He asked them to ensure Constitutionally guaranteed religious freedom to each and every citizen.
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Mumbai:
Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Bombay has cautioned political parties not to exploit religion for political purposes.
He also asked them to ensure Constitutionally guaranteed religious freedom to all citizens, especially religious minorities throughout India.
“To discriminate against religious beliefs, or to discredit religious practice, is exclusion contrary to respect for fundamental human dignity that will eventually destabilize society by creating a climate of tension, intolerance, opposition, and suspicion not conducive to social peace and become detrimental to the progress of our beloved country,” he said.
Cardinal Gracias, who is also the president of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, was speaking in reference to a recent report by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
The US organization has added India to level 2 of its ranking among the countries where violations of religious freedom are growing and of serious concern.
“My immediate concern is that we must take steps to ensure that rights are not infringed upon in any way, that the minorities are safeguarded to practice, profess and propagate their faith freely,” the cardinal said.
Right to religious freedom is enshrined in Indian Constitution, he said. “Spirituality is an intrinsic part of Indian culture and life and it is urgent and essential that government bodies, the laws and practices uphold religious freedom,” he added.
The cardinal said that a guarantee of religious freedom supports other fundamental rights necessary to all human persons because it is grounded in the universal dignity of the human person, religious freedom encourages other related rights.
Source: Asianews
Cardinal Oswald Gracias , CBCI , Religious Freedom , USCIRF
Map of religious freedom and restrictions in the world. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Blog: www.silentmaj.wordpress.com
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SILENT VOICE 
fergymisquitta said,
May 8, 2013 at 9:45 pm
My personal opinion is that Oswald Gracias who sadly happens to be the Archbishop of Bombay should just keep his mouth shut lest someone tells him that as a person who is blind and deaf to all the rot that is going on in the Church in Bombay he has no right to tell others what to do. Let him put his own archdiocese in order, discipline/sack all the thieving clergy, then and only then will he have the right to pontificate as an archbishop.
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dmelloalex said,
May 12, 2013 at 10:13 pm
Does anyone from the AD have the guts to call a press conference at the Press club to send such a message to Manuwadis/political parties? We are all frightened. We are all comfortable within the four walls of our ivory towers and give the message only to Catholics. Sorry state of affairs.
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THE SILENT BEATITUDES : 50,000 = PETALS & PEBBLES | SILENT VOICE said,
May 28, 2013 at 8:44 am
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