Prelate protests takeover of Leprosy Centre land

Sept 25, 2012: The Christian Church in Karnataka is deeply hurt and anguished at the decision of the State Government to take back most of the land given to the Sumanahalli Society that takes care of leprosy patients and other destitute people in Bangalore. Despite the Human Rights commission’s strong observations, the appeal from the Governor and a strong public support for the cause, the decision was taken by the cabinet on September 21st 2012 that 45 acres of the Society will be taken back leaving it with only five acres. This is a betrayal of the minority Christian community by the Government.
We feel it is as an ‘infringement into the rights of the minority Christian community’. We have to question the intentions of the Government in taking back the Sumanahalli land which was willing to give away 123 acres of the Beggar Colony land for commercial development till the court pulled them up last month.
The Christian Community in Bangalore was requested by the Government in 1977 through the then Chief Minister Devarja Urs to take care of leprosy affected persons who were in Beggars’ Colony since the Government agencies cannot provide the kind of care they require. That was the reason why we started Sumanahalli. We were requested and invited to do take up this work. Land was given to carry out this work. We never asked for any land from the Government.
The leased land was used by the Sumanahalli Society to establish itself and develop a strategy and varied activities not only to take care of over 10,000 leprosy affected persons but also to rehabilitate most of them that a program of education, reconstructive surgery, vocational training, job placement, housing and marriages within the past 35 years. Retaining the focus on leprosy, Sumanahalli has developed several programs to provide residential care and rehabilitation programme for other destitute groups in the society as provided in the lease agreement- ‘for the purpose of conducting, running and administering a centre for the welfare and rehabilitation of leprosy patients and other physically destitute persons and their families’. Today Sumanahalli is the social hub of Bangalore with 400 people from the background of leprosy, HIV, disabilities, street boys, orphans and children in conflict with law live. They were all either beggars already or would have become beggars.
Sumanahalli has used and developed the whole campus constructing more than 50 buildings at the cost of over 25 crores to provide the best of services for the people. It is the home for the inmates since they are thrown out from their habitat. It is a rehabilitation center that has all facilities for treatment and rehabilitation including school and training centers. It is impossible to contain the activities of Sumanahalli within five acres of land. Moreover the buildings are spread throughout the 50 acre campus.
There were 128,000 new cases of leprosy detected in India in 2010. Most of the leprosy centres are closed. Where will the new patients and cured persons who need care after cure go ?
Since 2001, we have been running from pillar to the post to get the renewal of the lease done. The Government as various stages and forums had promised for the renewal.
The decision taken by the Government to take away most of our land is shows the apathy of the government to the most neglected groups in the Society. The land acquired and given for the use of the poorest of the poor are taken for other purposes.
It is also a decision against the minority Christian community in Karnataka. Despite being invited to take up this most difficult work and having very successfully carried out this work, it is nothing but a very vindictive attitude to the Christian community that is clearly shown through this decision. This is a betrayal of the community by the Government.
We will take up all legal and democratic measures to make sure that the land is retained for the purpose of the care and rehabilitation of the destitute people. The inmates hearing the news expressed that they will rather die there than leave the land. They were rescued from the street by Sumanahalli. We would not want to go back to the street.