Call for CBI probe on Karnataka church attacks gets louder

Church in one voice has demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the 2008 church attacks in Karnataka.

Rejecting the report of the Justice Somasekhara Commission, Christian denominations including the Catholic Church, Church of South India (CSI) and Believers Church called for an immediate CBI inquiry and said the interim report had clearly named the Bajrang Dal, Sri Rama Sene and Vishwa Hindu Parishad for the series of attacks.

Archbishop of Bangalore Bernard Moras termed the final report as "highly communal" and "propagandist", and said the attacks on churches were an attempt to defame the community by some vested interest forces.

Moras told at a joint press conference that the report failed to identify the persons and organisations behind the attacks and had legitimised the position of the state despite increasing attacks on Christian community last three years.

"We have sufficient reasons to reject the report. It failed to uphold human rights of the citizens by giving a clean chit to the attackers, which is an act of injustice done to the Christian community," said Moras, who is also the President of the Karnataka Region Catholic Bishops' Council and the Karnataka United Christian Forum for Human Rights.

On allegations of conversion, he said, "While upholding the right to practice, profess and propagate religion in accordance with the tenets of our constitution, we denounce the agenda of vested interest groups to malign the community using conversion as a device."

Commenting on the commission's finding on foreign funds, Vasanth Kumar, Bishop and Moderator, Church of South India, said: "All funds coming from foreign countries are closely monitored by the Union home ministry."

He also opined on conversion saying "it is an act of God" and "professing our faith is part of our Christian identity".

Meanwhile, Karnataka Governor HR Bhardwaj yesterday slammed Somasekhara Commission's report on the church attacks and said justice was not done to the Christian community.

"I am disturbed about it. The entire Christian community is upset as well," he said.

In 2008, a wave of attacks was directed against Christian prayer halls allegedly by members of the Sangh Parivar in the state. Over 20 churches and several prayer halls in Mangalore, Udupi, Chikkamagaluru, Kolar and other small districts were attacked.