Bangalore: Congress Leaders Condemn Church Attack, Demand Arrest of Culprits
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
BANGALORE, Sept 10: Congress leaders of Karnataka have strongly condemned the attack on St Francis De Sales Church near Hebbagodi in Anekal taluk of Bangalore rural district and urged the B S Yeddyurappa-led BJP government to take stringent action against the culprits and bring them to book immediately.
Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president R V Deshpande and working president D K Shivakumar lashed out at the BJP government for allowing a free hand to various religious fundamentalist elements, which created a fear psychosis among the minorities.
D K Shivkumar visits Hosur church
`If the government is really serious about ensuring protection and safeguarding the interests of Christians, Muslims and other religious minorities, it should immediately step n to crush the anti-social and anti-minority elements,’’ Deshpande said.
The KPCC president and working president demanded that the chief minister himself should take full control of the home department and put down the activities of the fundamentalist forces with an iron hand.
Deshpande as well as Shiva Kumar said immediate arrest of the culprits and ordering a high-level inquiry, preferably by the (COD), was necessary if the hurt feelings of the Christian minorities were to be assuaged.
Though the state government is yet to officially react to the incident, which can be done only in the state legislature in view of the ongoing legislature session, the home minister Dr V S Acharya, when asked by reporters, termed the incident as ``very minor’’ and said police officers have been told to conduct a thorough inquiry.
`Breaking into the church by anti-social elements in the week hours of the morning and damaging the statues of Jesus and Mary as also window glass panes is a blot on the government,’’ Shiva Kumar said urging the chief minister to take action against the police officers of the area if the culprits were not arrested within 24 hours.
Meanwhile, Congress opposition leader in the state legislative council V S Ugrappa saw a sinister motive behind the attack on the church in Bangalore quick on the heels of the BJP regime’s action of violating the Supreme Court’s directive for maintaining status quo at the Bababudangiri in Chikmagalur to silence both the Christian and Muslim religious minorities
Alleging that the BJP government had taken up a Rs 2.09 crore project to develop Bababudangiri shrine, Ugrappa wanted to know how the government could allow installation of an idol of Dattatreya and perform puja in a clear violation of the apex court’s orders. The presence of all the office-bearers of the Chikmagalur district unit of the ruling party was proof of the government intention of not following the court directions, he said.
Ugrappa said the two incidents vindicated the remarks of Governor H R Bhardwaj in expressing his reservations and unhappiness over the law and order situation and insecurity among the minorities in the State.
`If the Government has any commitment to upholding secular values and protecting communal harmony, it should protect all communities and desist from creating a fear psychosis among minorities,’’ Ugrappa said demanding immediate steps to ensure full security to the prayer halls of all communities.
It is significant that the Hebbagodi church under the administration of Missionaries of St Francis de Sales was attacked within a week after withdrawal of security guards posted there. The missionaries are running a school, a pre-university college and a degree college, which are quite popular among the local people.