Christian reformists raise voice against 'Manu-vad' in Churches

November 16, 2011

Mangalore, November 16: Chief Trustee of the Christian Reforms Foundation P B D'Sa announced in a press conference the celebration of Reformation Sunday on December 11, 2011.

Treating it like a follow up measure, he said, the Foundation will hold a simple awareness group meeting in front of the churches like Milagres, Kulshekar, Puttur, Sastan, Udupi and Kudapur.

Mr D'Sa highlighted the importance of this day by giving background and motive behind the Reformation Sunday. “World over, all organised religions, though started by their founders with noble ethical motives, slowly become corrupt and the priestly class have become the owners of huge assets in movable and immovable properties,” he said.

“Priests are living like princes and criminals. Various laymen's organisations have been trying to expose the corruption, misuse of power and properties by these priests. They live by double standards”, he alleged.

He also recalled the claim that Christian Church is the biggest single land lord in India and though all their assets are built out of contributions and donations, the entire ownership lies with the Diocesan Bishop. This is the best kept secret and biggest fraud and breach of trust committed by religious men on laymen, he said.

The educated class among Christian has questioned the Church constitution and canon law, and demanded democratisation of Christian Church on regular basis, but clergy does not want to surrender power nor share it with Laity, he explained.

He said that United Christian Association had moved to court for quashing the validity of the constitution of Mangalore Diocese and the case is still pending. Associations in Mumbai, Bangalore and Goa have started a network on an All India basis to create awareness amongst laymen about the happenings in the church administration. Thus an All India Association of concerned catholic Christians has been formed in Mumbai, he said.

He said, the Mangalore Christian Reforms Foundation, after a day's deliberation has passed ten resolutions in this regard. Even though the resolutions were sent to the Bishop of Mangalore and Pope it has not sought their attention. Some of the clergy are also threatening and blackmailing the people saying that they will not baptize children and not bury the dead. In the bargain, laymen gave up this reformation agenda and have compromised with the clergy and surrendered to their whims and fancies. These groups will continue to meet before other Diocesan Churches depending on the availability of time and it would be a regular feature till the clergy see reason and co-operate with the Laity. Failing to reform would mean bringing all Churches under government control, he said.

Explaining the reasons behind this reformation Mr D'Sa said, the Christian cemeteries which were allotted to Christians to bury the dead are being sold or leased out by the priests. Mangalore has thousands of Mulgeni tenants. The Bishop has deprived them of Varga rights and also has opposed the government's bill on Mulgeni. The halls, Churches, schools and hospitals are meant to be used by the laymen but if a Christian Layman's organisation needs to use them they are not given, while the priests conduct events free of cost, he said.

Mr D'Sa said that there is also no transparency about how much money is collected by way of rents, fees and annual membership. This amounts to around 48 crores. There have been demands made to the clergy to convert schools, colleges, halls, hospitals and farms as co-operative societies to regulate the income but the clergy is not willing. Instead they are amounting to breach of trust, cheating and misappropriation, he said.

'Manu-vad'

He also said that 'Manuvad' is rampant in the Churches as most of Bishops, priests and nuns are white skinned so called Brahmins. Admissions to Dalit are denied in schools and colleges even after spending so much money on conversions. Once the job of conversion is done Dalit Christians are not entertained in schools and colleges, he said. Since conversions are a constitutional right, talking against it is anti – national, he added.

Trouble is given to laymen who silently pray in their houses, he said.

He also said that a fraud of Rs 8 crores is suspected in the name of celebrations.

Members of Christian Reform Foundation Walter Mascarenhas, Roshan Lobo and Augustin were present at the press meet.

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News Network
November 18,2024

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Mangaluru: The Ullal police have arrested Manohar, the owner of Vazco Beach Resort, and its manager Bharath in connection with the drowning of three college girls from Mysuru at the resort’s swimming pool on November 17.

City Commissioner of Police Anupam Agrawal confirmed the arrests, stating that a case has been registered under Section 106 of BNS. The bodies of the victims, all in their twenties, have been handed over to their parents. The women had arrived at the resort for a weekend getaway on November 16.

Following the tragic incident, the resort was sealed by officials led by Mangaluru Assistant Commissioner Harshavardhan. The trade license of the resort, issued on June 13, 2024, has been suspended, and the tourism department has temporarily revoked the resort's registration. These actions prohibit the resort from engaging in any tourism-related activities until further notice.

Someshwara TMC Chief Officer stated that the suspension was due to the resort's failure to implement adequate safety measures, which resulted in the loss of three lives. Further investigations are underway.

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News Network
November 22,2024

Mangaluru: A man fell victim to an online scam, losing Rs 1.7 crore after fraudsters posed as officials from TRAI. According to a complaint filed at the CEN police station, the incident began on November 11, when the complainant received a call from an unknown number at 9:49 am.

The caller, claiming to represent TRAI, alleged that another mobile number registered under the complainant's name was involved in illegal activities in Andheri (East), Mumbai. The caller further stated that an FIR was lodged against the complainant for harassment under the guise of marketing. He was instructed to contact Andheri (East) police station immediately or risk his mobile service being deactivated within two hours.

The complainant was subsequently connected to an individual named Pradeep Sawant, who claimed the complainant was implicated in a money laundering scheme linked to the Naresh Goyal fraud case. Sawant alleged that a fraudulent bank account under the complainant's name was opened at Canara Bank, Andheri, and used to purchase a SIM card for illegal activities. He warned that the complainant could face arrest.

Later, the complainant was contacted via WhatsApp video call by individuals posing as Rahul Kumar (a police officer) and Akanksha (a CBI officer). They allegedly sent fabricated CBI documents to his WhatsApp number. The fraudsters demanded money to "resolve" the case. Fearing threats, the complainant allegedly transferred Rs 1.7 crore through RTGS in batches of Rs 53 lakh, Rs 74 lakh, and Rs 44 lakh between November 13 and 19. A case has been registered at the CEN police station and an investigation is ongoing.

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November 26,2024

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Mangaluru: The coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi are witnessing a fascinating weather pattern, with chilly early mornings giving way to dry, sweltering afternoons. Over the past two days, dense fog blanketed the rural landscapes, while urban centers like Mangaluru felt the stark contrast of brisk mornings and peak afternoon heat.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) noted that in rural areas, the morning chill caused temperatures to dip by one to two degrees Celsius below the seasonal norm, intensifying the fog. Monday saw Mangaluru recording a maximum temperature of 33.3°C and a minimum of 22.6°C, reflective of the sharp day-night variation.

While mornings painted a serene picture with mist-covered trees and a cool ambiance, the afternoons proved relentless, with temperatures soaring between 11 am and 3 pm, offering little respite. Currently, there are no signs of rainfall, with forecasts predicting the continuation of this dual weather pattern for the coming days.

Local residents have mixed feelings about this weather trend. Farmers in rural areas appreciate the cool mornings that ease early chores but express concerns over the dry afternoons, which may affect crop irrigation if the dry spell prolongs. In contrast, urban dwellers are enjoying the foggy mornings but brace for the scorching afternoons.

Meteorologists attribute the sudden chill to shifts in atmospheric pressure along the coast, a precursor to possible weather transitions in December. Whether this pattern persists or leads to unexpected changes remains to be seen, but the twin districts are clearly caught in nature's dramatic play of contrasts.

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