Pics: Rons Bantwal
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore / Mangalore, Aug 25: Thanks to swift intervention by Ronald Colaco, chairman of International Federation of Karnataka Christian Associations (IFKCA), Mangalore city police commissioner has directed all the police stations around Mangalore under commissionerate, not to interfere with Christian prayer groups.
Colaco met the director general and inspector general of police (DG and IGP) of Karnataka N Achuta Rao in Bangalore on Thursday August 25 following the report on Daijiworld about police stations having asked Christian prayer groups to seek permission from police stations or the DC office for conducting prayers in Mangalore and around the regions.
Achuta Rao took immediate action and spoke to Mangalore City police commissioner who responded spontaneously and said that he has instructed all the police stations not to interfere with groups holding prayers in houses of any of the pastors.
"Is the same rule applicable to all communities before holding pujas, bhajans or any other kind of prayers in their houses with friends, relatives and neighbours?" Colaco questioned the IGP.
N Achutha Rao assured that all efforts will be taken to ensure that everybody has the freedom to practice their respective religions within the limits stipulated in the Constitution.
The delegation led by Ronald Colaco also requested him to direct the additional DGP (law and order) to expedite the process of forwarding the files pertaining to the criminal cases booked against Christian youth following the 2008 churches attacks. Rao took action on the spot, and ordered his officers bring up the files for signature and also instructed the officers concerned to dispatch them before evening to the home secretary. Colaco and the delegation thanked the DG and IGP profusely for his prompt action.
Colaco praised Denis D'Silva, Michael Baptist and Stanly, the key members of IFKCA for taking the initiatives in visiting all the police stations and found out that 331 persons have been booked under criminal cases in Dakshina Kannada district alone, as against 151 surmised by various groups. They have been instrumental in pushing the files to the level of additional DGP (law and order) which involved several days of hard work and sacrifice which Colaco thanked them abundantly for.
Colaco introduced Grace Pinto, managing director of Ryan International Group to the IGP, along with other personalities of the delegation comprising Christian leader Felix D'Souza Taccode, IFKCA general secretary Michael Baptist, State Convener Denis D'Silva, Christian leaders Rons Bantwal, Arun Mendes, Nigel Colaco, Agnes D'Souza, Udupi IFKCA president Louis Lobo, vice-president Prashanth Jathanna, Stanley K and Joylas Taccode.
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