Greed for more property - religious demolishes poor family’s need?

Greed for more property - religious demolishes poor family’s need?

Mangalore Today News Network

By Special Correspondent.
Mangalore, June 26, 2014: Insatiable greed over a property at Karangalpady has thrown to the wind the basic need of it’s long time occupant John Baptist and family of three females. St Aloysius College took a cruel turn on Thursday June 26 with the College administration getting the house summarily demolished in the midst of the monsoon rain.

 

John Baptist Lewis, said to be the adopted son of Alice D’Souza, had claimed that he had been living with Alice D’Souza for 40 years, at a house in Patrao Lane, Karangalpady, many eye witnesses are there.  St Aloysius College recently claimed ownership of the house and asked him to vacate, the matter is said to be sub-judice.

However, St Aloysius College maintained that John Baptist had been illegally residing in the college premises and refusing to vacate despite notices. The College had said that it has all the documents to prove its ownership of the property and that attempts to negotiate had failed. John Baptist has often told this correspondent that he had no means to fight SAC and only desires a humbles place of shelter for his family, two daughters who have always lived in this house and was in the process of negotiating with the SAC in hope and trust that they were a religious institution. Instead the management of SAC has been making wild allegations and insinuations and hatching plots using it’s great influence in the region.

Speaking to media persons, John Baptist, a painter by profession, said that at around 3 pm, around 40 persons including Rev Francis Almeida and Rev Cyril representing the College administration came to the spot and forcefully  demolished the house. Baptists claimed that when he refused to give believe and appealed for hearing, he was threatened and forcibly carried away in a jeep, and later when he was brought back, he was grieved and shocked to find  the old traditional structure of the house in rubble. His belongings, personal effects, valuables and utilities to were absent. The unexpected shock petrified his wife and daughters and they were sobbing  inconsolably. Even the dogs of the house were seen grieving in  sympathy with the long time Lewis residents. Several people from a wide cross section of Mangalore society have expressed grief and dissatisfaction at the manner a poor man has been put on the streets without warning.

Baptist’s lawyer, who did not want to be named, said that the case is pending in court. He also alleged that a laptop and Baptist’s daughters’ gold ornaments which were in the house were taken away, and that the girls, were even ’manhandled’. The will, of the owner states that a house is to be built for John Baptist Lewis, for which he should have received a suitable assurance before  demolition.

Baptist’s two daughters were away at work at the time of the incident. One of the daughters, Savitha, speaking to media persons, said that when she received calls about the incident, she informed her sister and both of them rushed home and found the gates closed. "When I enquired with the priest on the spot, he refused to answer and pushed me away," she said.

PUCL and Komu Souharda Vedike arrived at the spot and condemned the action taken by the College. They said they would filed a complaint with the police.

It is learnt, Rev. Almeida said that the College had clearance from the city corporation and the authorities concerned to demolish the house. He said that LEWIS FAMILY belongings were taken in a truck to Fajir where they own some land. He also denied allegations that Baptist’s daughters were manhandled and said that the girls were not at the spot. He further informed that the College will soon convene a press meet to clarify its stand.

Rev. Cyril D’Mello speaking to media persons said that all allegations about usurping John Baptist’s rights were false, and that that the property had been donated to St Aloysius College by Alice D’Souza. He further said that Baptist had made fake documents to claim the property as his, while the College was in possession of the original documents. It seems to have further been said that the College would consider a house for John Baptist Lewis.

St Aloysius College’s Press statement:
"This is to bring to the notice of the Press that the property bearing survey no. 224V-10 in 89A Kodialbail Village of Mangalore Taluk, DK District (House No. 14-1-49, 49A) belonged originally to Alice Lydia D’Souza and who donated it through her Will to St Aloysius College on May 15, 1986. However, the Will also directed the College to build a house and give to her (Alice Lydia D’Souza) nephew, late Errol Flin Gonsalves, or allow him to reside in the house that existed in the property (House no. 14-1-49, 49A), till his death. After the death of Alice Lydia D’Souza, the property (Survey No 224 V-10) was transferred legally to Karnataka Jesuit Educational Society that runs the College. Further, as per the wish of Alice Lydia D’Souza, her nephew, Errol Flin Gonsalves was allowed to reside in the house that stood on the property without any interference. Errol Flin Gonsalves passed away on July 9, 2013.

But, Errol Flin Gonsalves had brought John Baptist to look after him in his old age. John Baptist Louis has absolutely no relationship to the property and to the original owners of the house.

The Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) in its recent order dated 25-1-2014 (Revenue/CR 255/R 12216/2014-15/A5) has rejected John Baptist’s dubious resident letter which was acquired by producing false documents. In another order dated 25-2-2014 (Revenue/CR 358/R 14947/13-14/A11) MCC has annulled his application questioning the ownership of the property held by the College, following his inability to produce any documents.

During the recent monsoon break, a tree fell on the old house existing in the said property and damaged the dilapidated construction further, posing a risk to human lives. Also, as the College administration wants to develop this property for the good of students, it demolished the dilapidated construction existing in the said property, the College being the legal owners.

In the undertaking given to the police by John Baptist Louis (dated 8-11-2013), it is stated that he has no residence. However, the College has documents to prove that he owns a property and a house which is vacant (house no. 1-2-77) situated at Dharmatota, Boliyar Panchayat limits, Mangalore Taluk, DK District. The College also has documents to prove that he has illegally acquired two ration cards.

This only shows that John Baptist Louis has been trying to deceive the law and the authority by producing false documents. The two orders of MCC too bear witness to this character of John Baptist Louis. Added to this, he is also frequenting the premises of the PG Ladies Hostel of the College which is nearby, thus causing nuisance to the inmates."