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Mangaluru

Cong to hold hunger strike to protest scrapping of Christian dvpt corp

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Mangaluru: KPCC spokesperson and former MLC Ivan D’Souza on Tuesday, December 1, lashed out at the state government and demanded that Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa reinstate the Christian Development Corporation (CDC) by the next Assembly session.

While addressing the media at the Mangaluru Press Club on Tuesday, Ivan once again demanded an explanation for why the corporation was rejected.

“If the government can form a development corporation for every other community, such as the Marathas and Veerashaivas, the Christian community has the right to ask the CM why he changed his mind and rejected the proposal to set up the CDC. We want the CM to know that the Christian community exists in every district of the state and that it has contributed tremendously in the fields of education, health etc.,” he said.

Referencing a circular that was sent in June 2020, he said it read that the Finance Department has advised the administrative dept not to pursue the formation of the Christian Development Corporation, as was discussed and decided in the pre-budget meeting with the Chief Minister. “This is an insult to the community and discrimination by the CM against the Christians,” Ivan charged.

Speaking further, Ivan said that the erstwhile Congress government had sought the opinion of the Christian community to form the development corporation and was in the process of constituting the same and it was also mentioned in the 2019-2020 budget during the reign of the coalition government.

“Today, however, six years’ worth of effort has gone in vain now that the government has denied the formation of Christian Development Corporation,” he lamented.

“In 2019, the government secretary submitted a letter to examine the CDC formation proposal, but after the examination, the finance department advised the administrative department not to go through with the proposal,” Ivan added.

Ivan once again demanded that the CM come clean about who guided him to reject the proposal to form the CDC and warned of a protest in the coming days.

“I, along with members of other Christian organizations, will go on a hunger strike on December 4 from 9 AM to 5 PM near the Town Hall. I have also requested members of other political parties to join us in the protest, to which they have agreed,” he said, adding that their goal is to get justice from the government.

“Our fight will never end until the Christians of the state get justic,” Ivan assured.

NSUI member Ashith Pereira, DK Catholic Sabha coordinator Alwyn D’souza, CSI Council member James Praveen, and Catholic Sabha member Basil Rodrigues were also present.

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