Christian rally slams panel report

Thousands of Christians converged on St Francis Xavier Cathedral grounds here on Monday to express their anger at the Somasekara Commission report on the church attacks.

“Nothing will stop us from spreading our religion. For, it is both a word of the Lord and a provision under the Constitution of India; treating the world like a family is a Christian birthright which will never be compromised with,” said the representatives of the community.

Some 12,000 people joined the protest organised by the Karnataka United Christian Forum for Human Rights (KUCFHR) and pledged, holding candles in their hands, to carry out peaceful protests till they got justice.

They also rejected the charge that Christians indulged in forced conversions. Addressing the gathering, president of the Karnataka Region Catholic Bishops’ Council, Archbishop Bernard Moras of Bangalore, said: “Let us not be intimidated by any threats or attacks; let us boldly profess, practise and propagate our faith...For, we are Christians and we must uphold our Constitutional rights.”

Well-planned attacks

Pointing out that it was the bounden duty of the government to safeguard the Constitutional rights of religious minorities, he said: “Over 300 such attacks have taken place across Karnataka since September 2008.”

“The attacks were planned and executed professionally. The organisations and the miscreants had the patronage of the authorities. Innocent Christians were targeted, attacked, persecuted, and taken to courts,” he added.

He said Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa had even failed to respond to a request made by the Bishops of Karnataka, seeking an interview with him.

“Not only did we not get an appointment to meet the chief minister, but we were also denied a response from his side,” he said.

With regard to the Commission report, he said: “The remarks in almost identical language are a feature in respect of, almost all the attacks, absolving in virtually identical words, specifically the government or the ruling BJP or Sangh Parivar of any involvement or responsibility for the attacks.”

Following protests in Mangalore and Bangalore, KUCFHR said another meeting would be convened in Belgaum on February 28 in an attempt to continue the pressure on the State government over the Somasekara Commission report.