Christians charge Cong of neglecting them

Mumbai, Apr 9 (UNI) The All India Catholic Union and Bombay Catholic Sabha today charged the Congress party of not doing anything for their community.

Addressing a press conference, President of the All India Catholic Union Lawrence D'Souza said the minority community had supported the Congress for more than 60 years but had never been given recognition in the government nor any Christian had been nominated as an MLC or to any other government board's chairmanship.

''We have been neglected by the Congress for our peace loving nature and have always been given false promises,'' Mr D Souza said adding that the Christians were conducting a survey about the possibility of supporting any other political party, which would fulfill their demands and they would take a decision regarding the same before the assembly elections in Maharashtra.

General secretary of Christian Democratic Front Lalbahadur Kamble said there were more than 22 lakh Christians in Maharashtra and their votes would affect around 10 per cent of the assembly seats and eight parliamentary seats in the state.

''Our votes will swing to other parties and affect the results in the assembly and the parliamentary seats, if our demands fall on deaf ears this time also,'' Mr Kamble said.

The Bombay Catholic Sabha, the All India Catholic Union and various Christian associations protested against the attack on their activists and preachers by hooligans and fascist political activists.

Referring to the attack on teachers of St Joseph's school in Raigad, allegedly by activists of Bajrang Dal and VHP on April 7, Mr D'Souza said no arrests had been made in this regard and it was one of the numerous attacks on Christian missionaries and activists of various Christian associations.

Twenty cases of attack on the Christian community had been registered between 2005-07, Mr D'Souza added.

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