By Matters India Reporter
New Delhi, March 11, 2020: Various groups of Catholics in Delhi have decided to pool their resources and personnel for relief and rehabilitation works among the victims of sectarian violence in the national capital.
They met March 10 under the leadership of Archbishop Anil Couto of Delhi and decided to work under the banner of the archdiocese and witness Christian services of love and compassion.
Presentation Sister Anastasia Gill, a member of the Delhi Minority Commission and among the first Christians to reach out to the riot victims in northeastern Delhi, narrated her painful experience in Shiv Vihar, a worst affected area.
She termed as inexplicable the fear and anxiety she witnessed in those areas. She requested the Conference of Religious India (CRI) and others to get involved personally rather than just donating material goods for the relief camp.
She thanked the director of the archdiocese’s Holy Family Hospital for sending doctors and nurses with medicines to the affected areas. She also informed the gathering that Church groups have already formed teams to work in relief camps.
She suggested the CRI members to join the local parish priest and heads of various institutions to send volunteers to help in distribution of relief material and to counsel women and children traumatized by the riots.
A legal team led by Jesuit Father Arun will help file First Information Reports and monitor people’s security requirements
The meeting began with the screening of a documentary film prepared by students of Vidyajyoti Theology College to explain the circumstances and the conditions of relief work awaiting the Church groups. Vidyajyoti principal Jesuit Father P R John conducted the meeting.
Father John in his introductory speech explained the purpose of the meeting. Archbishop Couto invited the core team of the volunteers to share their experiences and explain the action plan to be undertaken under Father John Britto, director of Chetanalaya (house of awareness), the archdiocesan social service center.
Anshu Anthony, a lay leader and the main coordinator of the relief work, shared his experience in and called for more volunteers to help the riot victims.
The meeting suggested that the Church should form peace committees and organize rallies later to build up peace and brotherhood in various parts of the national capital.
John Dayal, another lay leader, suggested a fact finding team to assess the victims’ loss, create legal teams to get maximum compassion for the victims through court. He also urged the Catholic groups to collaborate with other Churches, activist and NGOs for effective implementation of the government schemes.
The meeting decided that the Church teams collaborate with the Muslim Waqf Board and enlist lay collaboration. It wants to encourage professional counselors to work for women and children.
Another decision was to identify the people’s needs so that the Church groups can make a long term plan their rehabilitation.
Archbishop Couto invited lay leaders to come forward to render selfless services.
The riots that began on February 23 and lasted for at least four days killed more than 50 people and wounded nearly 200.