Catholics in Madhya Pradesh fight state control of property
(Feb.24,2010):: Catholics in central India’s Madhya Pradesh state, have launched
a campaign to garner public support against a proposed legislation that aims to bring
Church properties under government control. The Church campaign began as the central
Indian state, governed by the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), began its assembly
session on Monday (Feb. 22). Christian leaders fear the government may introduce the
proposal - the Christian Property Regulation Bill in the month-long assembly session.
“Earlier, the BJP were after us, accusing us of converting the poor. Today they are
after us for our land. And tomorrow they will come to take our schools and institutions.
This should be checked,” said Bishop Anthony Chirayath of Sagar, while addressing
the Church’s first public awareness meeting on Monday in Sagar town. He told the gathering
of some 50 people, mostly lay leaders and Religious, that the proposed law unjustly
tries to control Christians’ common properties all over the state. “We have to fight
this injustice,” he said. Bishop Chirayath told UCA News on Tuesday (Feb. 23
)that the new legislation is unacceptable to the Church, as it violates their rights
as citizens to administer their own properties without outside intervention. The Church,
he said plans to hold meetings to discuss the violations that the law may cause. It
will also hold public meetings and seminars in an attempt to gather public opinion
against the proposal, he added. Father Anand Muttungal, spokesperson of the Church
in Madhya Pradesh, told UCA News that awareness programs would be launched across
all dioceses in the state to mobilize public opinion against the proposal. He said
the Church has also initiated dialogue with top BJP leaders to convey it’s fears.