Mumbai: Hundreds of Christians gathered at Azad Maidan on Friday afternoon to protest against the recent threats made to their clergy members by Gopichand Padalkar, Member of the Legislative Council.
Padalkar reportedly offered a reward of Rs 11 lakh to anyone who kills a Christian missionary involved in religious conversion. He made the remarks at a public event in Sangli on June 17.
Members of the Christian community said the MLC's statement is disturbing. "It is a direct attack on the very fabric of our secular democracy. It is shocking and disheartening that our elected leaders have failed to take cognisance of such dangerous rhetoric, thereby undermining and isolating Christians in their own country," said Melwyn Fernandes, Secretary of the Association of Concerned Christians.
Member of Parliament Varsha Gaikwad addressed the meeting, which had participants from different Christian denominations. The participants demanded the suspension of Padalkar from the legislative council and the registration of a criminal case against him for hate speech, incitement of communal violence, and issuing death threats.
Father Reuben Tellis, a Roman Catholic priest, wrote a special prayer to be read out at the meeting. The prayer was against the formulation of any bill that would seek to restrict the freedom to practice one's faith.
