Ranchi: Rashtriya Isai Mahasangh will stage a demonstration in front of Raj Bhavan on Sunday to demand the withdrawal of Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Jharkhand Amendment) Act that was recently approved by the President.

It will also submit a memorandum to governor Droupadi Murmu to draw her attention to wide-ranging issues related to Christians.

The outfit wants tribals, who have converted to other religions, to continue enjoying reservation benefits besides a sensitive handling of the child sale scam that unfolded at Nirmal Hriday. The implementation of the Sarna code also figures among one of its prominent demands.

“Dragging away small children from their foster parents is atrocious. If some nuns and officials of Nirmal Hriday did something illegal, they ought to be taken to task after proper inquiry,” Mahasangh president Deepak Tirkey said.

He said defaming the Missionaries of Charity set up by Mother Teresa wasn’t justified. “Mother Teresa has attained sainthood. Her sacrifices for the upliftment of the hapless cannot be undermined. The state government’s actions are vindictive,” he alleged.

Referring to recent arrest of 16 Christian missionaries in Dumka, he said the state government should first prove how the forced conversions were conducted. “Article 25 of the Constitution empowers an Indian to spread religious messages. The missionaries were held captive by Fulpahari natives minutes after they reached there. People hadn’t assembled to hear them. How could they have conducted forced conversions?” he argued.

He also demanded a probe by the CBI or NIA in pathalgadi incidents in Khunti and the way police handled the gang rape of five social workers in Kochang.

(The Telegraph)