ECI Church at Tiruneermalai demolished as per the Court order, as it was built on encroached land illegally!

ECI Church at Tiruneermalai demolished as per the Court order, as it was built on encroached land illegally!

Ezra’s method of encroaching land and appropriate it with political clout: The ECI has been in the habit of encroaching “Porumboke[1]” government lands and building Church. Ezra Sargunam in his book, he has openly urged his followers to do so violating acts and rules and they have been behaving in this way for the last 50 years.  Earlier in his book, he has openly recorded that there is nothing wrong in land grabbing[2]. That is whatever is done in the name of Jesus, it is allowed. Again, there have been court cases, involving him with land grabbing. As he has been close to Karunanidhi, he has been manipulating and getting along. However, in between, there have been court cases, where, he was pulled up and exposed. In Gujarat case also, it was exposed and Karunanidhi nexus revealed openly[3]. He was about to be arrested for trespassing lad, but, Karunanidhi ordered him to return[4].

Church planting in India by any means: The UK website, typically, describes his activities, “Bishop Sargunam is well known for his work in India and has a very clear vision. His Great Commission is to plant 100,000 churches, disciple 10 million people and to train and equip 30,000 frontline Church planters by their centenary year in 2054[5]. This may sound impossible to many but he said their trust is in the Holy Spirit which they are constantly experiencing. He also went on to say ” We expect great things from God and attempt great things from God” just like Williams Carey, the father of the Modern Missionary Movement. Bishop Sargunam said they have a clear track record of achieving their goals as they started with the aim of planting 100 churches in the 70’s, then moved on to 1,000 churches in the 90’s when ‘God’s promise to us was, “a little one shall become a thousand”, which we achieved, and so we went on to dream big and open 2,000 churches by the year 2000’ which, by God’s grace, they achieved”[6].

Ezra Sargunam explains how to encroach poramboke land and construct a church: As pointed out in his book, he has explained how a poramboke land can be encroached, occupied and owned in a step by step strategy[7].

1. Just assemble at a place under the guise of conducting prayer [after identifying it as poramboke land].
2. Conduct regularly and put up a thatched shed [to claim some sort of ownership on it].
3. Convert into pacca gudisai – thatched-roofed house [implying permanent structure put up and awaiting electrical connection and all].
4. Then convert it into a big thatched hall with the help of local police [electrical connection given, Patta given].
5. Then build the structure with bricks and roof with ACC [illegal construction completed].

Ezra Sargunam claims that the DMK would help[8] and thus none could question his activities. It has to be noted that American evangelists appreciated his illegal activities[9] without going into the details of such illegal activities. Now the demolition of illegal church news has come in the media. Would they realize, repent and correct themselves? No, they twist it into a manner in a rabble-rousing manner, “Christians persecuted in India, churches demolished,” and so on, suppressing all illegal activities, violation of Acts and Rules etc.

ECI encroached Citlapakkan lake and constructed church – 2017: In the latter half of November 2017, as bulldozers razed some unauthorised religious structures that stood tall on Chitlapakkam Lake for years, hordes of curious onlookers gathered on the streets, pausing their daily chores. Led by senior IAS officer P Amudha, the Public Works Department demolished a few temples, a mosque and a church that residents have been emotionally and spiritually connected to, for decades. On the banks of a water body in Anakaputhur, an ECI church has found space since many years[10]. A large portion of the lake was encroached upon by the Anakaputhur Municipality itself when it constructed overhead water tanks, parks and public toilets. Explaining the pattern of encroachment, David Manohar of NGO Arappor Iyakkam says[11], “An entire residential locality emerged on the water body, after which a church was constructed. No objections were raised against the religious structures as they are partners in crime. Religious emotion plays a role too.”

ECI Tiruneermalai Church –January 2020, HC ordered to demolish: The Madras High Court has directed the Pallavaram Tahsildar to remove an encroachment put up by the Evangelical Church of India (ECI) on government hill poramboke in Tiruneermalai within eight weeks[12]. A division bench comprising Justice M Sathyanarayanan and Justice R Hemalatha gave the direction on a contempt petition moved by one V Balachandran, alleging wilful disobedience and non-compliance by the Land Administration Secretary of the order dated June 19, 2019, which had directed the Revisional Authority to dispose of the revision filed by ECI challenging the demolition order. After ECI encroached the land and constructed a church, a representation was submitted in 2002 to the Kancheepuram Collector, who in turn directed the Tambaram Tahsildar to evict and report within 48 hours. In the legal battle that followed, the court had held in 2010 and 2012 that the church has to be removed. Despite that, and even after the latest order in 2019, the encroachment was not removed, said the petition. After perusing the proceedings by the Collector, Land Administration Commissioner and the order of the Revisional Authority dated January 8, the bench led by Justice Sathyanarayanan said: “The ECI, with absolute impunity, had encroached upon the land belonging to the government and not stopping with that, has also put up a wholly unauthorised structure in the form of a religious structure.” Directing its demolition, the bench asked the police to provide protection for removing it. The bench also directed the Pallavaram Tahsildar to verify religious and other structures on government land, and file a status report on the removal of encroachments and demolish unauthorised structures. The plea was posted to March 6, 2020, for reporting compliance[13].

