Authorities harass Catholic orphanage in Madhya Pradesh with searches and arrests
Child protection agencies target another Christian welfare institution, the St Francis Orphanage in Sagar. Founded more than 150 years ago, it serves orphaned and special needs kids. During the raid, its church was desecrated, documents destroyed and mobile phones and computers seized. For the past three years, orphanage administrators have been trying to renew their licence to operate. Court orders upholding the status quo have been ignored.
Shampura (AsiaNews) – In Madhya Pradesh attacks against the Catholic Church continue. Bishop Gerald Almeida of Jabalpur was hit with fraud charges last month, while the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) have stepped up their inspections of Catholic child welfare facilities.
The latest one to be targeted is the St Francis Orphanage, Shampura (Sagar district), which has worked with orphaned and special needs children for over 150 years.
On Monday, child protection officials and police officers “raided the compound,” said Father Sabu Puthenpurackal speaking to AsiaNews.
During their search, they desecrated the church, beat up and arrested two priests (who were later released on bail), destroyed computers, and ransacked the adjoining convent.
The authorities' assault on the orphanage, which took place without any reason or prior warning, came the day before a hearing was set to take place before the High Court of Madhya Pradesh on the orphanage’s request to renew its licence to operate.
For the past three years, the renewal application has been pending. Since it was made, the applicants have not received any response even though Church leaders have made repeated requests.
“Despite repeatedly communicating with the concerned departments enquiring about the delays in granting the renewal, no response has been forthcoming,” Fr Puthenpurackal said.
Meanwhile, “false and baseless accusations" pile up.
State authorities tried to take the children a first time in December 2021. In court, "we petitioned" against it and the “ruling was in our favour,” the clergyman noted.
The status quo was maintained. A new hearing was scheduled yesterday, but the day before NCPCR President Priyank Kanoongo and some CWC officials came to the orphanage with police and began to "inspect the site, illegally seizing documents" without any warrant.
Ignoring prior court rulings, "they ransacked the premises, destroyed files and computers, seized documents, mobile phones and PCs, searched the rooms and desecrated the altar of the church," Fr Puthenpurackal lamented.
When the priests resisted, they first beat them, then arrested them. For the clergyman, what the authorities did was "illegal and outrageous".
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