Vijayawada: A top Christian body in Andhra Pradesh has opposed a government move to set up a board to manage Church properties in the southern Indian state.
A delegation of the Andhra Pradesh Federation of Churches, which is a state-level unit of the Federation of Telugu Churches, met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on September 12 to explain the reasons for opposing the board.
The federation comprises archbishops, bishops of mainline Churches and heads of major Christian denominations in the state.
On June 26, the state set up a Group of Ministers for the protection of Christian minorities properties like Muslims’ wakf board and Hindus’ Endowments.
A memorandum from the delegation explained to the chief minister that the properties of the Churches are private in nature as they are bought and owned by the Churches, and registered on their names
The delegation that met Naidu was led by the federation president Church of South India moderator Bishop G. Dyvasirvadam of Krishna-Godavari and secretary Catholic Bishop Gali Bali of Guntur.
The proposed board would allow government interference in the administration of Churches, dioceses and institutions and properties, a move that violates the Articles 25 and 30 in the Constitution that guarantees to safeguard the rights of religious and linguistic minorities in the country.
The chief minister assured the delegation that he was aware of the nature of Churches properties and his government would not set up a board for Church properties. He also promised to help the Churches to save their properties from alienation and occupation by outsiders. For this, he would consult bishops and members of the federation and, if needed, set up a committee with them to address the Christian grievances.
The delegation that met the chief minister in his Camp Office at Vijayawada thanked him for his services to Christians and his concern for the protection of Church properties.