March 2020, as per the court order, it is demolished: As the case was coming up on March 6, 2020, the authorities got alerted and tried to do something. Thus, they had gone there with police support and started demolishing as per the court directions. The revenue department officials had gone there under the Tashildhar Rajendra, with JCB crane and all. Police Assistant Commissioners Asokan, Sahadevan also preset with 100 policemen. As usual, the Christians tried to create a scene, but, they were evicted, arrested and sent in a van. Of course, evening, they were released. However, Ezra Sargunam was not seen in the context and his response not heard. No media goes to him and asks his reaction, about the court action. None asked him as to how he could grab land and the court’s order is also not respected by him and his followers.

© Vedaprakash

06-03-2020

[1] the word…“poramboke lands” means the lands which is not assessed to revenue records and it is outside the revenue accounts.

[2] M. Ezra Sargunam, Multiplying Churches in India: An Experiment in Madras, Federation of Evangelical Churches of India, 1974, Madras, pp141-142.

[3] Veaprakash, Ezra Sargunam, Church planting, land grabbing, politics and communalization under the guise of secularization!, November 14, 2017.

[4] https://indiainteracts.wordpress.com/2017/11/14/ezra-sargunam-church-planting-land-grabbing-politics-and-communalization-under-the-guise-of-secularization/

[5] St.David Diocese, Pioneer Church Planter in India, St Davids Diocesan Board of Finance is a company registered in England and Wales.

[6] https://stdavids.churchinwales.org.uk/pioneer-church-planter-in-india/

[7]  M. Ezra Sargunam, Multiplying Churches in India: An Experiment in Madras, Federation of Evangelical Churches of India, 1974, Madras, p.97.

[8] Ezra Sargunam, Multiplying Churches in India: An Experiment in Madras, Federation of Evangelical Churches of India, 1974, Madras, pp141-142.

[9] Donald A. McGavran, Understanding Church Growth, Eerdmans Pubishing Comany, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, 1990, p.305

[10] Chenni.citizen.matters, Demolition of religious structures in Chitlapakkam raises hope for Chennai lakes, January 2, 2018 Laasya Shekhar

[11] http://chennai.citizenmatters.in/demolition-temple-church-mosque-encroachment-in-chitlapakkam-chennai-lake-3276

[12] DTnext, Raze ECI church on govt land: HC, Published: Jan 15,202002:58 AM

[13] https://www.dtnext.in/News/City/2020/01/15025833/1209568/Raze-ECI-church-on-govt-land-HC.vpf

Ezra Sargunam, Church planting, land grabbing, politics and communalization under the guise of secularization!

Ezra Sargunam, Church planting, land grabbing, politics and communalization under the guise of secularization!

The controversial Christian priest Ezra Shargunam and his land grabbing activities: In September 2017, when there was rumour about M. Karunanidhi, Ezra Sargunam gave interview to the media and certified that[1], “I met Karunanidhi, he is doing well….He looked at me……” It was surprise for many, as why a Christian priest should have done it, particularly, when Karunanidhi has been an atheist. Of course, Ezra’s role in political circles is considered as “broking”.  While Vaiko is criticized recently [this month, November 2017] for his “Christian” leanings and “crypto-Christian” activities, ironically, he himself dubbed Ezra Sargunam as “false-prophet” citing Bible[2]. He warned that people like him are tigers roaming with sheep’s skin. Thus, the role of Ezra has been intriguing on many accounts. Earlier in his book, he has openly recorded that there is nothing wrong in land grabbing[3]. That is whatever is done in the name of Jesus, it is allowed. Again, there have been court cases, involving him with land grabbing. In this context, what had happened 17 years ago in Gujarat, becomes important in the context.  Interestingly, the same Ezra Sargunam played a crucial role there. He was reportedly involved in a land grabbing case, where he tried to interfere and created “law and order problem.” As he had gone there as “the chairman of the Tamil Nadu Minority Commission,” the state authoties pointed out that he was out of jurisdiction and hence they could take action to arrest him for violations. Thus, he prepared to move bail to save his honour. The Gujarat Government also complained to the Government of Tamilnadu.

