By Matters India Reporter
Nagavalli, June 29, 2020: Catholics of a parish under the diocese of Mysore on June 29 held a demonstration to protest the “punishment” transfer given to their priest for complaining to Rome about the local bishop.
Father Gnana Prakash, pastor of the Sacred Heart Church in Nagavally, Chamarajanagar district, was among 37 priests of the southern Indian diocese listed for transfer in May.
Robert Rosario, a social activist and member of the Association of Concerned Catholics, says the local Catholics view the transfers as revenge by Bishop K A William of Mysore.
The priests had earlier written to Pope accusing him of practicing factionalism, favoritism, illegal parenthood, sexual liaisons and corruption.
Rosario told Matters India that people were forced to come to the streets after the diocesan authorities ignored their repeated pleas to revoke the transfers.
“Therefore, the people decided to protest against the untimely, unjust and revengeful transfer order,” he explained.
Prashant Lukas, another protester, demanded the bishop’s immediate resignation as he has allegedly fathered two children from his illicit relations with several women. “We demand the bishop should undergo a DNA test to prove his innocence,” he told Matters India.
The parish is some 60 km southeast of Mysore town.
A John, a parishioner and one of the protesters, alleged that Bishop William had issued death threats to their parish priest. “We demand police protection for Father Gnana Prakash for at least one year,” he told Matters India.
Rosario described Father Prakash as “a pro-poor” priest who worked hard to set an English medium school to help local children as the area lacked quality education.
The protesters alleged that the bishop has refused to repay the loan Father Prakash had taken people to complete the school project. “The bishop does not allow the priest to complete his term and repay the repay the loan from the school income,” Rosario alleged.
Earlier, Justice Michael F Saldanha, former judge of the Bombay and Karnataka high courts had termed the transfer order as illegal, revengeful and in clear violation of the guidelines of lockdown issued by the government. So he had warned Bishop William to obey the law of the land and withdraw the “unjustified transfer orders.”
Rosario accused the government of double standards in implementing the lockdown norms. “While on the one hand the government uses its police force to enforce the norms among ordinary people, it looks the other way when influential people like Bishop William flout the rules,” he alleged.
The government had stayed all sorts of transfers during the lockdown period that began on March 25.
“The mindless act forcing people to dislocate and transfer of property put the lives of innocent people to jeopardy,” he said and added, “Surprisingly the entire police department is dancing to (Bishop William’s) tune and helping him cover up his crimes,” Rosario alleged.
The pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party is currently heading the coalition government of Karnataka.
Robert Rosario alleged that some persons aligned with the ruling establishment now safeguard Bishop William.
“This shows there is some understanding between the ruling BJP and William,” he alleged.
Melwyn Fernandes, secretary of the Association of Concerned Catholics, says people would be forced to launch statewide protests if the current scenario in Karnataka continues. “We will also have to move the High Court after the lockdown,” he told Matters India on June 29.
How long will the Nuncio and the CBCI President turn a blind eye to all that is happening in Mysuru? Are they like Nero fiddling while Rome burnt? What about the Catholic Priests Council of India (CPCI)? It makes bold statements about social justice. What about justice to its own diocesan priests? Two have allegedly been murdered, several others are under life threat and vindictive wholesale transfers have been effected. The CPCI should also speak up.
Anybody with a modicum of decency, even if innocent, would have stepped down in the face of such serious allegations as those against William. If the bishop is innocent he should have been the first to ask for a DNA paternity test to prove his innocence. If the ecclesiastical authorities don’t act then the people will have to come out on to the streets and also seek refuge in a court of law. The church in India will be the loser.