Indian Christian leaders hope new President would promote Constitutional rights

Indian Christian leaders hope the newly elected President will promote Constitutional rights of all, especially indigenous peoples.

On 21 July, Draupadi Murmu was elected as the first tribal woman and second woman President of India.

Murmu will assume the office on July 25 as the 15th President. The election was held on July 18.

“We hope the 64-year-old Murmu will champion the rights of tribals and others,” said Father Nicholas Barla, secretary of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) – Office of Tribal Affairs.

Indigenous people who are marginalized in many fields such as education, employment and empowerment, have pinned lots of hope on Murmu, said the Divine Word priest.

According to Sister Lalita Roshni Lakra of CBCI – Office of Tribal Affairs, tribals should not be exploited and their identity that rests on water, land and forest must be promoted.

“We do hope that Murmu will promote the rights of tribals, women and girls,” said Lakra, a member of the Daughters of St Anne Ranchi and social activist.

Meanwhile, many other church leaders expressed their optimism on the election of Murmu.

John Dayal, a lay Catholic leader, human rights activist and senior journalist, said Murmu would not disappoint religious minorities such as Muslims and Christians, and tribals, but ensure their wellbeing and Constitutional rights of all.

In recent years, Muslims and Christians have been facing targeted violence, hate speech and bigotry from various Hindu nationalist groups and fringe elements. The attacks on religious minorities have become a matter of great concern.

The President of India is the Constitutional head of the country, though the executive power rests on the federal council of ministers headed by the Prime Minister.

Divine Word Archbishop John Barwa of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar in eastern Indian state of Odisha said lots of people have placed their hope on Murmu, who hails from Odisha.

Murmu’s election to the highest position of the country is a matter of great pride for indigenous people, Barwa added.

Tribals constitute 8.6 percent of India’s 1.4 billion people.

Murmu was born on June 20, 1958 in Mayurbhanj district of Odisha. Before entering into politics, Murmu was a school teacher and professor in Odisha. She began her public service as a municipal councillor and served as a member of Legislative Assembly for two terms and was appointed as the minister in Odisha.

She also served as the governor of neighbouring Jharkhand state from 2015 to 2021.