In Nallurvayal (now known as Karunya Nagar) near Coimbatore, it has come to light that no permission has been granted for the construction of churches that have been mushrooming in several localities in and around the area over the last 10 years.
Many prayer halls and churches are being built in and around Nallurvayal near Coimbatore. They have been built without the consent of the respective panchayats, according to information obtained under the Right to Information Act. Advocate Rangaraju, who filed the RTI application, said: “Prayer halls have sprung up in Madwarayapuram, Puluvapatti, Ikkarai, Poluvampatti, Alandurai panchayats in Coimbatore district and many new churches around them in the last 10 years.”
The RTI application filed sought information on whether the 18 churches and prayer halls in these four panchayats were built with the approval of the local administration. The information officer of Madwarayapuram and Puluvapatti panchayats responded to the same, stating that no permission had been given for churches and prayer halls over the last 10 years. He also revealed that the Pentecostal Mission, CSI in Madvarayapuram area, and several others, including the Christ Church, Bethesda International Prayer Hall, did not receive requisite permissions.
A feast is organized at these places of worship every Sunday to attract the tribal people. Then they are gradually converted to Christianity. No reply has been received so far on similar petitions seeking information on two churches located in the Poluvampatti panchayat.
Meanwhile, Karunya University Vice-Chancellor Mannar Jawahar responded to these allegations and said, “Karunya did not build any illegal structures. Karunya is a charity institution. Educational institutions, hospitals and places of worship are all there to serve the community. ”
When Collector Rajamani was asked about the above, he said that new construction is not allowed in the middle of residential areas. He added that there have been no clear guidelines for this in the past.
Speaking to The Commune, Indu Makkal Katchi leader Arjun Sampath said, “Karunya is building these churches for the purpose of religious conversion. If we try to register a complaint, the police who join hands with Karunya will not register the complaints. Already Kanyakumari and Thoothukudi districts have come under the control of the Church. Now it seems like Coimbatore is also on its way to become like these two districts. IMK urges the Tamil Nadu government to take strict legal actions against Paul Dhinakaran and his institutions.”
(With inputs from Dinamalar)
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