A resident of NCL Colony in Cyberabad, Telangana has lodged a complaint against Christian missionary organisations and a Dalit organisation for portraying him and his daughter in a bad light. The complainant has alleged that Christian missionaries took photos of him and his 20 year-old daughter, and are using those photos on their websites to solicit donations under false pretenses, from presumably foreign patrons.
In his complaint, the man has said that missionaries, from the organization Operation Mobilization India, used to regularly visit him and his family at home and teach them the Bible. Often, the missionaries would take photographs of them, and claimed that they had ‘adopted’ them and the colony they are living in. Few of the residents even joined the Good Shepherd School, Jeedimetla village by paying regular fees.
The complainant has accused the missionaries of using his and his daughter’s photographs on their website and social media handles to raise money via donations. He has alleged that they falsely portrayed his daughter as a ‘Jogini’ and a prostitute on their website and social media handles. Furthermore, their pictures were allegedly also used on the website of an organization claiming to work for Dalit causes, where the complainant and his daughter were again maliciously misrepresented as victims of human trafficking as well as patients suffering from HIV/AIDS.
This organization called Dignity Freedom Network states that they are a “group of Australians and New Zealanders joining hands with an international network of people who care about India’s oppressed.”
According to the FIR registered by the police, a copy of which has been accessed by The Commune, the complainant works as an electrician and a daily wage labourer. Although he and most of the residents of his colony live in abject poverty, he states in his complaint, the missionaries have now caused him great “mental agony” and “public shame”. Their acts have “lowered their self-respect and dignity”.
He has further accused the missionaries of intending to insult the modesty of his daughter. Due to the missionaries” actions, he has stated in his plaint, she faced insult and ridicule at her college and their colony.
The FIR was registered under section 354D of the IPC and 67B of the IT Act against the organisations Operation Mobilization India, Jogini’s Shelter and Dignity Freedom Network (founded as Dalit Freedom Network in 2002). All these organisations are evangelical Christian organisations, with links to the infamous Joshua Project.
The Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF) which has taken cognizance of the matter and has now written to the National Commission for Women to take action against the perpetrators – Joseph D’Souza (Head of Operation, Operation Mobilisation and International President of Dignity Freedom Network), Beryl D’Souza (Director of Jogini’s Shelter), Josh D’Souza (India Director of Dignity Freedom Network), Kumar Swamy (Director of Dignity Freedom Network), and Elsie Rajaiah Jayaraj (field worker who visits the slums).
In a separate investigation relating to alleged diversion and misappropriation of funds, the Telangana Police have also frozen a total of twenty six bank accounts of Operation Mobilization India and six other related charities. The investigation This investigation is also in connection with alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA). The police have also demanded statements of accounts, details pertaining to various transactions, FDs and KYC details from the bank.
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