Christians being targeted unjustly - Seminar

Christians being targeted unjustly - Seminar

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, May 2, 2015  :  ’Overview of Issues & Concerns of our community - The way ahead,’ a seminar was organised by The Sylvester Frank Centenary Foundation and the Catholic Association of South Kanara (CASK) at St Aloysius College in Mangaluru on May 1, Friday,  former Director General of Police F T R Colaco stressed it is alarming that along with communal organisations, some ministers have also been making allegations on Christian minorities,  and added  with extremism and communal activism on rise, minorities are badly  targeted.

Certain  ’Sangh Pariwar’  has been targeting the Christians. The sad matter is that not only Sangh Pariwar and communal organisations, but govet union ministers are delivering statements portraying Christian minority in bad light, he added that insinuations that Christian Community is not a part of India, is absurd.

Incidents in many areas prove that harmonious and unresistant nature of people of the community has been misused. In states like Odisha, Chattisgarh and Gujarat, fate of tribal Christians has been pathetic and even Christian nuns are raped and molested.  The community must be united. Christians should speak up and seek answers to allegations, he also called upon various sections of the community to stop adapting the thought that a particular section of the community  is superior.

Activist and Mumbai High Court Advocate Flavia Agnes delivered a talk on ’Crimes against women’,  calling upon the gathering not to classify women as Christian, Hindu or Muslim, whenever women are  attacked,  there is need to look at the problems as a whole she said.

St Agnes College Psychology Department Head Prof Elsie Tarien called upon parents to love their children unconditionally, in her talk on "Effective parenting in the present scenario,"  Stating that love and discipline are two sides of same coin, she said that values can not be ’taught’ , but can only be ’caught’. Quoting social reformer Frederick Douglass, Prof Elsie said: "It is better to build stronger children, than to repair men and women later."

SDM Law College Principal Dr P P Sebastain spoke on "Constitution and Minorities," Vimukthi (Ujire) Director Fr Vinod Mascarenhas spoke on ’Ghar Vapsi - the reality.’  The participation was in full force and many pros and cons were discussed.

Earlier, Mayor Jacintha Vijaya Alfred was felicitated. While first session was chaired by Rachana former president Marcel Monteiro, second session was chaired by Dr Anand Pereira. Sylvester Frank Centenary Foundation Chairman Prof Edmund Frank presided over the programme and Catholic Association of South Kanara president Capt John Prasad Menezes moderated the programme. The seminar was part of a series to be organised by CASK.