Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has extended support to the Missionaries of Charity’s move to give up its status to run adoption homes in India.
“We fully support Missionaries of Charity and Sister Prema in their decision to opt out of the adoption programme. They have a right to do so. Essence of India is unity in diversity. This is the pillar of our great nation,” said Banerjee.
The Missionaries of Charity, founded by Blessed Mother Teresa 65 years ago, on October 11 made public its decision of discontinuing adoption work in India since the past two months.
The nuns cited difficulty in complying with the new adoption rules notified by the government in July.
“We have voluntarily given up our recognized status to run adoption centers. This decision was arrived soon after we received the new ‘Guidelines Governing Adoption of Children, 2015’ issued under a notification from the union ministry of women and child development,” the Missionaries of Charity said in a statement.
While the congregation did not specify its opposition to any particular provision, the new guidelines notified in July have made single parents (separated, divorced, unwed mothers) eligible to adopt through online registration.
The congregation manages 16 orphanages in India under the name of Nirmala Shishu Bhawan, providing shelter, food, medical care and schooling to abandoned and destitute children. Of this 13 were authorized by the government to run adoption centers.