Christian Council condemns police lapse in attack on Bishop, priests in Mumbai
From our correspondent
The All India Christian Council (aicc) has strongly condemned the police for its failure in preventing the attack on Rev Thomas Dabre, the Catholic Bishop of Vasai, and four of his priests and damage to the hostel building at Mokhada in Mumbai on 29 January 2006.
In a press release issued on 1 February 2006, the Christian Council said it was on the timely intervention of Dr Abraham Mathai, aicc General Secretary who personally went to the spot and alerted senior police officials. A meeting was convened by Dr Abraham Mathai at Vasai Bishop's House with senior officials of the collectorate, the district administration and the police, which was attended by Bishop Dabre, priests and prominent members of the Catholic community, including activists of the Catholic Secular Forum.
The meeting brought to light the gross negligence on the part of the police, as the Bajrang Dal and Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP) had warned the Mokhada police station three days prior to the inauguration of the hostel against allowing such a project in the vicinity. Neither did the police intimate the Christian leaders nor did they take any precautionary
measures to prevent any attack.
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Even during the attack, despite repeated calls the police reached only after two hours and that also on the intervention of Range IGP Satyapal Singh and led by Superintendent of Police Archana Tyagi. “Since it is a failure on the part of the police in providing adequate protection in spite of advance knowledge of the attack, the state has a responsibility of compensating for the damage estimated to be Rs 2 lakh,” the Council said. |
“The Christian community strongly feels that the attack is part of the Saffron alliance plan to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere in Thane district, as it comes in the wake of increased attacks on Christians in places such as Wada, Jawahar and Vikramgad. Another possible reason could be its proximity to Gujarat – the Hindutva laboratory – from where these elements originate,” the Council said.
The same VHP-Bajrang Dal leaders Bhanusali, Ganghardar Kharpade, Keshav Tukaram Gabale and others were repeatedly disturbing communal harmony in the district, raising the bogey of forced conversions. Further the Christians had information of a possible reoccurrence, as only 18 of the culprits had been arrested. The Christian Council called for prosecution of the culprits under Section 153A of the IPC, which has provisions for stringent action against those spreading communal hatred among two groups.
The Christian Council called upon the state government to take serious cognizance of such frequent attacks, particularly in Thane district and appealed for the protection of the life and property of the minority Christian community. An increased vigil and firm action on the part of the police would act as a deterrent against any such attacks.