Party Politics and Religion

We had a long running war between the Union Health Minister and the Principal of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. The Minister removed the Principal and appointed his own man to the top; the entire faculty got divided into two camps; the old Principal went to court, was reinstated and the tussle was a public tamasha for months.

Now, almost a repeat of the same incident is taking place. This time, the power centre is not a political head, but a religious one. Read this news item :

It is being seen as a coup of sorts by a bishop. The administration of the 128-year-old American College in Madurai has allegedly been taken over illegally by the bishop.

The college was founded by American missionaries but was being run by an independent governing council with the bishop as a nominal head. But recently the bishop suspended the principal, reportedly in an illegally convened governing council, stormed the college and made his chosen man the principal incharge.

Principal Dr T Chinnaraj Joseph Jaikumar says: "It's a Christian college and as early as 1934 the founding fathers wanted the college to be independent of the church. And the faculty, students and all would like me cherish it and protect."

The state government has not accepted the bishop's action. The Madras High Court has restrained the principal from carrying out his work. Now there is fear and unrest on the campus. The bishop says the college is an integral part of the church.

Caught in the tussle for power are the students.

Can you believe it ? The exact repeat. Party Politics and Religion are similar in many aspects. They want large following; want to crush out opposition; and are largely undemocratic, in spite of the rhetoric.

When you get on to a stage and see large number of people in front of you listening (whether it is in a public meeting or in a church), power goes into your head, I guess