News - Mangalore

Bishop Henry D'Souza of Bellary

Karnataka:- Bishop Henry D'Souza of Bellary has deplored his Church's land being "illegally and forcefully mined and looted" in a Karnataka village.

Despite repeated pleas to the government departments, "the illegal miming is carried on with the claimed active support of people in high offices", the bishop said in a statement.

The land in Ramgad village in Bellary district has four dilapidated bungalows in which Church personnel had lived for over 70 years. The diocese's ownership can be traced to the existing revenue records that are about 100 years old, Bishop D'Souza said.

People belonging to a mining company illegally mined iron ore and have transported it. When questioned, "they have been extremely abusive and insulting," the statement said.

The encroachers also claimed to have "active support and backing" of officials in the present state government led by Pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party, it said.

The company claims it has licenses from the government's mining department to mine the Church land.

"This is a grave injustice" and the encroachment gives the impression that Church properties "not safe anymore," the bishop said adding the Church seems "to be soft targets" for such unlawful actions.

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