Bishops urge Karnataka CM to withdraw riot cases

Over a hundred cases wrongly registered against Christians during the 2008 Mangalore violence has not yet been withdrawn, a group of Catholic leaders told the Karnataka chief minister last week.

About 12 bishops from across the state met Karnataka Chief Minister DV Sadananda Gowda on Friday.

Led by Archbishop of Bangalore Rev Bernard Moras, the bishops appealed for withdrawal of cases against Christians falsely indicted during the Mangalore church attacks in September, 2008.

Several Catholic and Protestant churches, institutions and prayer halls were attacked by Hindutva extremists in Dakshina Kannada district, Udupi and few adjoin districts during that period.

Stressing for the immediate withdrawal of the cases, Archbishop Moras said over 150 Christian youths were made to suffer due to the continuous court proceedings.

Several of them were also being harassed by police investigations, said Moras, who is also the chairman of the Karnataka United Christians Forum for Human Rights.

In his response, the chief minister said steps were being taken for the withdrawal of cases. However, a similar assurance was made by the Home Minister R Ashoka earlier this year. Still the cases are pending in the court.

Besides Archbishop Moras, the delegation comprised of bishops from Mangalore, Belgaum, Karwar, Bellary, Chickmagalur and other neighbouring districts.

In a memorandum submitted to the chief minister, the prelates spoke on the proposal for Christian Minority Development Council, adequate representation of Christians in all Boards, permission for construction of churches and prayers halls without harassment, compensation for the victims and a CBI investigation into the violence.

In addition to that, they appealed to the chief minister to ensure that the Sumanahalli project in Bangalore could continue its work among leprosy patients without any disruptions.

The state government, which had allotted the Sumanahalli Leprosy Rehabilitation Centre 63 acres on a 30-year lease, had decided to take back the land when the lease expired in 2008.

Currently, the centre has 365 inmates, including 120 leprosy-affected, 40 HIV positive and 30 persons with disabilities. Despite several requests to renew the lease in 2007, the government did not respond to them.