriminate against Hindus and requiring the schools to remove Christian symbols and religious habits worn by priests, nuns, and brothers.
In addition to increasing respect for other religions, the guidelines additionally recommend increased security at schools, including locked doors, security systems, surveillance cameras, and procedures for checking in visitors.
Fr. Maria Charles SDB, national secretary of the CBCI, told The Indian Express that the guidelines serve as a “gentle reminder” and “wakeup call” for Catholic schools.
“These are not suggested as a method of defence mechanism, rather reminding all the schools, how they need to be, how they need to keep everything in order,” he said. “Certain events here and there which have happened, which are not that palatable. And we, we need to be always worried about our students as well as the teachers.”
Charles added that Catholic schools need to be more sensitive given the current political and social situation in India.
“It is also a reminder to the principals to be more sensitive, because the majority of our students and teachers are always from other faiths,” Charles said. “All the more reason why we also need to be more sensitive. We have been teaching students the Preamble [to the Indian Constitution] for many years, not just now. For many years, we have believed that all our students need to know the Preamble and be aware of the constitutional values.”
CatholicVote reported that Christians have increasingly come under persecution in India due to ethnic and religious clashes. The state government of Manipur attempted to require public employees to work on Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday, but was met with opposition from local Christians.
Ethnic clashes have also led to the burning of hundreds of Christian churches and homes in Manipur.
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