Christians call for law to govern church properties

The desperation for a law to govern the numerous church properties in India was echoed at a seminar in Goa on Tuesday.

Speakers addressing the seminar on "Should there be a law to protect the properties of the Church" were very much supporting a law parallel to the Sikh and Muslim community that can render complete control over the church properties.

KT Thomas, former Supreme Court judge, asked why when Hindu temples are governed by their laws and Sikhs have the Sukh Gurudwara Act, Muslims have the Wakf Act, Church cannot have its own.

Says Thomas that Article 26 of the Constitution guarantees religious denominations right to maintain, own and acquire properties. However, he feels in the matter of administration one have to abide by the law.

In a country like India where Constitution stands the highest, says Thomas, religious denominations should welcome the bringing of laws to administer their properties.

And to those who are against it, he warned they have a sinister motive and that might include the "misusing of funds and wealth of religious organisations."

Thomas feels that those who are opposing for such a law fear that a "judicial scrutiny is likely to expose the expenses and wealth of any denomination."

Eduardo Faleiro, Commissioner for Goa NRI affairs, also supports a law to govern church properties.

"The Church is not a symbol of power but service, and democratic laws must apply to it equally. All religions must be kept on the same footing," Faleiro was quoted saying.

Falerio also demanded that the Goa government erase a colonial law established by a treaty signed between the Vatican and the Portuguese government in 1940. The same laws have already been repealed in Portugal, he pointed.

Taking a dig at the Catholic Church was the president of the All India Catholic Union, Remy Denis, who says Christians might be a mere 2.5 per cent but Church suffers from a case of plenty.

He pointed that Church authorities control funds equivalent to the Indian Navy's annual budget and further it is also the second largest employer after the government.

The Church, meanwhile, is clearly opposed to the idea of enacting a law to manage its properties.

Recently, church leaders in Madhya Pradesh were in arms when the state state minorities commission decided to constitute a body to manage church properties, including cemeteries,on the lines of the Muslim Wakf Board.