IFKCA delegation requests withdrawal of cases against Christian youth

IFKCA delegation requests withdrawal of cases against Christian youth

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, July 17, 2011: Ronald Colaco, the chairman of the International Federation of Karnataka Christian Association (IFKCA) led a delegation of Christian leaders such as Felix D’Souza, Valerian Fernances, Denis D’Silva, and Clifford Mascarenhas to R. Ashok, the state home minister, recently with the intention of finding out the progress made by the state government to withdraw cases against Christian youth following the church attacks of September 2008. This is the second delegation led by Ronald Colaco to the home minister.

 

 

 

The home minister informed the delegation that the government is in favour of withdrawing cases against Christian youth and that the cabinet is soon to approve the same. He also said that he had directed various police stations to send details of these cases to the state’s DGP and IGP so that required action could be taken. He had also instructed Kempe Gowda, his special officer, to keep track of the case status.

The delegation then met Mr. Kempe Gowda, who got in touch with the police commissioner of Mangalore and told him that the home minister has directed him to report to him immediately regarding the progress made in sending the files to the DGP and the IGP to speed up the process.

The delegation then met Dr. V. S. Acharya, the former home minister and present higher education minister, and requested him to ensure cabinet approval for the withdrawal of these cases. Explaining that the youth are facing severe hardship because of these pending cases, he said that their actions were just an emotional outburst against the attacks on churches. He also explained that the youth were finding it difficult to go abroad, pursue higher education, and even take up employment at local levels owing to these pending cases against them.

The delegation also met Dayashankar, the additional secretary to the government and the private secretary of the chief minister, who nominated one of his officials to keep an eye on the development of these cases and to report the progress made every 3 days.

Ronald Colaco has appointed Denis D’Silva, the state convener of IFKCA, Joseph Lobo, Michael Baptist, and K. Stanley as committee members to take the required action. They are now trying to ensure that the files regarding the youth get moving quickly so that they can get early relief.