Archbishop seeks CM8217;s intervention

MUMBAI, JUNE 28: Archbishop of Mumbai Ivan Dias, in his letter to Chief Minister Narayan Rane on Monday, has expressed the Christian comm...

MUMBAI, JUNE 28: Archbishop of Mumbai Ivan Dias, in his letter to Chief Minister Narayan Rane on Monday, has expressed the Christian community8217;s serious concern over the attack on the staff of Sacred Heart School at Worli on Saturday.

A group of 25 suspected Shiv Sena activists including five women went on a rampage at the school during which a nun was beaten up and the principal8217;s office was ransacked. Without naming the party, the Archbishop in his letter claimed that the activists had hurled abuses against him. In a press release issued on Monday, he stated that the priests and nuns in Worli and elsewhere in Mumbai have been selflessly serving the cause of the sick and the poor, and catered to the education of young boys and girls.8217;

Referring to similar incidents in other parts of the country in the last one year, the Archbishop stated that attacks such as the one on Sacred Heart would undermine the confidence of the Christian minority community in the state law and order machinery. He, however,appreciated the prompt action taken by the police in the Worli incident in which five persons have been arrested. No further arrests were made on Monday.

Drawing the chief minister8217;s attention to cases of violence against Catholic schools during the period of school admissions, the Archbishop claimed that pressures have been exerted by politicians, state legislators, municipal corporators and government officials to obtain the admission of their candidates. 8220;While this speaks well of the high esteem in which Catholic schools are held all over the state it is certainly not a credit to those who think that might is right,8221; he stated. Referring to a recent incident at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, Sion he pointed out that such pressures are being exerted 8220;especially by persons belonging to a certain political group, and the cases are being wrongly reported in their party paper.8221;

Meanwhile, the Bishops of Maharashtra have issued strict instructions to Catholic schools across the state thatwhenever monetary or other pressures are exerted during admissions, the student in question should be automatically disqualified. The Archbishop is personally monitoring these cases through a Vigilance Cell at Archbishop8217;s House, Colaba, the release informed.

Archbishop Dias has requested the authorities concerned 8220;to take preventive measures so that the violent, assaults reported above may not be repeated in the future8221;.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena BVS Ashutosh Rane condemned the incident. Claiming to be awaiting for more details, he said, 8220;It has been done at the instance of our local unit. Once I get the full report, I will discuss with our senior members and take action accordingly.8221;