Mangalore Church Attacks: State Cabinet Withdraws All Cases Against Christians
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore/Bangalore
Mangalore/Bangalore, Dec 1: The Karnataka State Cabinet on Thursday December 1 took a major decision of withdrawing cases filed against 338 innocent Christian youth in 2008.
It took more than 3 years and concerted efforts on the parts of IFKCA, Archbishop of Bangalore Dr Bernad Moras, Bishop of Mangalore Dr Aloysius Paul Dsouza and a few other organizations, the laity and the clergy to apprise and request the government to withdraw these cases wrongly filed against the Catholic youth following the events of the aftermath of the attack on churches in Mangalore and Udupi in 2008.
Though the state government had taken a decision long ago to withdraw the cases and had assured various delegations about its intent to do so, it was waiting for the cabinet approval for formally withdrawing the cases.
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The withdrawal of these cases has come as a big relief to all those youth against whom the cases were pending as it was a big burden that affected their studies, their everyday life and career prospects.
It is also a moment of contentment for Ronald Colaco, chairman of International Federation of Karnataka Christian Association (IFKCA) and its members whose consistent and steadfast efforts paved the way for the state cabinet to take this most awaited decision.
The Law Minister of the State S Suresh Kumar in a press conference confirmed the decision taken by the cabinet in this direction and said the government took the decision as a result of the concerted efforts IFKCA chairman and its members who worked studiously and painstakingly to enable the cabinet to take the decision so soon.
The long awaited cabinet decision to withdraw the cases of 338 innocent Christian youth against whom cases were filed as a consequence of the retaliatory action following the attack on places of worship, is a big respite to the affected youth who now feel they are free from a big load they carried these three years.
The Cabinet decision is also a big relief for all those leaders who worked zealously in the past three years to get them released. Their untiring efforts have proved fruitful though it has taken 3 years for the government to arrive at the decision as it had to follow certain procedures to do so. The decision would have come at least a month early but for the elections in the Bellary which made it obligatory on the state not to take any major decisions till elections were over, as part of the Election Commission’s code of conduct. In fact, many prominent Catholic leaders individually and collectively and through organizations had exerted tremendous pressure on the government to withdraw these cases. Even the Catholic clergy made its own efforts in this direction.
IFKCA chairman Ronald Colaco had led two delegations this year alone to the chief ministers and other cabinet ministers of the state requesting them to withdraw the cases and also to express unhappiness over the delay in taking a decision. The cabinet decision was not easy to come as the files pertaining to all the cases from different police stations where the cases were registered had to reach the head office of IGP and from there to ADGP’s office and finally to the office of DGP. These files were then required to be sent to the home secretary and from there to the office of the home minister. The home minister then had to forward it to the law minister for legal opinion.
Following pressure from IFKCA home minister R Ashok had instructed special officer Kempe Gowda to keep a track of file movement of these cases as per the procedures, from respective local police stations till the office of the home ministry. It was IFKCA chairman and its members across the state who played a colossal role in ensuring that the relevant files moved from the respective police stations to the final destination without undue delay. The quick movement of all the files from the source to the destination enabled the home ministry to prepare the decision for the approval of the cabinet. As such, it was easy for the cabinet to take a quick decision.
It may be remembered that following the unfortunate events that followed the church attack in Mangalore and Udupi in 2008, the Catholic youth reacted to the attack on the places of worship which was nothing but reactionary, resulting in the clash between them and the police. In these incidents the police had registered cases against many innocent youth who suffered all these three years by attending the court cases and also by running from pillar to post requesting withdrawal of these cases. Most of these youth had to suffer a great deal and over the years lost the zest to fight the cases as most of them had to forego their studies and good career prospects.
Eminent community leader and NRI businessman Ronald Colaco and his institution IFKCA was instrumental in playing a pivotal role in coming to the rescue of these youth by providing monetary and psychological help for these youngsters who were arrested after filing cases. Despite positive responses from the erstwhile chief minister B S Yeddyurappa and his cabinet colleagues and also from the present chief minister and home minister, it was an exasperating moment for everyone concerned till the decision came through. He led many delegations to the former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, former home ministers Dr V S Acharya, present home minister R Ashok and current chief minister D V Sadananda and impressed upon them to withdraw the cases filed against the innocent youth of the community. Delegation members of IFKCA included Denis D'Silva, convenor IFKCA, Jossy Lobo, president IFKCA Belehonur Roshan Castelino, president of Sparsha Social Service Centre, Michael Baptist, secretary, IFKCA, Stanly K Bangarpet, and others.
The state government had appointed Justice Somshekar Commission headed by Justice B K Somshekar who submitted his report in January 2012. His report was a complete U-turn from the earlier interim report he had prepared and submitted. Though the report gave a clean chit to the government IFKCA and its members exerted pressure on the government from time to time to withdraw the cases. It is the hard work done by altruistic individuals which helped the cabinet to take the landmark decision.
Ronald Colaco thanks CM and Cabinet
President of IFKCA Ronald Colaco whose efforts paved the way for ending the rigmarole has thanked Karnataka chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda and his cabinet for fulfilling the promise given to the people and organizations that approached the government time and again. In a statement to Daijiworld he said the chief minister has obliged to the numerous delegations and requests of IFKCA to revoke the cases. He expressed hope that the government would look sympathetically into the requests of the members on various issues concerning the Catholic community.
Mangalore Bishop Welcomes Cabinet Decision
Mangalore bishop Dr Aloysius Paul D'Souza, in a media release, welcomed the decision taken by the state cabinet to withdraw all the cases against Christians in connection with the 2008 church attacks.
He conveyed thanks and good wishes to chief minister D V Sadananda Gowda and the government ministries and officials involved in the process.
Welcoming the decision, he requested the government to pass an order in this regard and ensure that it is implemented at the earliest.