Andhra Bishops Meet Chief Minister

SECUNDERABAD, May 31, 2010, 10:00 Hrs (CBCI News / Anthoniraj Thumma):

The Andhra Pradesh Federation of Churches (APFC), an apex body of the major Christian Denominations, held a meeting with K. Rosaiah, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, at Hyderabad, May 29, 20 Bishops and Church heads to discuss the pending issues. Several Christian officials, were also present.

The meeting discussed issues like the subsidies to the pilgrimage to the Holy Land and the construction of churches pending in the Supreme Court and High Court respectively, increasing atrocities on the pastors and Christians, the Church efforts to construct over 3000 houses for the victims of the floods of last October and the cyclone of last week.

The Executive Secretary of APFC. Bishop P. Anthony of Kurnool read out the memorandum on the SC Status to the Dalit Christians that urged the Chief Minister to send a letters to the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Smt Sonia Gandhi urging them to introduce the bill in the coming session of the Parliament.

The Chief Minister briefed them on action taken on various issues and assured financial support to the Christian Schools under the Minority Welfare as the policy to discontinue the grant-in-aid still stands.