By Jessy Joseph
New Delhi, Sept 24, 2020: Police in Andhra Pradesh have launched an investigation after some miscreants disfigured statues of Mother Mary, Jesus and Child Jesus in a church.
The parish priest of St Mary Magdalene Church at Mandapeta in East Godavari district found the statues desecrated on September 23 and informed the police, Father Arlagadda Joseph, deputy secretary of Telegu Catholic Bishops’ Council, told Matters India September 24 over the phone.
The Church authorities have handed over the CCTV camera to the investigation team. The parish comes under Visakhapatnam archdiocese.
The priest also recalled that the chariot of famous Sri Lakshmi Narasimha temple in the district was gutted in fire in early September.
“It is shocking and we strongly condemn the attacks on religious places and hope the culprits are booked soon,” the priest said.
Father Joseph sees the attacks as politically motivated to defame the southern Indian state government. Andhra Chief Minister Y.S.R. Jagan Mohan Reddy has taken several decisions for the Christian community. In November last year his government hiked subsidy for Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem and other Biblical places.
“The criminal gangs have been attacking religious places. There have been several incidents of vandalism and desecration of Hindu temples in the state during the year. It might be politically motivated to destroy the communal harmony,” he added.
Father Joseph said the statues in the Mandapeta church were easily accessible from the compound walls.
Andhra is ruled by a Christian CM. Not sure whether he belongs to the faction that strictly respects Biblical prohibition on statues. Hopefully the CM will be able to nab those criminals involved and charged. But Catholic Church needs to look at the wisdom of keeping statues at road sides. Keep them, if you must, inside church or within walled compounds of their churches.
Desecration is nothing but to create hatred between communities in the state. Christians must be aware and alert and not fall in trap by making unfounded comments. Let the police do their job.