Statue of Jesus removed in southern India
Christians call it a violation of a new law enacted to protect religious structures in Karnataka state
The removal of a statue of Jesus while causing damage to stations of the cross in the southern Indian state of Karnataka was a violation of the government’s own law protecting religious structures, say Christians.
The Karnataka Religious Structures (Protection) Act 2021, which came into effect on Oct. 22, 2021, has underlined the protection of religious structures built on government land.
Section 3 of the law states that the government shall protect religious structures existing on the date of commencement of the act “notwithstanding anything contained in any law for the time being in force or any judgment, decree or order of any court, tribunal or authority.”
Disregarding provisions of this new law, government officials removed the nearly two-decades-old statue of Jesus on government land which was in the possession of St. Francis Xavier Church at Gokunte village in Kolar district, under Bangalore Diocese, on Feb. 15.
The officials also damaged the concrete structure on which the statue stood, besides a couple of stations of the cross, under the pretext of removing encroachments made by the church.
R. Shobhita, a revenue official who led the demolition squad, told media that the statue was built on government land which was reserved as grazing land for cattle. The action was in compliance with a recent order of Karnataka High Court, he claimed.
We have a state law in our support along with two court orders, one of them from the high court, but still our sacred structures were demolished without a notice
Church officials challenged the official contention, saying the issue was under consideration of the state’s top court, which had sought a status report. The court had listed the matter for hearing on Feb. 16.
Church officials were not even issued the mandatory legal notice before the demolition and called it a part of the government’s communal agenda to target minority Christians and Muslims.
The law on religious structures enacted by the state government describes them as “a temple, church, mosque … etc. constructed on a public place without authority of law.”
“We have a state law in our support along with two court orders, one of them from the high court, but still our sacred structures were demolished without a notice,” said J.A. Kantharaj, the public relations officer of the archdiocese.
He told UCA News that the action amounted to contempt of court. “We are moving the court for action on the concerned officials,” he said.
The government land was in the custody of the church for over three decades but some anti-social elements raked up a controversy over forced conversions leading to the demolition.
“We will not give up. We will continue our fight against the fundamentalists out to disturb the communal harmony by their false narratives,” Kantharaj added.
Karnataka, which is known as the hub of India’s information technology sector, has lately turned into a hotbed of anti-Christian and Muslim actions.
The pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party which rules the state recently passed an anti-conversion law targeting Christians while also raising the bogey of hijabs, a veil worn by Muslim women.
The state government had also ordered a survey of churches and Christian missionaries across the state, causing outrage among secular individuals and organizations.
The United Christian Forum, an ecumenical group, in its recent report said Karnataka had recorded the highest incidents of anti-Christian violence in southern India.
