Karnataka - Mangalore   

`Notification on public gatherings ambiguous'

Special Correspondent

The order will affect religious and social gatherings, say Christian groups

MANGALORE: Expressing apprehension about the draft notification on Regulation of Public Gatherings (Dakshina Kannada) Order of 2007, Christian groups have said that the order would affect religious and social gatherings.

In a letter to the Chief Minister, the Director-General of Police, the Home Minister and the Superintendent of Police, Dakshina Kannada, the president of the All India Catholic Union and secretary general of the All India Christian Council, John Dayal, appreciated the spirit of the order, which was directed at curbing the activities of fundamentalist forces.

But the order also puts peaceful congregation of people for religious and social purposes by the Christian community into danger, he said.

Dr. Dayal said that the existing provisions of the law were adequate for effective management of the law and order situation. They had been effectively put to use in other States.

There were no special notifications such as the order that had been passed for Dakshina Kannada, he said. Dr. Dayal said the notification was ambiguous on what constituted public places, property and public gathering. The lack of clarity was further compounded in the schedule that was limited to five points of death-related religious ceremonies.

Dr. Dayal said the members of the community in Dakshina Kannada had expressed concern about the order and wanted the Chief Minister, the Home Minister and the police authorities to take a re-look at the provisions of the order.

The Catholic Union and the Christian Council pointed out that the provisions of this order would impose grave restrictions on the exercise of citizens' right, Dr. Dayal added.

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