Missionaries of Charity's bank accounts frozen, says West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

New Delhi, Dec 27: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her shock over the reports of bank accounts of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity organisation, an organisation founded by Mother Teresa, were frozen on Saturday - Christmas Day.

She said that the 22,000 patients and employees of the organisation have been left without food and medicines. Banerjee tweeted, "Shocked to hear that on Christmas, Union Ministry FROZE ALL BANK ACCOUNTS of Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity in India! Their 22,000 patients & employees have been left without food & medicines. While the law is paramount, humanitarian efforts must not be compromised. [sic]"

It is unclear the reason behind the government's decision to freeze the accounts.

However, neither the Home Ministry nor officials at the Missionaries of Charity organisation have commented about the issue.

Earlier this month, an FIR was filed at Makarpura police station in Gujarat against the Missionaries of Charity under the Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act, 2003, allegedly for hurting the sentiments, Indian Express reported.

It was alleged that the organisation had lured young girls towards Christianity in a shelter home in Vadodara.

"Between February 10, 2021, and December 9, 2021, the institution has been involved in activities to hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus intentionally and with bitterness... The girls inside the Home for Girls are being lured to adopt Christianity by making them wear the cross around their neck and also placing the Bible on the table of the storeroom used by the girls, in order to compel them to read the Bible... It is an attempted crime to force religious conversion upon the girls," the FIR stated as per the daily.

However, the organisation had denied the charge.