Christian Subversion And Missionary Activities - 5

[acharya]

Churches asked to install metal detectors, CCTVs

Staff Reporter

Police officials say their capabilities have been stretched

— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

DANGEROUS TIMES: It appears peace needs protection now.

BANGALORE: A beleaguered Bangalore city police, buffeted by accusations of inefficiency by both the Government and Christian organisations, finds itself strapped for security personnel to guard churches and prayer halls.

If the promise of round-the-clock security is to be fulfilled, the Police Department will need a minimum of 6,400 additional policemen, 800 vehicles and 800 wireless gadgets, a senior police official told The Hindu.

Senior police officials admitted that their capabilities are stretched. They have now asked churches to take security steps such as installing CCTV cameras, metal detectors, burglar alarms, etc. They have also suggested to the church authorities to appoint private security guards.

There are around 800 churches that belong to both Protestant and Catholic Christians in Bangalore. Among them, 400 churches, small in size, are in the limits of South East Division of Bangalore city police. A majority of them are located in and around Ejipura, Koramangala, Vivek Nagar and Austin Town.

An officer of the Bangalore city police, who did not want to be named, said, “It is difficult to deploy a large number of policemen in all churches in the city. We are providing a minimum of three police personnel to small churches. But depending upon the requirement the church, we also provide KSRP platoons.” The city has seven Deputy Commissioners of Police (Law and Order) and all of them have requested churches in their jurisdiction to install CCTV cameras and metal detectors on the premises of their churches. The J.C. Nagar church has decided to install CCTV cameras and door metal detectors.


The number of churches, according to Mr. Goankar, is 48 in Mysore district (excluding Mysore city); 95 in Hassan district; 53 in Mandya district; 71 in Kodagu district and 55 in Chamarajanagar district.

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‘End caste system before questioning conversion’</b>

Staff Correspondent

If people are fed up with the caste system won’t they convert to other faiths asks Srinivas Prasad

‘Conduct inquiry into allegations that New Life is printing literature against Hinduism’

‘It is the Government’s duty to protect the interests of minority communities’

MYSORE: Criticising the Bajrang Dal for the attacks on Christian prayer halls and churches across the State, the former Union Minister V. Srinivas Prasad asked the Sangh Parivar affiliates to eradicate the caste system before questioning conversion.

Addressing a press conference in Mysore on Monday, Mr. Prasad said the RSS, Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishat (VHP) have made no effort to break the status quo on the rigid caste system in Hinduism. “What moral right do you have to question conversion?” Mr. Prasad sought to know. If people are fed up with the caste system would they not voluntarily convert to other faiths where they are embraced, he asked.

Mr. Prasad, who is also a Congress MLA from Nanjangud Assembly Constituency, referred to the pledge made by RSS during the celebration of Golwalkar’s centenary to eradicate untouchability. “But what measures have you taken towards this end?” the Congress leader asked. He said Dalit youths even to this day suffered due to the derision and contempt displayed by “upper castes”.

Mr. Prasad sought to know from the Sangh Parivar affiliates why they did not raise their voices when Dalits were kept away from the Ganesha immersion procession in Mysore recently.

“The organisers openly said that Dalit youths should not join the procession,” Mr. Prasad said.

Condemning the attacks on Christian institutions, Mr. Prasad sought to remind the BJP Government in the Karnataka that India was a secular State and protecting the interests of minority communities was its duty.

Though no complaint had been booked against “forcible conversion”, Mr. Prasad said the Bajrang Dal activists had taken law into their own hands by attacking churches. “They have been emboldened by the assumption of power by their own party,” the Congress leader said.

If the attacks continue, the Union Government should even consider banning Bajrang Dal, he said.
Inquiry

However, Mr Prasad said the Government should also look into the allegations that New Life and Satya Darshana were printing objectionable literature against Hinduism. “An inquiry should be conducted regarding the allegations and the culprits should be punished,” he said.
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The Congress leader criticised Home Minister V.S. Acharya for the manner in which he has handled the crisis relating to the attacks. “He has been giving statements as a spokesperson of the VHP. He should bear in mind that he is the Home Minister of the State,” Mr. Prasad said.</b>

Mr. Prasad added that the State Government woke up to the seriousness of the attacks only after the Centre sent an advisory on the steps to be taken to ensure safety and security of minorities and their places of worship.