Shocking Report: GCIC "botched" Dr. Thomas's case, claims AICC Gen. Secy. in "Open Letters"

New Delhi – Even as Dr. Samuel Thomas, Hopegivers International’s president, continues to languish in jail, with his anticipatory bail application pending in Rajasthan court, the general secretary of All India Christian Council (AICC) has come out in the open to express his concerns about the manner in which the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) had handled Dr. Thomas’s case.

Dr. Abraham Mathai, in a lengthy telephonic conversation with the Christian Today staff, as well as through some “Open Letters” (contents of which are in possession of Christian Today) addressed to Sajan George, president, GCIC, has expressed that, had the matter relating to Dr. Thomas been handled differently, he would have been free today.

Dr. Mathai, in one of his “Open Letters” (dated March 6) addressed to Sajan George, had explicitly expressed his anguish at the way the latter had handled the issue.

“I have to question your motives especially after the manner in which you handled the Bishop Thomas issue by preventing me and senior lawyers along with leading activists from meeting them,” Dr. Mathai said. “The manner, in which you have solicited prayer world over, for the Bishop and his son, makes me wonder if there isn't an element of self–interest in all this. By ignoring well–meaning and expert advice you have certainly only prolonged the sufferings of these dear ones by continuing to keep this matter alive rather than solve it in order to gain cheap publicity abroad and at home.”

According to Dr. Mathai, George had “prevented” him and reputed lawyers, viz. Collin Gonsalves and Indira Jaisingh, from meeting Dr. Thomas “for the purpose of obtaining the intervention of the Supreme Court to solve” the issue.

“They were not only willing to take up the cause of Bishop Thomas for the purpose of obtaining the intervention of the Supreme Court to solve this matter completely, but were also confident of the outcome. But you prevented this for reasons best known to you!!” Dr. Mathai charged, adding, “My heart is pained by the fact that while there was a remedy offered by well intentioned and selfless individuals, you have selfishly obstructed it to the detriment of the Bishop, his son and the destitute who are under their care.”

”The system to approach the lower court first and then move upwards is the conventional way, but Collin Gonsalves' strategy was to move the Supreme Court citing the failure of law and order machinery in Rajasthan caused by State sponsored arson and violence and seeking the immediate intervention of the Apex Court which would have directed the State Government to provide adequate security and protection and would also have stayed all the cases and then there would have been no reason absolutely to seek anticipatory bail,” Dr. Mathai explained.

“By your refusal to allow us to meet the Bishop and his son, even after the Bishop himself had pleaded for help over the phone, put to an end any hope of us implementing this strategy as advised by Adv. Collin Gonsalves on my visit to Delhi on 20th February 2006 for this express purpose,” he said.

According to Dr. Mathai, the actions of Sajan George of not letting the eminent Human Rights activists meet Bishop Thomas and Dr. Thomas, has led to the delay of justice being meted to them. “Your act of keeping the Bishop and his son from other well intentioned and selfless individuals like Mahesh Bhatt (Noted movie director and Human Rights activist), Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat (Former Naval Chief of India), Ms. Teesta Setalvad (Noted Human Rights activist of the Best Bakery Fame), who were all ready to fly down to Delhi and address a press conference in support of Bishop frustrated these efforts,” he said.

”Your action has delayed justice and is causing ever increasing harm to them as the State Government's departments continue to hound them daily in various ways,” he continued. “The latest being the derecognition of their Educational Institutions jeopardizing the lives of thousands of orphans.”

Dr. Mathai has also accused Sajan George of making claiming to be the “saviour of the Dalit Liberation movement” since George himself "belong to a church that still practices castesism by having a separate parish for the Dalits (untouchables).”

Moreover, it was AICC that had struggled all along for the emancipation of the Dalit Christians and had spearheaded “the cause of the Minorities which resulted in the intervention of the Supreme Court directing the Union Home Minister to deploy detachments of the paramilitary forces that prevented a repeat of the 1998 attack of Tribal Christians in the Dangs during the Shabri Kumbh this year,” Dr. Mathai said, questioning the “tangible contributions” made by Sajan George “to the cause of the Christian community.”

Dr. Mathai has also questioned the loyalty of the GCIC president towards the Christian community as George had, during the last general elections, actively campaigned for the BJP candidate, Mr. Sangliana in Bangalore. “Isn't this the same BJP that is tormenting and terrorizing not only the Bishop but the entire Christian community in this nation today?” he queried.

“Though in the past I've refused to join your innumerable critics who have maintained that the "Global Council of Indian Christians", begins and ends with you – a one man organization with a Global Nomenclature and nothing more…I will hold my silence no longer. Because opportunism at the cost of the well–being of people like Bishop Thomas and his son, needs to be seriously dealt with,” he exhorted.

“It is perhaps time that we be held accountable for our misdeeds, for the cost of betraying our brethren at the altar of self glorification can only be fully estimated by God above, who sees all and judges all. We need to account for our actions one day if not today. Let us live in the shadow of this fear, if little else,” he warned.

”Through another “Open Letter” addressed to Sajan George (dated March 13), three days before Dr. Thomas was arrested, Dr. Mathai had again pleaded with George to give up on the conventional method of going from lower to higher court and agree with the general opinion expressed by activists and renowned Human Rights lawyers.

