Andhra C.M. to take up Dalit Christian issue with Centre
ANDHRA PRADESH, June 09, 2009, 09.40 Hrs (Anthoniraj Thumma / CBCI News):
The Andhra Pradesh Federation of Churches (APFC), the state-level body of the Bishops and Church Heads of all Denominations met Chief Minister Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy on June 06, to felicitate him on assuming the second term and present a memorandum. There were about 40 delegates along with the Bishops led by Archbishop Marampudi Joji of Hyderabad (the Executive Vice- President of APFC) who presented the memoranda of APFC to the Chief Minister and CSI Bishop G. Dyvasirvadam of Krishna-Godavari (the Co-President of APFC) who offered prayers for the success of C. M’s second term in office. The other Bishops and Church Heads present were Catholic Bishop Thumma Bala of Warangal, Methodist Bishop Manilal V. Kristie of Hyderabad, Rev. Dr. B. Sunil Bhanu, President of Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church, and Rev. Dr. Ch. John, President of Central Union of Seventh Day Adventist Church. There were many priests and pastors and leaders of various Churches including the Pentecostal and Independent Churches. Some prominent members of the APFC Advisory Council and Action Committee were present. Among them Sri Stanley Babu IRTS (Retd) and Sri G. Alfred IPS (Retd) spelt out the issues presented in the memoranda.
Responding to the requests made by the Bishops and Christian leaders, the Chief Minister accepted to take up issue of SC status to the Dalit Christians with Central Government especially with the Union Ministers for Law and Justice and for Social Justice and Empowerment. He agreed to lead a state delegation of Church leaders to the Centre to persuade the Centre. Dr. K. Jeyasudha, newly elected MLA of Secunderabad, and Sri. D. Rajeshwer Rao MLC were also present.
With regard to the petition for allotment of government land for the construction for A.P. State Christian Finance Corporation and Christian Community Center available near James Street Railway Station at Secunderabad, the Chief Minister responded positively and asked the official to look into the matter. He also promised to take up the issue of allotment of lands for the Christian graveyards.
The other issues contained in the APFC Memorandum were: rectification of GOs 746 and 747 to prevent attacks on the evangelizers, extension of grant-in-aid and lifting of ban on filling up of the vacant posts, promotions and transfers in Christian Minority Schools, allocation of more funds to the A.P. State Christian Finance Corporation, and allotment of due share of the schemes under the Prime Minister’s 15 Point Programme for the Minorities to the Christian Minority.
A Bill to stop the sale of Christian properties demanded by some individuals on other occasions was brought up towards the end of the meeting. The Chief Minister also expressed the need for the same as complaints regarding the matter still persist. The APFC and the Church leaders must themselves address this serious problem and come up with a mechanism to regulate the management of Church properties so that the State may not be asked to interfere in the internal matters of the Churches. Fr. Anthoniraj Thumma,Executive Secretary, APFC
Source: http://www.cbcisite.com/cbcinews2970.htm
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