Bombay Catholic Sabha To Organise Rally On March 15

MUMBAI, MAR. 14, 2008, 09.20 Hrs (CBCI News):

“Get up! Stand up! Stand up for our rights! Get up! Stand up! Don’t give up the fight!” is the slogan of the Bombay Catholic Sabha (BCS) which will be holding a rally at Azad Maidan in Mumbai on Mar. 15.

Bombay Catholic Sabha has been demanding that the Government stop the “forcible acquisition of land/eviction of original residents of Uttan-Gorai-Manori and Sahar etc in the garb of development.”

The organization has been demanding scraping of Special Economic Zone in Gorai Uttan, no land acquisition in Sahar and stopping attacks on minorities.

The BCS had organised the candle light vigil in the different parishes in Mumbai between 7.00 p.m. and 8.00 p.m. on Saturday, February 23, 2008.

The Gorai Uttan SEZ plan is expected to affect over 125,000 families and livelihoods, causing environment disaster by destroying Mangroves.

The Mumbai International Airport Authority [MIAL], a private company duly supported by the Government is hell bent on acquiring the Sahar Land which include the Church - 400 years old history and the Graveyard.

The additional land will be used for commercial purposes like building of Luxury Hotels, Malls, Convention Halls etc. Over 3 lakh people will lose their homes and livelihoods, said the organizers of the rally.

The Archbishop of Bombay, Cardinal Oswald Gracias in his pastoral letter had questioned this type of development and urged parishioners to reflect on such issues and take a stand.

It has been reported that at least 2 attacks in a week on Christian Institutions , Priest and Nuns in different parts of the country.

“Is it a crime to be a Christian and be treated worse than criminals, beaten and hounded from our own homes and our churches vandalized and destroyed? We condemn human rights violations of every kind, whether they are in the name of religion, caste, creed, language or region. We are all equal,” said the statement issued by the President of the Bombay Catholic Sabha, Dolphy D’Souza.