Headlines
Maharashtra opposition walks out over Church attack
Mumbai, March 23
The attack on a church in
Navi Mumbai two days ago snowballed into a major political issue with
the opposition Congress and Nationalist Congress Party staging a walkout
in the Maharashtra assembly here on Monday.
The government said
it suspected a political hand in the incident, which sparked off
widespread protests among Christians in the state.
On March 21,
at least three unidentified people hurled stones at the St. George
Catholic Church in New Panvel area of Navi Mumbai.
Minority
Affairs Minister Eknath Khadse told the house that foreign hand,
anti-social elements or a political person may be involved. A political
hand cannot be ruled out. Detailed facts will be revealed before the end
of the legislature session.
He also said the government would
take care to ensure that such incidents are prevented in future, but
senior NCP leader objected and alleged that the government was
"insensitive" to the issue and accused it of politicising the matter.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has already assured probe into the incident.
The
issue was raised through an adjournment notice by Leader of Opposition
Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil (Congress) and NCP legislator Jitendra Awhad,
who demanded a discussion.
Speaker Haribhau Bagade rejected the
demand for a discussion but asked the government to make a detailed
statement in the matter.
Later, the opposition members staged a walkout to protest the attack on the church.
Meanwhile,
Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner K.L. Prasad said police were scanning
the CCTV footage of the incident and would nab the culprits.
The
Aam Aadmi Party urged the state and central governments to act fast on
the issue that has created a fear psychosis and isolated the Christian
community.
In the context of the recent attacks on churches
across the country, this seems to be a deliberate attempt to vitiate the
social atmosphere and polarise society on communal lines, the AAP said
in a statement on Monday.
Meanwhile, several Christian groups
have called for a shutdown of all Catholic schools in the city on
Wednesday as a mark of protest against the incident.