Mangalore September 17, 2008: It was a heart-rending scene at the Circuit House here where a large number of minorities women gathered to narrate their deep agony and horrible experiences they underwent in the last three days during attack on places of worship and prayer halls in the city followed by police atrocities on them.
They met Karnataka Home Minister Dr V S Acharya who is camping here since last two days reviewing the situation. The women were seen crying and complaining with the Deputy Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao and other politicians from different political parties, including the Congress and the Janata Dal(Secular), demanding justice. They were seen demanding the Deputy Commissioner for the immediate release of their innocent kith and kin who were arrested under false charges. Some of the women showed bruises they got during lathi charge by the police on their hand and legs before the waiting newspersons. The women, who were not allowed to meet the Home Minister, were seen shouting against the state government alleging instigation of violence and atrocities on women by the police. ''We dont want such government and Home Minister who do not have concern about the women. The entire incidents were done at the behest of the government and the police,'' they alleged. Some women, while briefing the newspersons, said that they would not leave the Circuit House until their sons were not released from the jail. ''Give us poison, we will drink and die instead of undergoing such mental and physical torture without seeing our children who have been arrested two days ago,'' a weeping woman said. Women demand action against Police President of the National Women's Commission Giriji Vyas met with the aggrieved women of Mangalore at the Circuit House today. She expressed her shock and distress at the injuries suffered by the women at the hands of the police. Earlier she had visited the various hospitals, schools and parishes and met some of the women in person. She said many of the ladies were even afraid to come out, yet they said they were still praying for the people of Mangalore. Ms. Vyas said that both Bangalore and Mangalore had a history of being secular places where Hindus, Christians and Muslims had been living in love and brotherhood. It was difficult to believe that such incidents had started taking place in these peaceful places. The ladies who met Ms. Vyas were vociferous in their complaints and demanded that immediate action should be taken against the police who had beaten them up, without heeding the fact that they were women and nuns. They also asked why no lady police had been deployed at the places of protest. Ms. Vyas assured them that action would be taken against the police and she would personally see to it that the women were given justice. The police would be warned that they could not indulge in any more beating of the public especially when there was no provocation. She said it was the need of the hour to bring back faith into the minds of the people. For this the police had to ensure safety of the people. The women were encouraged to give an appeal to the commission whenever they were at the receiving end of injustice. A committee will be formed to look into this particular injustice and a report would go immediately to the State and Central Government as soon as possible. The people also demanded that the catholic youth who had been jailed since September 14th should be released. Ms. Vyas said according to her knowledge out of the 61 youth who were arrested, 35 were not belonging to the Christian community. All efforts were being made to release the youth. She also made a special request to all the press personnel to publish fair and accurate reports. Besides, Ms. Vyas, the other women present were Shyamala Bhandari - Activist, Social worker and Advocate, Dr. Rani Sathish - Ex-Minister and President of the State Mahila Congress and Niva Kanwar - Member of the National Commission for Women. Visit to Jail - More Police Injustice Revealed! Kodialbail jail has been witness to more injustice meted out by the police to the Christians, as revealed today. The arrested and imprisoned youth said that they had been forcibly brought to the jail even though many of them had not been involved in any stone pelting. Two of them who were 16 yrs of age said they had been forced to sign in that they were 18 yrs. There were also youth who were students from St. Aloysius College (PUC/B.Sc), Engineering students etc. The others were MRPL employees, gas station employees, hotel workers and some who were working for a petrol stations. Speaking to Mangalorean.com they said they had been returning from their work, when they were dragged by the police and taken first to the churches and then to the prison. Some youth who had been arrested from Kulshekar said that the police had threatened them that if they didn't voluntarily surrender, the ladies and nuns would be beaten up. They said they had no choice but to go with the police. Some police even told the youth that their hands were tied, and they had orders from the higher levels to arrest people each day from every Church premises and so they had made it a point to take at least 25 from each parish. The catholic youth who were experiencing their time in the jail for the first time said that they had no proper place to sleep. Many of them were in tears. They also requested the press not to