All India Catholic Union (AICU), India’s largest lay Catholic movement has expressed concern over government’s failure to condemn and contain the threats to freedom of expression in the country. John Dayal, AICU official spokesperson, issued a statement in Mumbai expressing their fear, questioning the decreasing freedom of expression in India. AICU also demanded the removal of GST on all religious artifacts, citing the 12% tax imposed on Wooden Crosses and Rosaries as an example of government’s indifference to the sentiments of religious minorities.
As reported by ucanindia.in, the statement issued by AICU said, “The threat to the life to the artists and director of the period drama film Padmavati, to the OBC writer Prof. Kancha Ilaiah and the social media threats to activists Kavita Krishnan, Kavita Srivastava and others reflect a speedy breakdown in the rule of law.” Further, it stressed that, “Religious minorities are being coerced, threatened and targeted by religious and cultural nationalists.”
AICU highlighted that enforcing of the NEET admission tests will deeply impact the future of minority students seeking admission in professional education institutions, adding that the proposed new National Education Policy continues as a threat with reports of rewriting curricula and the corporatization of education.
