'No Entry' for leprosy–afflicted people in YMCA Delhi

National daily, The Times of India (TOI) has reported a shocking news that the Delhi YMCA Tourist Hostel has shut its doors on a delegation of lepers, canceling their bookings on grounds that their presence in the premises may offend other guests.

According to the November 6 report by TOI, a large delegation had arrived in Delhi to attend the Leprosy Forum on October 4.

The 'Idea India' conference, supported by Nippon Foundation, was meant to address issues on leprosy colonies in India. About 350 leprosy–afflicted people had attended the conference, TOI reported.

However, displaying gross insensitivity, the YMCA had bluntly refused to accommodate the delegates, stating in its cancellation letter, "that the rooms reserved…stands cancelled as we were not aware that the group consists of lepers."

According to P.K. Gopal, president Idea India, YMCA excused itself as other guests "who will be staying during that period...may object to it as it has happened in the past when the same group stayed last year."

"You are therefore requested to kindly make other arrangements," the cancellation letter stated.

The gross insensitivity shown by YMCA management has greatly infuriated the public at large.

When YMCA's "outrageous" action was reported to the president of the American Leprosy Missions, Christopher J. Doyle, immediately instructed Leprosy Mission, India, to take up the issue.

Describing the incident as "despicable and outrageous," Doyle, himself a YMCA member in Greenville, South Carolina, USA, wrote to YMCA on October 19, "I find it hard to believe that a Christian agency would deny access or accommodation to people just because they are affected by leprosy."

"Did not Jesus himself reach out and touch people with leprosy?... You need to re–examine your policy and position. Not only is it not Christian to do such things, it is a human rights issue," he wrote.

Meanwhile, the Leprosy Mission Trust (LMT), India, in two letters dated October 20 and 23, has asked YMCA for "a prompt reply" explaining their action.

"It gives us great pain that a major service organisation like YMCA has used the word 'leper' which is universally banned," LMT wrote, pointing out that the discrimination has taken place at a time "when the government of India has declared 'leprosy has been eliminated from India'..."

Christians and non–Christians alike have reacted sharply to the TOI news, strongly condemned the act of YMCA.

"I was shocked to read the news in TOI. YMCA is famous for serving communities worldwide and healing HIV/AIDS patients and people afflicted by leprosy," said Sanjana Varghese. "How could YMCA Delhi show such gross insensitivity in this case?"

"I have heard a lot of stories of the love and mercy of Jesus Christ towards the sick and wounded from my Christian friends," exhorted Arindam Bose. "But the latest incident reported by TOI shows that YMCA Delhi has completely forgotten the promises and dreams based on which George Williams founded the organization, leave alone walk the same path Jesus walked."