13 Children in Conversion Controversy Go Home With Parents
Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network—Mangalore (PS/CN)
Mangalore, Apr 6: Women and child welfare department officials, who conducted a raid at Bethel Ministry in Haleangady near Mulky following allegations that children were being coaxed to convert from their religion, released 13 of the 24 children on Wednesday April 6.
Pastor Joy was running a praying center where 24 children were accommodated. He refuted the allegations and said that it was just a simple children’s hostel. The pastor also said that he had been providing education and shelter to orphans below the age of 15 for which he has been getting financial support from foreign countries.
However, Pastor Joy failed to produce documents to strengthen his claim. Thus, the women and child welfare department officials registered a case against Joy and transferred all children to the child protection center of the department in Bondel.
On Tuesday April 5, the department had asked the parents of all the children to be present at the remand home and but did not hand over the children to them as they did not bring relevant documents to prove that they are indeed the parents.
Therefore on Wednesday April 6, about 150 members of Bharathiya Christa Okkuta held a protest in front of the remand home at Bondel demanding the release of the children. Thirteen of the children were released from the child protection centre on Wednesday. Officials said that the others could be released by Thursday April 7, if parents bring the relevant documents.
Amidst this, the allegation that a girl from the centre was molested, which enraged locals enough to thrash Pastor Joy, took a U-turn with the Okkuta members claiming that the girl was forced to make the statement.