Mangalore:Thousands of Christians, led by the Catholic Diocese of Mangalore, held a mammoth protest march in the City on Sunday against the report of the Justice B K Somasekara Commission of Inquiry.They also urged the government to hand over the investigation of church attack cases of September 14 and 15, 2008 to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Addressing the gathering at the Nehru Maidan, Mangalore Diocese Bishop, Fr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, alleged that the Commission was in no way different from other government appointed commissions.
“To know the truth, we demand that the investigation into the incidents of attacks on churches should be handed over to the CBI. We also demand that the State Government should withdraw all cases registered against Christians in connection with the church attacks across the State,” the Bishop urged.
“The Commission has mentioned in its report that as many as 57 churches and other places of worship belonging to Christians in 10 districts were attacked in the subsequent months of September 2008. In fact, more than 100 places of worship were attacked during the period. Our religious sentiments were hurt as the Crucifix was broken and the Holy Communion was desecrated,” lamented Fr Aloysius Paul D’Souza.
“Don’t we have the right to know who attacked the places of worship,” the Bishop asked.
Rejections of Report:“The Commission was constituted to probe the church attack cases and to tell us who carried out the attacks. However, it has failed to identify the people and organisations that were responsible for the attacks,” said D’Souza.
Karnataka Mission Network President Walter J Maben alleged that the attacks on churches and other places of worship were part of a well-planned conspiracy.
Addressing the gathering at the Nehru Maidan, Mangalore Diocese Bishop, Fr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, alleged that the Commission was in no way different from other government appointed commissions.
“To know the truth, we demand that the investigation into the incidents of attacks on churches should be handed over to the CBI. We also demand that the State Government should withdraw all cases registered against Christians in connection with the church attacks across the State,” the Bishop urged.
“The Commission has mentioned in its report that as many as 57 churches and other places of worship belonging to Christians in 10 districts were attacked in the subsequent months of September 2008. In fact, more than 100 places of worship were attacked during the period. Our religious sentiments were hurt as the Crucifix was broken and the Holy Communion was desecrated,” lamented Fr Aloysius Paul D’Souza.
“Don’t we have the right to know who attacked the places of worship,” the Bishop asked.
Rejections of Report:“The Commission was constituted to probe the church attack cases and to tell us who carried out the attacks. However, it has failed to identify the people and organisations that were responsible for the attacks,” said D’Souza.
Karnataka Mission Network President Walter J Maben alleged that the attacks on churches and other places of worship were part of a well-planned conspiracy.