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February
2000
Cover Story Interview with Dolphy D’Souza, AICU The All India Catholic Union which has decided to launch a nationwide campaign to press the Union government for reforms in Christian personal laws is a mass-based, democratic, grassroots federation with a presence in more than hundred of the 130 dioceses of the Catholic Church in India. It has a collective membership that runs into lakhs and is the only organisation of the Catholic laity that is recognised by the Catholic Bishop Conference of India. Communalism Combat spoke to Dolphy D’souza, national secretary, human rights and social justice AICU and convenor, Voice of the Exploited (VOTE), Mumbai on the subject. Excerpts from the interview: What is the action plan of AICU
for the national campaign?
We have to give people an opportunity to understand what is at stake, what are the changes suggested by representative organisations of the community. There is a widespread myth about religion–related personal laws being sacrosanct. People need to be informed about the interpretation of these laws in modern times in keeping with unfortunate, present day social realities. If the human aspect of equality between men and women is discussed, people will begin to understand. We need to ask our people: Is there equality between men and women in any real sense? The world is changing at such a
fast pace but our attitudes are slow to keep pace. This needs to be corrected,
our attitudes need to change. We cannot afford to be out-dated in our thinking.
Religion must play a positive and radical role in enhancing the values
that we all cherish from a human viewpoint.
How exactly do you plan to go
about your mass motivation and mobilisation plan?
There are 130 diocesan organisations
within the Catholic Church in India. Along with the background papers,
a campaign strategy for the local level will be suggested: how to
raise this demand consistently so we can be heard.
Do you not expect resistance
from within the Catholic community?
We have to stress that we are talking about a creative life for women and men within the church, changes that are bound to enhance the dynamism and growth of the church and the country. We know that we, regrettably, have a patriarchal set up at the level of the State, community and family. But such changes can assist the process in setting things right. However, if we pitch the campaign well and manage to take the people along, assure them that the changes will only enhance the quality of life of people, of women and the Church, people will come around. |