Christian leaders upset over community ‘profiling’ in MP

Christian leaders and groups today expressed concern over reports that a police department survey was ordered in Madhya Pradesh.

Christian leaders and groups today expressed concern over reports that a police department survey was ordered in Madhya Pradesh to find out details about the community and said its smacks of an “agenda”.

“It is a disturbing trend that has been found in MP. What is the intention behind profiling the Christian community selectively? The government must be having all the data,” Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) spokesperson Babu Joseph said.

The survey,which was reportedly launched following issuance of a circular from the police headquarters in March,has been cancelled after Christian groups approached senior police officials. The police top brass has declined knowledge about such a survey while Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has sought a report on the issue.

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The survey was to find out the total number of Christians in the state,their financial status and places of stay,the political patronage they enjoy,the source of funding of Christian schools and the number of existing and under-construction churches in the state.

Father Anand Muttungal,spokesperson of Bhopal Diocese,said if the government wanted to know the source of their income,they could have asked the society concerned while data on population has already been collected during the Census.

“There is an agenda (behind this),” he said. “The motive of the officials seems not to gather information and suggests something ulterior,” he added.

“The selective profiling of one community smacks of a bias…it is nothing new about the RSS,BJP and their affiliates,” Joseph said,adding,the matter is of serious concern to the community and calls for attention of the Central government.

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