Mangalore, February 20: The city of Mangalore on Sunday witnessed an unprecedented Christian show of strength, as over 60 thousand worshippers of Jesus Christ converged at the Nehru Maidan, to express their 'peaceful anger' against the much controversial final report of the Somasekhara Commission of Inquiry set up to go in to the attacks on religious places in September 2008 across the state.
Irrespective of their denomination, the entire Christian population of the city rose as one under the leadership of Mangalore Catholic Diocese Bishop Rev Aloysius Paul D'Souza in rejecting the panel report.
When the speakers including Bishop, repeatedly posed a question whether the Christians are ready to accept the 'findings' of the panel, the protesters erupted with the screams of “No”.
In his 20 minute long meaningful address, the Bishop warned those people who want to suppress Christianity and Christians in this part of the country that no one can deter the faith of true followers of Jesus Christ.
“The culprits might have attacked the churches, broken the crucifix and desecrated the holy communion but they cannot destroy our faith in Jesus. We are pained by the attacks but not threatened” he said.
Pointing out that although Christians form a miniscule minority in the great country, they cannot be subdued by the hate-mongers, the Bishop said “If anyone thinks that these minority Christians can be subdued by attacks or be taken for a ride by giving false reports, we would like to tell such people that they are mistaken!”
He also issued a warning against those who attacked Churches, not to underestimate Christians thinking that they comprise only two percent of the Indian population, clarifying that the power of Christians doesn't lie in number of population, but in faith in Jesus Christ. “Jesus is with us” he declared.
Likening the huge gathering of protesters to the crowd that had assembled to listen to Jesus Christ at the sermon on the mountain over two thousand years ago, the Bishop said: “We have gathered here to protest against injustice done to us and to demand justice”.
Demanding that the investigation of the attack on Churches and the events that followed should be handed over to the CBI to ensure justice to the Christians, the Bishop pointed out that Somsekara Commission's strange behaviour has pained the sentiments of Christians, in the process pushing the tiny minority community further to the corner.
Addressing the gathering Corporator Mariamma Thomas accused the Chief Minister of appointing a Commission of enquiry headed by Somasekher--who according to her, was his close bosom chap--to cover up the crime committed by saffron groups.
Walter J Maben, Chairman of Karnataka Missions Network, in his address said: “We are disappointed that the enquiry commission has failed to name and pin point the attackers who attacked the Churches with the plea for lack of evidence, which is incorrect”
“These attacks were not spontaneous in one place but it was a very planned scheme which the perpetrators could execute simultaneously in different places of Dakshina Kannada and the neighbouring districts. This could have been done only by an Organisation and not an individual” he said.
He said the Commission deliberately closed its eyes to the truth despite being fully aware of who the attackers were and also the atrocities committed by the police.
A copy of the memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister of the state consisting various demands of Christian community and reasons explaining why they reject the panel report, was handed over on the occasion by the Bishop to Deputy Commissioner of Police R Ramesh in the presence MP Oscar Fernades.
The demands posed before the government through the memorandum include the withdrawal of all pending cases related to Church attacks against the innocent individuals of the community as promised by the Home Minister, handing over the inquiry of attack on churches to the CBI, necessary legal action against real culprits of the Church attack, adequate and just compensation to the individual and institutions that were attacked and suffered loss, creating an atmosphere where the minorities can lead a fearless life and ensure them their constitutional rights and finally not to make any additional law to curtail the fundamental rights of the citizens as existing laws are sufficient to deal with any matters.
Earlier the protesters, most of them sported black attire and had black cloth tied across the lower face, took out a peaceful march from Dr B R Ambedkar Circle under the leadership of Dr Aloysius Paul D'Souza, Bishop of Mangalore Diocese, Dr John Sadananda, Bishop of CSI Karnataka Southern Diocese, Dr Lawrence Mukkuzhy, Bishop of Belthangady Diocese, Dr Geevarghese Mar Divannasious, Bishop of Puttur Diocese and others.
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