Fr Prasad Kuzhively
Indore: Hindu radical groups on Sunday forcibly took two Catholic
missionaries to a police station in central India after disrupting an
inter-faith meeting to celebrate Christmas and New Year.
The activists of Bajrang Dal (the party of the strong stout) and
Dharma Jagran Manch (forum to awaken religion) accused Father Prasad and
Brother Sleeva of trying to convert Hindus to Christianity. They
demanded that the police arrest the missionaries, after registering a
First Information Report against them.
The two were let off after three hours of high drama at the police
station, Tapan Bhattacharya, a Hindu member of the Sadbhavna Foundation
that organized the meeting, told Matters India on Monday. He said the
Hindu radicals could not prove the charges against the missionaries.
The missionaries belong to the Society of Divine Word, an influential
Catholic Religious congregation that works with various religious
groups for social harmony and peace in Indore, the commercial capital of
Madhya Pradesh state. Father Prasad, 60, is the secretary of Indore
diocese’s commission for inter-religious dialogue and ecumenism.
The Sabhavna Foundation, launched in 2005, comprises members of all
religions in Indore, and Father Prasad, an inter-religious activist, has
been its secretary from the inception.
Bhattacharya said they observe the festivals of all religions, but
choose a venue belonging to another religion to celebrate them.
The Christmas meeting was held at Gita Bhavan (house of Gita), a
convention center under a Hindu trust. People of all religions use the
place for various functions, he explained.
Fr T Xavier, Divine Word congregation’s Madhya Pradesh provincial,
was among several dignitaries of the city attending the Christmas
program when scores of Hindu radicals came to the venue shouting.
“They alleged we were converting Hindus and demanded to know if we
had the permission to conduct the meeting,” Bhattacharya narrated. “We
showed them the permission signed by Gita Bhavan’s trustee chairman, but
they dismissed it, saying the venue is not the chairman’s personal
property that he can grant permission to anyone.”
The participants, mostly Hindus, tried to explain that no conversion
was taking place. “But they refused to listen to us, saying we are not
real Hindus since we promote secularism,” said Bhattacharya, a Brahmin,
the highest caste in Hinduism.
He said the Hindu radicals wanted action against on the Catholic
missionaries. “But all of us, Hindus and others insisted they should
make us also the accused.”
Inter-faith meeting under attack
Father Prasad told Matters India that the protesters forced him to
ride pillion of the motorcycle of the lone policeman present at the
meeting venue. “They hit me on head from behind and abused me,” he said.
He said it was around 10:30 pm when they came out of the police
station.
The priest said the incident was unexpected and unnerving. He said he
had told Brother Sleeva that their experience was “only a small
opportunity” to witness their Christian faith.
Anand Mohan Mathur, a former Advocate General of Madhya Pradesh and
president of the Sadbhavna Foundation, said they organized the program
after obtaining all permissions.
“Whether Diwali or Christmas we
celebrate it together. Nobody’s religious sentiments were hurt by our
program,” he told naidunia.com.
Vinod Sharma, a committee member of the Dharma Jagran Manch, said
they protested because there was no mention of Hinduism in the
invitation to the program. “They were celebrating Christmas Day in the
name of Sadbhavna. The organizers claim they respect all religions, but
they did not bother to mention Hinduism in their notice,” he told
naidunia.com.
Mukesh Yadav, local area coordinator of Bajrangal Dal, wants they
should be permitted to conduct their religious programs at mosques and
churches, if other religions are given permission to conduct their
programs at a Hindu venue.
Click here for source
