Kestur Vasuki | Bangalore
‘BJP had no role in church attacks’
The one-man judicial commission that probed the 2008 attacks on churches in Karnataka has given a clean chit to the BS Yeddyurappa Government and Sangh Parivar.
It felt that circulation of derogatory literature with “insulting attitude” against Hindus and issues of conversion by a few organisations and “self-styled pastors” were provocations behind the attacks.
The panel gave the clean chit to Roman Catholic churches too, saying they did not engage in any conversion activity.
Absolving the State Government and police of any role, the Justice BK Somasekara Commission said, “There is no basis for the apprehension of Christian petitioners that BJP, Sangh Parivar and the State Government, directly or indirectly, were involved in the attacks.”
“The attacks were done by misguided fundamentalists of defined or undefined groups or organisations against Christians and Christianity. The attackers mistakenly presumed that they would be protected by the party in power,” the report added.
Disagreeing with the findings of the report, Bangalore vicar general Archdiocese S Jagayanathan said the probe report had not done justice to the minority community by not naming the culprits.
“The commission has let down the Christian community. The entire Christian community is disappointed and feel the report is unfair,” the vicar general said. The clean chit to the ruling BJP comes at the time when the Chief Minister is battling with corruption and nepotism charges.
In a significant reference, the commission in its highlights states that there were clear indications of conversions attempts in seven districts by a few organisations and “self-appointed pastors” with “inducements”.
“There are clear indications of conversions to Christianity in the districts of Bangalore, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Bellary, Davanagere, Chikkamgaluru and Udupi by a few organisations and self-appointed pastors with the help of unaccounted funds from the foreign country,” the report states.
It seeks legislation to regulate Christian places of worship, like that of Hindus and Muslims under Article 25 of the Constitution.
“The demand of Hindus for a suitable legislation to prevent practices detrimental to the interests of their religion is justified. The suggestion of the Government advocates, police and Hindu leaders to bring Christian places of worship under the ambit of legislations that are applicable to religious places of Hindus and Muslims is well-founded and accepted,” the report states.
In September 2008, churches were vandalised in different parts of Karnataka — Mangalore, Udupi, Kolar, and Bellary. Some outfits linked to the BJP and the RSS had been accused of carrying out the attacks.
The panel, however, was critical of police and civil administration for not treating the Christians who protested against the attacks sympathetically. The panel said it had received 1,500 petitions and examined over 800 people.
The commission noted the Catholic Church did not indulge in conversions, except during marriages or when people voluntarily sought to become Catholics. However, the commission noted “clear indications of conversions to Christianity” in several districts by a few organisations and “self-appointed” pastors.
The report said the attacks “deeply affected” relations between Christians and Hindus who now suspect each other. It rejected the demand of some Hindu groups to ban Christian literatures.
Karnataka Home Minister R Ashoka told the media that the Government will look into the suggestions given by the commission and take suitable actions.
Meanwhile, the Congress rejected the report and said it was biased. Talking to the media, Karnataka Congress chief G Parameshwara said the party can’t accept the report. However he said the party will decide its next course of action after going through the report.
Source: The Pioneer, January 29, 2011
‘BJP had no role in church attacks’
The one-man judicial commission that probed the 2008 attacks on churches in Karnataka has given a clean chit to the BS Yeddyurappa Government and Sangh Parivar.
It felt that circulation of derogatory literature with “insulting attitude” against Hindus and issues of conversion by a few organisations and “self-styled pastors” were provocations behind the attacks.
The panel gave the clean chit to Roman Catholic churches too, saying they did not engage in any conversion activity.
Absolving the State Government and police of any role, the Justice BK Somasekara Commission said, “There is no basis for the apprehension of Christian petitioners that BJP, Sangh Parivar and the State Government, directly or indirectly, were involved in the attacks.”
“The attacks were done by misguided fundamentalists of defined or undefined groups or organisations against Christians and Christianity. The attackers mistakenly presumed that they would be protected by the party in power,” the report added.
Disagreeing with the findings of the report, Bangalore vicar general Archdiocese S Jagayanathan said the probe report had not done justice to the minority community by not naming the culprits.
“The commission has let down the Christian community. The entire Christian community is disappointed and feel the report is unfair,” the vicar general said. The clean chit to the ruling BJP comes at the time when the Chief Minister is battling with corruption and nepotism charges.
In a significant reference, the commission in its highlights states that there were clear indications of conversions attempts in seven districts by a few organisations and “self-appointed pastors” with “inducements”.
“There are clear indications of conversions to Christianity in the districts of Bangalore, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Bellary, Davanagere, Chikkamgaluru and Udupi by a few organisations and self-appointed pastors with the help of unaccounted funds from the foreign country,” the report states.
It seeks legislation to regulate Christian places of worship, like that of Hindus and Muslims under Article 25 of the Constitution.
“The demand of Hindus for a suitable legislation to prevent practices detrimental to the interests of their religion is justified. The suggestion of the Government advocates, police and Hindu leaders to bring Christian places of worship under the ambit of legislations that are applicable to religious places of Hindus and Muslims is well-founded and accepted,” the report states.
In September 2008, churches were vandalised in different parts of Karnataka — Mangalore, Udupi, Kolar, and Bellary. Some outfits linked to the BJP and the RSS had been accused of carrying out the attacks.
The panel, however, was critical of police and civil administration for not treating the Christians who protested against the attacks sympathetically. The panel said it had received 1,500 petitions and examined over 800 people.
The commission noted the Catholic Church did not indulge in conversions, except during marriages or when people voluntarily sought to become Catholics. However, the commission noted “clear indications of conversions to Christianity” in several districts by a few organisations and “self-appointed” pastors.
The report said the attacks “deeply affected” relations between Christians and Hindus who now suspect each other. It rejected the demand of some Hindu groups to ban Christian literatures.
Karnataka Home Minister R Ashoka told the media that the Government will look into the suggestions given by the commission and take suitable actions.
Meanwhile, the Congress rejected the report and said it was biased. Talking to the media, Karnataka Congress chief G Parameshwara said the party can’t accept the report. However he said the party will decide its next course of action after going through the report.
Source: The Pioneer, January 29, 2011
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