BELAGAVI
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramiah has assured to implement as many demands at the earliest for the welfare of Christians in Karnataka. He was speaking after visiting the Archbishop’s House in Bengaluru and interacting with Archbishop of Bangalore Peter Machado on Wednesday.
Along with other bishops and Christian leaders, Bishop Machado presented a memorandum to Siddaramiah. Expressing gratitude to Chief Minister Siddaramiah for repealing the Anti-Conversion Law Bishop Machado presented a memorandum which states outlining the key demands of the Christian community in Karnataka.
The demands mentioned in the memorandum included the reformation of the present Christian Development Council into a Corporation with adequate grants and providing government land for Christian cemeteries outskirts of the city.
Other demands include increasing the lease period of lands and providing lands for the construction of schools, hospitals, churches, etc. as well as representation of Christian candidates in Karnataka Minorities Development Corporation, Directorate of Minorities, Karnataka Public Service Commission, Legislative Council, Rajya Sabha, and in various corporations of the government.
The memorandum also stated that the government should revoke the ceiling law that stipulates that there must be 25% Christian students in minority schools and 50% Christian students in colleges. Christians belonging to Dalit and Backward classes should be allotted Caste Certificates without any hassles, it stated.
Archbishop Machado also present a copy of the Holy Bible to the Chief Minister. Minister for Energy K J George, Minister for Housing and Minority Affairs B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan, and Minister for Municipal Administration Rahim Khan, were also present.
