New Delhi 24/02/2011
Welcoming the report released by Justice Saldanha in response to Justice Somasekhara report about the attacks on Christians in 2008 in Karnataka, Archbishop Vincent M. Concessao has asked the government of Karantaka, not to close its eyes to the atrocities on Christians based on the biased Somasekhera Commission report.
Noting that the B.K. Somasekhara report giving a clean chit to the BJP and the Sangh Parivar was eyewash, Archbishop Concessao expressed his total disappointment with the report which smacks of communal underpinnings and only adds insult to injury to the already battered Christian Community in the country.
Retired Judge of the Karnataka High Court Justice Michael Saldanha while calling the Somasekhara Committee report a sham pointed out that the interim report of the same Commission had earlier indicted the Karnataka government. He held that he had enough evidence to prove that the state police had colluded with the right wing Hindu fundamentalist attackers.
In solidarity with the Archbishop of Bangalore and 18 other bishops of the region as well as sharing the pain of the whole Christian community of Karnataka, Archbishop Concessao is also appealing to the Karnataka government to immediately release the innocent Christian youth arrested on the false charges of being involved in communal violence. “We must all have the courage to accept the truth rather than find excuses to cover up our mistakes. This kind of report only emboldens the perpetrators of violence on minority communities”, said Archbishop Concessao.
--Issued by:
Rev. Fr. Dominic Emmanuel
Spokesperson Delhi Catholic Archdiocese
New Delhi -110001
