In a significant victory for the residents of Yadgarpally village, located in Telangana’s Rangareddy district, a three-year battle against the unauthorized establishment of a church has come to a successful conclusion. The conflict began in 2021 when Pastor Isreal Naik, a non-local, purchased land in the village with no Christian residents and erected a small shed for church-related activities. Despite the villagers’ repeated objections over noise pollution and the absence of local Christian communities, Naik continued his operations, forcing the locals to seek police intervention. The authorities advised the pastor to secure official permission for the construction of a permanent church.
In response, Pastor Naik applied to the Gram Panchayat for approval. The villagers, alarmed by this, submitted a petition signed by all residents, opposing the construction on the grounds that it would not serve the village’s population. In October 2021, a special Gram Sabha convened and unanimously passed a resolution against the church’s establishment, leading the Gram Panchayat to halt the application process.
Pastor Naik escalated the issue to the District Collector and later filed a writ petition in the High Court, seeking a directive to compel district authorities to approve the construction. Surprisingly, reports submitted to the District Collector by the Panchayat, Revenue, and Intelligence departments recommended approval, overlooking the villagers’ strong opposition.
In 2023, unaware of the ongoing resistance, the High Court directed the District Collector to expedite the decision based on existing regulations. Concerned about potential administrative bias, the villagers intensified their efforts, resubmitting copies of the Gram Sabha resolution and other relevant objections to the District Collector. They also signaled their readiness to pursue legal action if necessary.
Faced with the prospect of a legal challenge, the officials eventually rejected Pastor Naik’s application, citing the lack of a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the villagers. The Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF), a legal advocacy group that supported the villagers, praised the community’s perseverance and legal acumen in preventing the unauthorized construction. LRPF hailed the outcome as a triumph for local governance and the preservation of the village’s cultural integrity.
Thread: Inspiring Victory of Villagers Over Illegal Church Construction Attempt
LRPF feels proud to have played a key role in supporting the villagers in their struggle & ultimate victory by providing continuous guidance.
Read full story 👇
Image Source: @TheCommuneMag pic.twitter.com/vUzBVDEmug
— Legal Rights Protection Forum (@lawinforce) September 24, 2024
A.S. Santosh, working president of LRPF, commented on the broader implications of the case, noting that illegal church constructions often exploit rural communities. “The Yadgarpally victory demonstrates the importance of Gram Sabha resolutions in protecting village interests against external forces,” he said to Organiser. LRPF encouraged other villages facing similar challenges to follow Yadgarpally’s example.
The Yadgarpally case highlights a larger issue in rural India, where external religious organizations, sometimes with foreign backing, attempt to bypass local governance and impose their presence. The residents’ success serves as a powerful reminder that informed local governance and community unity can protect rural areas’ cultural identity and integrity.
(With inputs from AriseBharat)
Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.