Andhra: Bill to protect Christian properties

The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to enact the Christian Properties Protection Bill in the winter session of the legislative assembly.  

Chief Minister Dr YS Rajasekhar Reddy on Wednesday reviewed issues pertaining to the proposed Bill with the Minister for Minority Welfare Mohammed Ali Shabbir and senior officials of the minorities welfare department. 

The meeting gained importance in the backdrop of the constitution of a house committee by the assembly speaker in July 2005 to probe into illegal occupation of properties of Christian missionaries and educational institutions in the state.

The house committee chaired by Anam Vivekananda Reddy was asked to suggest suitable measures, including comprehensive legislation, to protect the properties of Christian missionaries, churches and their educational institutions. The panel also probed the sale or lease of properties of Christian institutions, illegal occupation of prime lands of Christian missionaries, churches and educational institutions and illegal constructions in the lands of Christian minorities in different districts.

In its interim report submitted to the speaker on May 17, 2006, the committee has strongly recommended to the government to bring in a comprehensive legislation on the lines of AP Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act 1987 and Wakf Act 1995 as a permanent remedial measure for prohibiting the alienation, sale, gift or lease of the properties of Christian missionaries and educational institutions, except under the provisions of the Act by a competent authority. The panel also made several recommendations in this regard. Nominated MLA Christine Lazarus also made some suggestions to the government.  

In this backdrop, the chief minister directed the officials to conduct open debate by holding seminars involving the Christian NGOs, archbishops, Christian organisations and intellectuals in five or six different places in the state to elicit the opinion and suggestions in this regard. This will be followed by a state-level workshop at Hyderabad before bringing out a Christian Properties Protection Bill.