Bishop Gerald Almeida of Jabalpur, Sister Liji Joseph move court against likely arrest in a case under the anti-conversion law
Activists and members representing the Christian community display placards as they take part in a peaceful protest rally against what they claim is an increase in hostility, hate, and violence against Christians in various states of the country, in New Delhi on Feb. 19. (Photo: AFP)
A Catholic bishop and a nun named in a case under the stringent anti-conversion law have filed anticipatory bail applications against their possible arrest in a central Indian state.
Bishop Gerald Almeida of Jabalpur and Sister Liji Joseph, in charge of Asha Kiran (ray of hope) Children’s Care Institute, a home for destitute children filed bail applications before the district court on May 30 in Katni district in Madhya Pradesh.
Both were accused of violating the state's anti-conversion law in a police complaint by Priyank Kanoongo, chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights.
Kanoongo has accused Bishop Almeida, chairman of the orphanage, and the nun of forcing three Hindu children in the orphanage to convert to Christianity.
“This is a blatant lie to target the orphanage,” Father Thankachan Jose, a diocesan priest helping out with the case, told UCA News on June 1.
“The orphanage,” Father Jose said, “has been engaged in building the lives of the abandoned or orphaned children on railway platforms since 2005.”
“Our purpose is not to convert anyone but to rebuild their shattered lives,” the priest said.
He challenged Kanoongo to prove the allegation with “one credible case” rather than “misusing his official position.
Such false cases will harm “poor children who get a place to stay, food, clothes and facilities to study,” the priest said.
The hearing of the case against the bishop and the nun, slated for last week, was postponed after the investigation officer failed to submit the records of the case.
The court is likely to take up the case for hearing in a day or two, Jose added.
Sister Stella CMC, attached to the orphanage said it currently houses 47 children. It has appealed to the Katni district collector to conduct an impartial probe, she said.
Christian-run schools, hostels and orphanages in Madhya Pradesh have been facing investigations from officials of federal and state child rights protection panels for several months.
The pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party runs the government in the state and the federal government.
In March this year, the layman principal of a Church-run school in Dindori district in Madhya Pradesh was sent to jail after a false case of sexually abusing eight girls was registered against him.
The principal got bail from the high court after the girls and their parents denied the allegations. The children told the court that the officials took signatures from them on blank papers.
When the case fell flat, another case of cheating was registered against Bishop Almeida, the chairman of the school.
The bishop had to approach the high court, which restrained police from arresting him.
Christians make up a mere 0.29 percent of more than 72 million people in the state where 80 percent are Hindus.
Help us keep UCA News independent
The Church in Asia needs objective and independent journalism to speak the truth about the Church and the state.
With a network of professionally qualified journalists and editors across Asia, UCA News is just about meeting that need. But professionalism does not come cheap. We depend on you, our readers, to help maintain our independence and seek that truth.
A small donation of US$2 a month would make a big difference in our quest to achieve our goal.
Share your comments
SPECIAL EBOOKS
