Gujarat sends back protesting bishop

As communal tension started brewing following the indefinite fast, the State Government wrote to the TN Government, requesting the latter to recall its Minorities Commission chairman to Chennai. Responding to Gujarat’s plea, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi faxed a message to the Government here on Wednesday, informing that the bishop was being called back.

Addressing a news conference on Wednesday evening, Minister of State for Home Haren Pandya said his Government had no other option but to write to the TN Government, for the Bishop was “not co-operating with local authorities and his presence in the village was posing a law and order problem. Besides, the Christian religious head had no jurisdiction (to carry out such activities) over Gujarat.”

When asked, Pandya claimed that the Government had no knowledge of involvement of VHP activists in the incident. Instead, the Minister sought to blame “outsiders” for instigating tribal Christians and “tarnishing the image of BJP-ruled Gujarat.”

“There seems to be a deliberate plan by outsiders to instigate local Christians and create social tension during Christmas every year. But the Government will not tolerate all this,” Pandya said.

The Minister denied reports that about 80 Christian families of Chhindia village were forced to flee in the wake of the incident. “There are 75 per cent Hindus and 25 per cent Christians living peacefully in the 1,500-population village, and there is no forced migration of Christians from the village as reported in a section of the press,” he maintained.

Giving details Pandya said the trouble began when one Puniabhai sought to reclaim possession of land on which he had allowed local Christians to set up a prayer hall in 1995 when he had embraced Christianity. Puniabhai reconverted to Hinduism six months ago, and wanted the land back.

Later, Puniabhai installed a picture of a Hindu Goddess in the “church.” This was opposed by Christians who removed the picture and placed the Cross and other Christian symbols, triggering a dispute. On Tuesday, Christians filed a writ petition in the Gujarat High Court, pleading that the land and the “church” standing on it be restored to the ECI.

Both sides lodged counter-complaints with the Vyara police on November 29, the Minister said. Christians argue that the land was gifted to the Evangelical Church of India (ECI) in 1996 by seven people who were joint owners of the property. Puniabhai claims he is the sole owner of the land inherited from his father as per the June 1992 official land records.

On December 1 last, the Vyara Civil Court issued a stay order, banning the entry of both parties into the “church.” The court has fixed the hearing on December 12.

However, despite the stay order the bishop went on an indefinite fast, Pandya said, adding that he was shifted to a local hospital on Tuesday, where he took food.