Attacks On Churches Won't Happen Again: Karnataka Minister By SAR NEWS
BANGALORE, Karnataka (SAR NEWS) -- A Karnataka minister has assured the Christians that his government would see to it that there are no more attacks on churches and members of the minority community in the state. "We will make sure that attacks on Christians and churches don't ever happening again," said Home Minister V.S. Acharya, participating in a programme organised by the Federation of Konkani Catholics here, February 1. He promised that the minorities would receive full protection under the BJP government. He said the accused in the church attacks in Mangalore and other places would be shortly punished. "Christ is the eleventh avatar of Vishnu. So Christianity is not exclusive of Hinduism. It's time we come together," he said. Acharya and chief minister B.S. Yeddyurappa were at the centre of criticism from various quarters over their indifferent remarks and stance following a series of attacks on churches in Christians in different parts of the state last year. Speaking at the function, the chief minister said a society of tolerance that had existed for hundreds of years would not be allowed to be destroyed by a few miscreants. He quickly added: "We should forget the past incidents and move on." He urged the Christian community to look beyond the church attacks, "which were the handiwork of a few fringe elements". Acharya said September 14 -- the day when bigots unleashed attacks on churches and Christians, mainly in the coastal areas -- was the saddest day in his public life. He reiterated that the government had, however, acted swiftly to bring the situation under control within "24 hours", even though the attacks had caught the administration unawares. Chairman of the Federation the Konkani Catholics, Ronald Colaco, the guest of honour at the function, expressed disappointment at the church attacks. "Christians are just 2.25 per cent of the population. How can anybody say we forcibly convert people to Christianity," he asked. He also spoke of the healthcare and educational services rendered by the Christians in the state. * * * INDIA'S MILKMAN: Catholic Secular Forum (CSF), a Mumbai-based national community NGO, has criticised the Gujarat government's decision to withdraw facilities such as car, cook and security service being provided to Dr. Varghese Kurien, known as the 'Milkman of India'. The state registrar of cooperatives recently issued a notice to Amul's Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) directing it to withdraw the facilities extended to Dr. Kurien. A Christian born in Kerala, Kurien, 87, is widely credited for the cooperative revolution that made India the largest milk producer in the world, through GCMMF he founded in 1974. In a memorandum to Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, the Catholic Forum said it did not behove the state to treat Kurien in such a callous manner, as he was an international figure in the cooperative movement. It sought Modi's intervention in the matter. "Dr. Kurien is known for his spartan style of living, having built his modest house in Anand from his provident fund and the money he received from several awards. Kurien uses a 2003 model Honda Accord, and has the same driver for the last 20 years. His last salary, drawn 28 years back as GCMMF managing director, was Rs 5,000 a month. Even after his retirement, he continued to offer honorary services to organisations like the National Dairy Development Board, the Institute of Rural Management Anand and National Cooperative Dairy Federation of India," CSF general secretary Joseph Dias told SAR News, February 1. "It is apparent that the GCMMF, headed by Dr. Kurien for three decades, is now being drawn into the vortex of communal politics, which is bound to spell doom for yet another institution. There seems to be no way out except for Narendra Modi to intervene and sort out the issue."