Solve Esther Anuhya case: APFC to CM Kiran

A delegation of Andhra Pradesh Federation of Churches (APFC), which is a state-level apex body of Archbishops, Bishops and Heads of mainline Churches and major Christian Denominations representing the Christian Community in the State, had a meeting with Sri N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, Hon. Chief Minister of A.P., in his Camp Office at Hyderabad on Jan. 31, 2014. Led by APFC Presidents Archbishop Thumma Bala and Moderator Bishop D. Dyvasirvadam, APFC Executive Secretary Fr Dr Anthoniraj Thumma, coordinators Fr Maddu Bala and Rev. Kurunadihi and others submitted memorandums (given in the file-attachment) to the C.M. on the issues of the Christian Community in the State.

While thanking him for his initiatives, they urged him to take up further action on their demands (listed below) for which he responded positively. The members of the delegation also had the opportunity to have dialogue with Sri Parthasarathi, Hon. Minister for School Education, who assured to follow up the matter. In the afternoon, they addressed a Press Meet at the Wesley Church, Secunderabad, on these demands and concerns.

Later, they took part and spoke in the Protest Rally and Public Meeting held at Indira Park on the atrocities committed on women particularly on Ms Esther Anuhya and on the Minorities particularly on Pastor Sanjeevulu. Some delegates from other Minority communities especially Muslim leaders also participated in it.

APFC demands submitted to the Chief Minister:

1. Since the Mumbai Police has failed to arrest the culprits so far, ensure that the case of Esther Anuhya is handed over to the CBI for proper investigation into her rape and murder.

2. Hindu Vahini group whose members were arrested last month for the murder of Pastor Sanjeevulu of Vikarabad in Ranga Reddy district, and attacks on many Pastors in Nalgonda district, which also had claimed to have killed four pastors in 2004-05, must be banned to guarantee the security of Christians and other Minorities so that they can exercise their fundamental rights of religious freedom without fear and obstruction.

3. As the High Court of A.P. has squashed the government ban orders issued in 2004 on the recruitment in private aided schools as violative of Articles 14 and 45 of the Constitution and the RTE Act, as most of our schools are located in the remote areas in the SC and ST localities catering to the Dalit and Tribal children, and as adequate funds are available under the Sarva Siksha Abiyan (SSA) and Rajiv Gandhi Vidya Mission, continue the grant-in-aid to the Church-run Schools and speed up the process of filling up the vacant grant-in-aid posts in our Educational Institutions.

4. As the Ecclesiastical and Canonical Church laws, and the Societies / Trusts Acts, FCR Act and the rules and legal safeguards under them, are already available and suffice to protect and to develop Church properties, desist from enacting further legislations on Church properties and Christian educational institutions.

- Reported by Fr Dr Anthoniraj Thumma, APFC Executive Secretary,

Secunderabad, February 1, 2014.