In yet another expose, the Legal Rights Observatory (LRO), an NGO-watch working in the area of national security and human rights, has found that the Bombay Salesian Society, which is connected with Don Bosco, has been involved in nurturing protests against developments projects of the government.
According to the investigations by LRP, the Bombay Salesian Society Don Bosco received ₹10.19 crores in donations in the last year alone and ₹176 crores in the last 10 years. It further alleged that the missionary organization had created a shadow organization called ‘Vana Shakti’ to oppose the construction of a car shed in Aarey area of Mumbai.
With Vanashakti another NGO was involved i.e., Greenline, which is a subsidiary of the Salesians of Don Bosco, its office was in the premises of Don Bosco School #Matunga, which was opposing @MumbaiMetro3, the said NGO is funded by Salesians on record! ++ pic.twitter.com/UfDTQ16er1
— Legal Rights Observatory- LRO (@LegalLro) December 2, 2020
Along with Vana Shakti, another organization named Greenline, a subsidiary of ‘Salesians of Don Bosco’ having its office in Don Bosco School, Matunga also engaged in protests against the Aarey metro car shed.
LRO stated that Saint Stanislaus School in Bandra, which is affiliated with Don Bosco, had forced the parents of the school to to sign a letter against the construction of car shed and also had forced the kids studying in the Church funded schools to participate in protests. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) had directed the education department of (BMC) to probe into the school’s role.
The LRO further went on to add in its tweet thread that back in 1992, the Church had tried to oppose the construction of Konkan Railways but had failed miserably.
Former Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh once accused Caritas India, another organization affiliated to the Salesians involved in religious conversions.
In light of this, the LRO has
A systematic attempt to defame India is being carried out internationally. These Christian missionaries are looking for ways to prod their noses into political and social issues. The latest allegations reveal how important it is to monitor foreign financial aid to prevent some NGOs from using them for anti-national activities.