publish their photos. Many members of the catholic community including priests from the Catholic Church are working round the clock to get these youth out of the jail. Meetings with the IG have taken place and the court formalities are being carried out. Church attacked in Ujire In a fresh incident of attack on Churches, .George Church at Ujire was targeted by miscreants today at around 5am. In a press release from Belthangady Bishop's house, Fr. Joseph Valiaparambil said that the Christian community of Belthangady was deeply hurt and shocked with the incidence. The miscreants entered the church by breaking the lock of front door and burned the Bible, prayer books after putting them on the Beme table and destroyed crucifix, statues and holy icons. "They also ransacked our most holy tabernacle where we keep Blessed Sacrament. Kerosene was poured on carpets inside the church to set fire. By the Providence of God the church is not burnt," said Fr. Joseph. The incident came to light when Rev. Mani, parish priest and nuns arrived for the morning mass at 6am. The Police Inspector rushed to the spot as soon the news was relayed to him and assessed the situation. The Belthangady Thahashildar also visited the spot and assessed the situation and informed to higher authorities. "We strongly condemn the act. We are not violent and not believe in violence. We respect the administration and the law of the country. We respect all religions. We, the Christian minority community, need protection from kinds of anti-social, anti-religious activities," appealed Fr Joseph in the release. Brutality on women comes to light The two days of intense communal riots in Mangalore is bringing out barbaric stories of human rights violations by the police and the attackers. On that black Sunday after the initial attacks by the Bajrang Dal activists, it was time for the police to do their job and what did they do? They attacked the ladies and children who were protesting outside the churches. In one such incident at Permannur Church in Ullal 18 ladies were beaten up brutally by the police. Narrating the incident an eye witness Ms D'Cunha said after the attacks by the Bajrang Dal the ladies from the Parish had joined the protests that was organized outside the Church and were also praying inside the Church, the police who arrived there unleashed a heavy caning on the women and children in which about 18 women were injured. And the caning of women was carried out by men police constables and D'Cunha recalls that there was not even one women constable or official in the caning team. The women who were injured have been so badly beaten up that they cannot move around and some of them are planning to meet the Chairperson of National Women's Rights Commission Girija Vyas today. One of the women on conditions of anonymity told Mangalorean.com that "when the police came to the Permannur Church we were praying, but without any notice the police barged into the Church and started caning the women and children and in the melee many people got injured trying to escape the beating. The police did more damage to the church furniture than the Bajrang Dal activists she said. The police went up to the alter of the church she recalled. Ms. D'Cunha asks what kind of brutality is this, men police beating up praying women and nuns? The memorandum which will be presented to Ms. Vyas on Wednesday appeals to the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to give them protection, said another woman who was part of the group waiting for the arrival of Ms Vyas at the circuit house, at the time of filing this report. In the meanwhile General Secretary of the Congress Party Oscar Fernandes and union minister for labour speaking to Mangalorean.com said that he has spoken to the Union Home Minister Shivaraj Patil and appraised the situation to him. Mr. Fernandes who was visibly moved by the brutality of Bajrang Dal and the Police he rejected the Bajrang Dal claims that the brutalities were aimed at Conversions. He wanted the Bajrang Dal to show where the conversions had taken place? It was a clear ploy to divide the society he added. Mr. Fernandes quite uncharacteristic of his self accused Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa allowing the Bajrang Dal and other Sangh Parivar activists loose on the people. It was a well planned strategy to attack all the churches in a series in three districts which could not have been carried out without the assent of the people in the government. He said nothing much could be said about Mr. Yeddyurappa who has already pledged to make Karnataka another Gujarat. Things are also moving in the national capital as senior leaders of the Congress Party Magaret Alva and Veerappa Moily have met the UPA chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Mr. Moily said in a release that the Congress President was aghast to learn about the attacks. The Prime Minister Dr.Singh has spoken to the Chief Minister of Karnataka and to the governor of Karnataka on the situation in Karnataka. The PM has also spoken to the Chairpersons of National Commission for Minorities and National Commission of Women in this regard. In the meanwhile Mangalore which was known to be a beautiful city with resourceful people for inhabitants has now acquired a notorious name for minority brutality and religious intolerance. Source: http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast&broadcastid=93427