Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Nov 20: Prashanth Jathanna, secretary of the Christian Forum for Human Rights Udupi, noted that Karnataka Christian Development Corporation had been proposed to be set up and a budgetary allocation of Rs 200 crore had been made for the year 2019-20. "Just when it was about to be inaugurated, chief minister B S Yediyurappa cancelled the proposal through a note. This has crushed the dreams of the Christian community. Many minority poor families face problems because of this step. We want the chief minister to inform who bought pressure on him to shelve this corporation. He should take immediate steps to institute the corporations again," he demanded.
Addressing a press conference held at the Press Cub here on Friday November 20, he noted that development corporations are being set up by the state government even for small communities. "The Christian community has its presence all over the state. It has been providing considerable service to the society in education, social service, and medical sectors and working for the all-round development of the state along with the state government. Christians are disappointed for neglecting their community. This decision has pained the Christians who are living in peace and harmony in the state. This is likely to deprive financial backward Christians of the benefits of various government facilities. Many poor Christians are dependent on government schemes," he said.
He requested the government to set up the proposed Christian Development Corporation and see that facilities for which the community is eligible to get from the minorities department in addition to what they were already getting, should be provided through the said corporation and facilitate Christians in the state to lead a respectable life.
He noted that in 2012, Yediyurappa had reserved Rs 50 crore for setting up Christian Development Committee. Now the proposal to institute a corporation exclusively for Christians had made all of them happy. But either because of pressure brought in by someone or something else, the state government has moved to drop the proposal. The chief minister should change his decision and pave way for the corporation to become a reality, Prashanth stated.
He also said that leaders of the Christian Union will together meet the chief minister and handover a petition in this connection.
Catholic Sabha Udupi Pradesh president Robert Menezes, president of International Federation of Karnataka Christian Associations Dr Neri Carnelio, trustee of St Mary's Orthodox Syrian Cathedral Udupi Thomas Suares, immediate past president of Catholic Sabha Udupi Allwyn Quadros, Louis Lobo, Allen Vaz, secretary, St Mary's Orthodox Syrian Cathedral etc were present.