The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Dialogue with State urged

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Friday, Dec 07, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Dialogue with State urged

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh Federation of Churches (APFC) on Thursday urged a dialogue with Government on the issue of the Christian Properties Protection Draft Bills and a Property Board.

At a press conference APFC office-bearers straightaway rejected both the bills and the property board.

They said all Christian institutions and churches were strictly-bound and administered in tune with the provisions laid down in ‘The Code of Canon Law’. They termed these canons as a centralised and well-structured regulation in place.

Regulation not needed

Vicar General, Rt. Rev. Solomon Thumma and APFC Executive Secretary Rev. Fr. Anthoniraj Thumma said there was no need for a regulation at all.

He reasoned that because unlike the Hindu and Wakf Board properties for the Muslims, their properties were not endowments and not acquired through donations at all.

Special tribunal

Another APFC Executive Secretary B. Danam said what was required was a special tribunal to protect properties and also launch proceedings to recover properties that were alienated.

“Properties in question are all those registered in the name of organisations and societies and not in the names of individuals. Our grievance is more of interference than protection,” he said.

Fr. Bernard said “The Catholic Church as the inherent right, independently of any secular power, to acquire, retain, administer and alienate temporal goods in pursuit of its proper objectives.”

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