Karunanidhi asked Ezra Sargunam to return, as he exceeded limits: The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, has asked the president of the Evangelical Society of India and chairman of the Tamil Nadu Minority Commission, Bishop Ezra Sargunam, to leave Gujarat and return home immediately, according to the Gujarat Minister of State for Home, Mr. Haren Pandya, here today [06-12-2000][4]. Mr. Pandya showed reporters a copy of the fax message sent by Mr. Karunanidhi to his Gujarat counterpart, Mr. Keshubhai Patel, urging the Bishop in Vyara hospital in Surat district, to return home[5]. The message also assured the Bishop that the issue of alleged attack on a church in Chhindia village of Vyara taluka, against which he launched an indefinite fast, could be taken up with an “appropriate authority” later. The Bishop was forcibly admitted to the Vyara Civil Hospital yesterday [05-12-2000] after his condition deteriorated.

Ezra was trying to instigate local Christians: The message, Mr. Pandya said, was in response to a request sent by the State Government pointing out that the Bishop was “trying to instigate” Christians in Chhindia village and creating a “law and order problem”. The Tamil Nadu Government was also informed that the chairman of its Minority Commission had “no jurisdiction” over Gujarat and had adopted a stance of non- cooperation with the authorities. Virtually blaming the Christians for the dispute over the church in the village, Mr. Pandya said the Government would take “stern action” against anyone found “instigating” people. It was a “deliberate scheme” of the Christians to “defame the BJP government in the State”, he claimed.

Christian plot to grab the land of a tribal: Denying knowledge of the involvement of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad in the incident of November 26 as alleged by the All-India Christian Council, the Minister said the land on which the “so- called church” was functioning actually belonged to Mr. Puniyabhai Ukadiabhai Kotwalia, a local tribal. Mr. Puniyabhai, who became a Christian some time ago, recently re-converted to Hinduism. On November 29, the Christian Council lodged a complaint with the Vyara police stating that a group of VHP activists “attacked the church” in Chhindia village on November 26 and “desecrated it”. Mr. Puniayabhai, meanwhile, accused Christian leaders of “forcibly entering” the “premises owned by him” and taking away the picture of a Hindu deity.

Conversion trick to create communal tension: While the Council spokesman, Mr. Samson Christian, said the piece of land was jointly owned by seven persons who together handed it over to the local Christian community for building a church in 1996, Mr. Pandya claimed that according to government records, Mr. Puniyabhai was sole owner of the land and inherited it from his father. The “church” was actually a room in his residence which he had “allowed local Christians to use as a prayer hall,” Mr. Pandya said. Mr. Christian had accused the local police of working hand-in- glove with the VHP in attacking the church in the presence of senior government officials including the District Collector and the District Superintendent of Police. Mr. Pandya said the Revenue Department gave Mr. Puniyabhai ownership of the land in June, 1992, as he was cultivating it since 1975. Under the Tenancy Act, he had no authority to sell or re-allocate it to anyone else without the prior permission of the Government and there was no question of his giving the land for construction of a church. But after Mr. Puniyabhai became a Christian in 1995, one of the rooms was used by local Christians as a prayer hall. He re-converted to Hinduism six months ago and since then has refused permission for the room to be used as a church.

Land grabbing Ezra’s style carried on in Gujarat: Contrary to Mr. Samson Christian’s claims, Mr. Pandya said a group of Christians forcibly entered the room on November 26 and removed the picture of a Hindu deity. On a complaint filed by Mr. Puniyabhai, the Vyara civil court issued a stay on December 1 against the use of the land by either sides and fixed the hearing on December 12. The issue could have been resolved earlier but for the adjournment sought twice on November 30 and December 4 by the local Christians on its hearing, Mr. Pandya claimed. He alleged that Bishop Sargunam went on an indefinite fast only after the civil court granted the stay. The Christian Council also filed a petition in the Gujarat High Court against the stay granted by the Vyara civil court. Mr. Pandya also refuted the Council’s claim that 200 Christians had migrated from the village after November 26. The Vyara social justice committee chairman along with some other officials visited the village and found that all the people were staying in their respective houses, he said. No migration had taken place as claimed by Mr. Christian, he stated and pointed out that in the village with a population of 1,500, over 75 per cent were Hindus and the rest Christians.

