False allegations lead to the arrest of Christian priest in MP

Christians in the state of Madhya Pradesh held demonstrations against the arrest of Fr Joseph Kappiliparambil, accused of child molestation in Ujjain. Normal activities of the churches and schools of the diocese have been suspended, as a sign of the protest.

Fr Joseph assisted with few religious sisters, responsible for managing a school and boarding house that serves 22 girls, was on February 12, attacked by a group of 300 Hindu nationalists together with the Bajrang Dal radicals, who physically manhandled the priest.

The superintendent of the police who arrested him says that in reality "we have not arrested the priest, but have taken him to save his life from the mob led by fundamental organisations".

According to the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), the unsubstantiated charges against the priest were levelled after two girls from the hostel complained to the police of abuse.

GCIC alleged that the girls (age 12 and 13), who were chided for not maintaining the discipline of the institution, were asked to write an apology letter and strictly follow the rules of the organisation, which led to the issue.

The children later alerted the boys of the village who instigated a mob of people consisting of around three hundred who dragged and harassed the priest.

"It became very clear that the poor under age small girls have been tutored to accuse the priest of sexual harassment so that the church can be defamed," said GCIC.

Archbishop Leo Cornelio, Bishop Sebastian Vadakel of Ujjain Diocese, and the bishops' council of Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh have condemned the use of girls to dishonour the priest and discredit the Church.

"It is the most heinous and most shameless method the timid fundamental organisations are using to assert themselves through hooliganism. We condemn the incident and ask the state government to deliver justice," they said.

Right Wing elements, for several years, have been hurtful and melodramatic, nurturing hatred and anger in the hearts of people with false claims and arrests against the peace loving community.

From the beginning of Christianity's birth in India, the missionaries and laymen have been selflessly serving the people in various areas of life, including the upraising of Education and Health Care.