Don’t refuse land for Kabrastan in Goa: Fr Cedric Prakash

Don’t refuse land for Kabrastan: activist
HERALD REPORTER

MARGAO, MAY 9
Gujarat-based human rights activist and award winner, Fr Cedric Prakash has said that it is a sin for anyone to refuse Muslims land to bury their dead in Goa.
While social thinker, Swami Agnivesh has allayed fears of Goans that the influx of people with burquas and beards would destroy the state, he urged the people not to fear, but celebrate diversity in this age of globalization.
They were speaking at a public meeting organised by the Interfaith Dialogue for life; Council for social justice and peace and Human rights Law Network, Goa on Combating Communalism – Affirming Secularism at the Lohia Maidan here on Saturday evening.
“There are Catholics in Goa who refuse to give Muslims to bury their dead. This is Sin, this is wrong”, he said adding “Jesus never taught us to discriminate. I can say with conviction and with full heart”.
Fr Prakash said those who profess to be disciples of Jesus should stand up for the sisters and brothers, not because they are Muslims, but they are children of God and belonging to a secular country.
Referring to the situation in Gujarat post 2002, Fr Prakash said the Gujarat government has enacted a law which requires permission from the Collector to convert to another religion. ‘The Universal Declaration of Human Rights gives me a right to change my religions, and neither Modi nor Advani can change this”, he said and charged the fascist forces for strangulating the freedom of speech guaranteed by the Constitution.
Swami Agnivesh underlined the need for Goans to come together and build a Kabrastan with love. “Don’t be apprehensive of people wearing burquas or men sporting beard. Don’t think these people will destroy Goa. We will never allow Goa to be destroyed”, he asserted.
“We will take Goa’s strength to build a strong and new India. Globalisation has come to stay. Don’t fear diversity, but celebrate diversity”, he said.
Swami Agnivesh has called upon Goans to fight the mining and real estate mafia, saying the people of the country are with the people in the fight against the mining mafias.
He also urged Goans to take the lead against alcohol and liquor consumption and show an example to the rest of the country.
Noted human rights activist, Shabnam Hasmi said that Goans have not seen the kind of violence and the kind of mindset witnessed in many part of India, including Delhi.
“This mindset is shifting away towards the right. The gravity of the situation is perhaps not realized, because you have not seen violence. Violence is the last stage of communalization of society. Violence takes place when there is hatred in your heart. Please do not wish for such a situation’, she appealed.
He said questions such as on Kabrastan were raised in Gujarat too before the state went out of control.
Recalling her visit to Goa after the Guddemal violence, Hasmi said she was shocked to learn how people from other villages were mobilized to attack people, adding “it is exactly how villages were attacked in the 2002 Gujarat riots”. Ram Punanai also spoke.
In his address, Convenor for the Council for Social Justice and Peace, Fr Maverick Fernandes said the purpose of the meeting is to find ways and means to strengthen secularism in Goa. “We cannot close our eyes and say nothing is going on when there is an agenda to destroy our secular fabric”, he said.
The meeting resolved with one voice to affirm secularism and to combat communalism in Goa.