“Much against the general opinion expressed by Activists and renowned Human rights Lawyers, you chose to encourage [Bishop Thomas and his son, Dr. Samuel Thomas] to apply for anticipatory bail in the lower court and after an inordinate delay it was rejected. I understand the High Court was then approached last week and to our utter shock and dismay they too after having heard in part the application adjourned the hearing to the 23rd of March 2006. Until then the Bishop and his son have to continue hiding like criminals!!” Dr. Mathai wrote, adding, “However, our learned friends at the Supreme Court have even now assured us that it is still never too late to approach the Apex Court on this matter citing the deliberate delay of justice, which has been caused by the lower, and High Courts.”

“It is therefore my earnest appeal to your good senses on behalf of the Christian community and our Secular Activists friends that you release the Bishop and his son forthwith from your confinement and communicate our suggestion of approaching the Supreme Court for relief at least now,” the general secretary pleaded.

According to Dr. Mathai, Sajan George had kept the issue “simmering” and “had it been nipped in the bud by the intervention of the Supreme Court it would not have resulted in the sensationalism of this issue nationally, which is causing anti Christian sentiments all across the country.”

Frustrated by the independent decisions taken by Sajan George that led to the arrest of Dr. Thomas, Dr. Mathai, in another “Open Letter” (dated March 17), sarcastically said, “Thank you for the great help you have rendered to our Archbishop M.A Thomas and Bishop Samuel Thomas throughout the time they have been kept in hiding in your 'safe' custody which has resulted in the most disgraceful and humiliating arrest of Bishop Samuel Thomas!!”

”As the only voice of the persecuted Church in India as claimed by you, kindly inform us of the immediate urgent steps you have taken to rescue him from this humiliation which was avoidable,” he continued.

According to Dr. Mathai, the lawyers hired by Sajan George even failed to secure an interim relief for Bishop Thomas and his son which was readily available at the High Court for any accused pending the disposal of the anticipatory bail application. “From reliable sources in Rajasthan, I have been able to confirm that [Sajan George’s] lawyers did not even make an application for interim relief,” he added.

“You will appreciate that even notorious people with mafia connections (the recent 'Daya Nayak' case) have benefited from interim bail relief pending the disposal of their anticipatory bail application, which is usually granted in the interest of natural justice. In Mr. Daya Nayak's case the High Court took three weeks to decide upon his anticipatory bail application and when they eventually denied him the same, the High Court gave him a weeks time to approach the Supreme Court with the interim relief continuing during the intervening period and when the Apex Court finally denied him the same he was ordered to surrender within 72 hours!!“ Dr. Mathai wrote.

”It is sad that in Archbishop M.A Thomas and Bishop Samuel Thomas case this simple provision of law was not appropriated by your bunch of lawyers making a mockery of the principles of natural justice,” he lamented.

Reproaching Sajan George’s actions, Dr. Mathai quoted, “Had you just cooperated and not been selfish in taking my suggestion which was based upon the collective advice of several leading Human Rights lawyers and activists, Dr. Thomas would not have suffered this humiliation which you and only you have caused him.”

However, Dr. Mathai hopes that good sense prevails on Sajan George and other Christian leaders be allowed to speak to the Hopegivers president and make arrangements for his safe passage out of the country.

”I once again appeal to the 'Christian' spirit in you and to your good senses to get rid of your ego at least now and allow us to communicate with Archbishop M.A Thomas wherever you have hidden him since I have already spoken to senior government officials who sympathize with us and have offered him safe passage out of the country considering his fragile health and his age along with his complications of being a cancer patient whose is also diabetic. Your decision can save this servant of God from an imminent arrest and save him from humiliation and suffering at this age,” Dr. Mathai pleaded.

When asked by Christian Today, why at this juncture he is bringing up this matter, Dr. Abraham Mathai said that for years Sajan George had portrayed himself to the American brothers as “the face of persecuted church of India” and it was “high time someone should speak up, someone should expose.”

In a special session with Christian Today correspondent, Dr. John Dayal, secretary general of AICC and member of the National Integration Council, also shared his views on the issue. "The fact remains, the legal defense of the Immanuel Mission and bishop and his son has been botched up from the very beginning. There was no reason why an adequate legal defence could not be mounted even if the government and judicial system of Rajasthan were entirely hostile. We must remember that the artist M.F. Hussain, against whom Hindutva forces made similar charges, when he approached Supreme Court, directly stayed his case, thereby granting him bail. If something similar could have been done Rev. Thomas would have been free today and Bishop Thomas would not have to undergo the trauma of remaining underground so that the police cannot reach him,” he said.

Though refusing to comment on the issue of confrontation between Dr. Mathai and Mr. Sajan George, Dr. Dayal said that for the greater good of Christianity, he would suggest, “Mr. George [to] join hands with all other groups in our common struggle against persecution.”

When contacted, Sajan George reacted sharply, upset over the allegations leveled against him. Speaking to Christian Today, George said, “Whatever actions I have taken are bona fide and as a friend of Dr. Samuel Thomas and as a person concerned about the persecuted Church of India.”

Sajan George has also vehemently denied that the decisions taken, contrary to accusations, were not his own but were “taken pursuant to the decisions made by the board of directors of Hopegivers International.”

When asked to comment on the appointment of lawyers to represent Dr. Thomas, he said, “R.K. Jain has been appointed by Dr. Samuel Thomas to represent him on this matter and I’ve no stand in it.”

And, finally regarding the whereabouts of Bishop M.A. Thomas, he said, “Contrary to the allegations being leveled against me, I myself am not aware of the whereabouts of Bishop Thomas. We all know that he is hiding but like anybody else, I do not know where he is – in India or outside India.”