Local Court granted bail for Ezra, thus escaped from arrest[6]: The Vyara civil court today [14-12-2000] granted anticipatory bail to Bishop Ezra Sargunam, the national president of the Evangelical Church of India, but refused him permission to enter any place within its jurisdiction, which include Chhindia village in south Gujarat, where a church of his denomination was allegedly attacked on November 26, 2000. The Bishop, who is also the chairman of the Tamil Nadu Minority Commission, had filed the anticipatory bail following a criminal complaint filed against him and a few others by the “owner” of the piece of land on which the church stood, Mr. Punyabhai Kotwalia, for allegedly “trespassing” on his property[7]. The Bishop had launched an indefinite fast in front of the church on November 29 demanding restoration of the church, which the Christians claimed was desecrated during the attack and converted into a temple. The Vyara civil court, while granting a stay on December 1 on Mr Punyabhai’s petition that the land was his “personal property,” had also directed the Bishop to stay away from Vyara taluka. The Bishop, who is still here meeting with other Christian leaders, had made it clear that he would take a decision on the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi’s message to return to Chennai only “in consultation with the leaders of the secular forces.”

Ezra indulged in objectionable activities: The Gujarat Minister of State for Home, Mr. Haren Pandya, when asked about the Vyara civil court’s order, said the State Government would ensure that the court order was “strictly implemented” hinting that it would not hesitate to arrest the Bishop if he made any attempt to return to Vyara or Chhindia. The State Home Secretary, Dr V. V. Rama Subba Rao, has written to the Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary, informing him about the “objectionable activities” of the Bishop in the State. Like the Chief Minister, Mr. Keshubhai Patel, who wrote to his Tamil Nadu counterpart twice requesting him to recall the Bishop, Dr. Subba Rao has also requested the Chief Secretary to take immediate steps to ensure that the Bishop stopped “interfering” with the law and order situation in the State[8]. In fact, his refusal to leave, created tension in the area[9]. Meanwhile, the State Government has decided to make elaborate security arrangements in the south Gujarat districts to ensure peace during the Christmas and New Year celebrations. At a meeting of the district collectors and district superintendents of police of Surat, Bulsar, Navsari and Dangs districts convened here today by Mr. Pandya and Dr. Subba Rao, it was decided to deploy adequate number of state reserve police and anti-riot Rapid Action Force personnel in the four districts to assist the local police and home guards to maintain peace during the celebrations.

PTI reports from Surat: The sessions court today banned the entry of Bishops Ezra Sargunam and Fr. Raive Ishudas of Chennai into the Vyara sub- division, without the written permission from the court. According to the conditions imposed by the court on the Bishops, the orders would be applicable till the chargesheet was filed against them. The court allowed anticipatory bail applications by the Bishops and dismissed the criminal application filed by Shankarbhai Gamit of Vyara. The Vyara police was directed to enlarge the two Bishops on bail on their furnishing a solvent surity of Rs. 5000 with a personal bond for the like sum each in the event of their arrest in an offence registered by the Vyara police station.  The same news was also reproduced by the Catholic news agency it its own way[10]. “An Indian court has banned a Protestant bishop from entering the area of a disputed chapel in a ruling the bishop says was politically motivated to harass Christians….. Bishop Sargunam, vice chairman of the Minorities Commission of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, said he left Gujarat after state authorities refused to meet him…….. The Protestant bishop told UCA News that he had to leave the area because of the state government´s partisan approach toward Christians. Anti-Christian attacks in Gujarat are “State-sponsored vandalism,” he said. More than 100 attacks against Christians have been reported in Gujarat in the last two years.” Thus, the persecution myth went on in their own way[11].

© Vedaprakash

14-11-2017

[1] http://www.tamil8.com/watch.php?vid=f5e16b702

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a08ptEvj1dQ

[3] M. Ezra Sargunam, Multiplying Churches in India: An Experiment in Madras, Federation of Evangelical Churches of India, 1974, Madras, pp141-142.

https://christianityindia.wordpress.com/2010/09/27/nothing-illegal-in-encroaching-land-for-church/

[4] The Hindu, Karunanidhi asks T.N. Bishop in Gujarat to return, By Manas Dasgupta, Thursday, December 07, 2000.

[5] http://www.thehindu.com/2000/12/07/stories/0207000l.htm

[6] The Hindu, Bail granted to Bishop, By Manas Dasgupta, Friday, December 15, 2000

[7] http://www.thehindu.com/2000/12/15/stories/02150005.htm

[8] The Tribune, Bishop’s refusal to leave causes unrest, December 9, 2000.

[9] http://www.tribuneindia.com/2000/20001210/nation.htm – 8

[10] UCAnews, Protestant bishop leaves after Hindu state head refuses to meet, December 15, 2000.

[11] https://www.ucanews.com/story-archive/?post_name=/2000/12/15/protestant-bishop-leaves-after-hindu-state-head-refuses-to-meet&post_id=17391