More trouble for missionaries

AHMEDABAD, JULY 12: Two Christian missionaries, working in a remote village in Lakhtar taluka of Surendranagar district, were prevented fr...

AHMEDABAD, JULY 12: Two Christian missionaries, working in a remote village in Lakhtar taluka of Surendranagar district, were prevented from distributing foodgrains to drought-affected people by Vishwa Hindu Parishad members, who attacked them and looted bags of foodgrains on Tuesday morning.

Sister Lissy Augustine and Sister Cecil, two missionaries from the Rajkot diocese, had been organising food for work8217; relief camps in four villages, including Nani Katechi, where the incident took place. In return for small work done by the villagers, the missionaries had been distributing wheat and cooking oil to them.

The villages, with a population of 3,800, are dominated by socially and economically backward communities, like the tribal Padhars, Kolis, Bharwads and even Muslims. As the villages have been facing a severe shortage of water and foodgrains this year, the missionaries, under the Director of Social Work, Rajkot Diocese, had established a school and started relief work.

However, an ex-surpanch of Nani Katechi village Kashiram Hamibhai, who is also husband of the present surpanch Kanuben, raised objection and demanded that the missionaries involve the local village leaders also in their social work, but the missionaries refused.

According to Surendranagar Police, on Tuesday, several villagers led by Kashiram stormed into the warehouse where the missionaries had stored foodgrains and looted more than 100 bags. They also threatened the missionaries of dire consequences if they did not wind up their work and left.

The shaken missionaries contacted C C Jose, Director of Social Work at the Rajkot Diocese, who in turn got in touch with the Surendranagar DSP. While the missionaries, including Father Cedric Prakash, allege that the police registered a simple case of stealing against the VHP members, the police says a case of loot had been made out and nine people arrested.

Those arrested include Kashiram Hamibhai, Vaghobhai Hamibhai, Vallubhai Ratnabhai, Rasoolbhai Borabhai, Bachubhai Hamabhai, Daushubhai Pancha, Popatbhai Anrushbhai, Veljibhai Bhaghabhai and Bhailalbhai Bhotabhai.