Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bangalore / Mangalore, May 22 : When former chief minister of Karnataka B S Yeddyurappa promised to set up a Karnataka Christian Development Board (KCDB) the first of its kind in Karnataka with a promised allocation of Rs. 50 crores for the Board in the 2011 budget, it was felt that the government was sincere in its promise to do something for the welfare of Christians. The move was considered by many as a gambit of the government to appease Christians who were livid with anger following the inept handling of the church attacks and the delay in withdrawing cases against Christian youth in the scuffle after the attacks. Nonetheless, such a move was welcomed by all thinking it would do good for the community as a whole.
The new chief minister Sadananda Gowda who took over from Yeddyurappa also promised delegations of Christians to set up the Board. In November last instead of the promised board the government set up a Karnataka Christian Development Council with the Chief Minister as the Chairman. The government has appointed 13 members to the council from different denominations of Christians giving priority to those loyal to the party. So far there has been only one meeting in December last in which members were told through a communiqué from the Minorities Welfare Department that the government has decided to set up a Karnataka Christian Development Committee and not Council as they were given to understand earlier.
M P Sunny, one of nominated members of the committee speaking to daijiworld.com said “Many members were shocked when they came to know that instead of the promised Board/Council only a committee has been set up. Such a committee has no powers because its advice or recommendations are not binding on the government. It is a committee only for namesake without any powers to implement anything”.
Sunny said that through Ronald Colaco the members would like to take a delegation to the Chief Minister and other political leaders once the political situation in the state calms down to convince them to set right the matter and make it into a Board as promised. The delegation would also like to request the Chief Minister to appoint Christians as Chairman of the various boards pertaining to the welfare of the minorities.
When daijiworld contacted Chairman of International Federation of Karnataka Christian Federation (IKFCA) Ronald Colaco for his reactions as he had led many delegations to the Chief Minister and other leaders to expedite the matter of setting up of the KCDB, he said “former Chief Minister had promised a Christian Development Board and usually the Chairman of a Board is of a Minister of state rank with lot of powers. The present chief minister though hailing from a belt where Christians form a sizeable chunk of population, has been influenced by some bureaucrat to make into a committee. He does not want a separate Christian Board/Council to be set up as he has his own axe to grind”.
He said that this has been done to deprive some facilities to the members of the council like travelling allowance, accommodation, office etc., and with this motive a committee instead of a council has been set up with no real powers. Ronald Colaco said that in the near future he would like to take up the matter with the Chief Minister to convince him to reconsider his decision. “As the Chief Minister hails from our own area, we hope we will be able to convince him to reconsider and give us the Christian Development Board, as promised. I would also like to suggest that he appoint a permanent chairman of his choice from the Christian community to the board and give due representation to the different denominations of Christians in accordance with the size of their population in the board”, Colaco stated.