Write Comment     |     E-Mail To a Friend     |     Facebook     |     Twitter     |     Print

Hindu extremist’s bail cancelled
 

Church leaders in Orissa have welcomed a Supreme Court decision to deny bail to a legislator accused of involvement in 2008 anti-Christian violence. “I am happy the apex court has understood the gravity of Manoj Pradhan’s acts,” Archbishop Raphael Cheenath of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, said. The apex court Jan. 25 overturned a decision by Orissa High Court to grant bail to Pradhan, who represents Kandhamal in the state legislative assembly. Kandhamal, a tribal-dominated district, was the scene of a seven-week long campaign of violence against Christians and Church institutions in 2008.

Pradhan was accused of killing Parihita Nayak, a Christian leader in Kandhamal. A fast track court had convicted Pradhan on two counts of murder and on three counts of rioting and arson. The lawmaker is appealing these convictions. Archbishop Cheenath prelate said the Supreme Court decision will send “the right signal” to lower courts to provide justice for the Kandhamal victims. “Criminals should not be let loose to terrorize the public,” the Divine Word prelate asserted. Paul Pradhan, a lawyer and tribal activist, said the bail denial has heartened those trying to get justice for the victims. “It will have ripple effect. The perpetrators will begin to realize that they cannot get away with crimes and violence,” he added.

The victim’s widow, Kanakharekha, said the decision has given her reason to live and fight for her two children. Pradhan and other Hindu extremists “cut my husband to pieces” despite my pleas to them to spare him, she said. Dibakar Parichha, a lawyer who provides legal assistance to victims, said police records have revealed that Pradhan was a field commander of Hindu extremists sent to kill Christians. “He is a hardcore criminal, who thought he would escape the noose using his connection with politics. This judgment comes as a great relief to us,” he said.

Church comes to the aid of debt-ridden farmers

A diocesan social service society in Amravati is to focus on ways to create sustainable sources of income for debt-ridden farmers to prevent them from committing suicide due to abject poverty. “The Church needs to do more on creating sustainable sources of income for poverty-struck farmers rather than working on short-term programs,” Father Jolly Puthenpura, director of Amravati Diocesan Social Development Society, said.

The priest was speaking after a gathering marking the society’s 10 years of work in Amravati, Maharashtra. Over 300 people, including government officials, Church workers and beneficiaries attended the program. Father Puthenpura said the past eight years have seen self-inflicted “genocide” in the diocese due to successive crop failures. Official figures say 4,427 debt-ridden farmers in the region have committed suicide in the past 10 years. However, social activists say the actual figure is three times more.

The society says it has in the past decade helped over 400,000 farmers in Amravati, Akola, Buldana, Washim and Yavatmal districts. Bishop Lourdes Daniel of Amravati, apostolic administrator of the diocese, said, the society strives hard to fight against poverty and other social evils. Father Puthenpura said the diocese has also helped some 11,000 victims of natural calamities, 3,000 debt-ridden farmers and 1500 HIV/Aids patients. The priest said that the diocese has only 7,000 Catholics out of a population of 11 million. More than 98 percent of Church work is among people of other religions.

MP Church takes up famers’ cause against corruption

The Church in Madhya Pradesh is supporting protests against alleged corruption in the distribution of government aid to desperate farmers whose crops have failed. “We will use our social network and available resources to ensure real victims benefit from the government’s relief package,” Father Mathew Vattakuzhy, who directs the Church’s social work in Madhya Pradesh, said. In January alone, 14 farmers committed suicide after their crops were ravaged by frost. Ten others attempted suicide as cold weather damaged 17.6 tons of produce on nearly 3.3 million hectors of land spread over 36 districts. Some 2,698,452 farmers have been affected.

Although the government has pledged 5 billion rupees (US$111.11 million) for immediate relief, the money has yet to reach the real victims. This has led to several angry protests by farmers in the state. Father Vattakuzhy says the Church cannot remain idle as corruption stops “the real victims getting the package.” Delays in relief distribution will be disastrous for farmers, he warned. “They are our bread producers and their loss should be our loss also,” he added.