Karnataka Bishops To Hold Protest Demonstration on Feb 18
BANGALORE, Karnataka (SAR NEWS) – Bishops belonging to the various denominational Churches in Karnataka will hold a protest demonstration in Bangalore, February 18, to voice the grievances of the Christian community and demand, among other things, an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the attacks on Christians and their places of worship in the State.
Addressing media persons here, February 17, Archbishop Bernard Moras of Bangalore, who is also the president of the Karnataka Region Catholic Bishops’ Council, said the Christians had rejected the findings of the Justice B K Somasekara Commission which had probed the attacks on the churches in different parts of Karnataka in 2008.
“We want the State government, with all the force at its command, to reject the one-sided, totally unjust and biased report (of the Somasekara Commission) and demand that the entire series of attacks be entrusted to the CBI for a comprehensive probe,” he said.
He said it was surprising that the Commission had failed to identify the culprits involved in acts of vandalism even after confirming the attacks.
“We demand that over 150 cases lodged against Christian youth and women must be unconditionally withdrawn immediately and adequate and just compensation or restitution be done to individuals and institutions that were attacked and subjected to a great loss,” he said.
Demanding that the culprits in the attacks on the churches should be identified, the archbishop condemned the Commission report saying that despite the fact that the community had served and contributed significantly to the state, “our voice is not heard”.
“We demand that we be allowed our Constitutional right of being able to practise our religion,” Archbishop Moras said.
He announced that all the prelates in Karnataka would submit a memorandum to Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj enlisting their demands after the protest demonstration.
Priests, pastors, nuns and the Christian laity in Bangalore and surrounding areas will also hold a protest rally to voice their grievances on February 21.
