As part of Christian mission’s strategy to encroach, a mammoth-size Cross and the Statue were illegally placed on government-owned pasture land to facilitate encroachment. The operation was executed by Assistant Commissioner Raghunandan, Tehsildar Tulasi under the watch of Superintendent of Police (Chikkaballapur) Mithun Kumar.
Karnataka High Court got the Christian symbols removed after a complaint of encroachment was filed. While confirming the administrative action, Raghunandan informed that the operation was conducted on the orders of the Karnataka High Court after it was found that the Statue and Cross were built on the government land, without seeking prior approval of the authorities.
Christian protestors resisted against the clearance operation
Hundreds of police personnel were deployed to control the law and order in the area. Reportedly, hundreds of Christian protestors held demonstrations at the site against the operation of the district administration.
They also engaged in sloganeering against the officials and the Karnataka government. The cops took the matter into their hands and ‘pushed back’ the local Christians who tried to obstruct the administration from implementing the orders of the Court.
Last year, the Christian church, with the alleged help of the communist government of Kerala, was accused of encroaching the ‘sacred forests’ associated with the Sabarimala temple, known as ‘Poonkavanam’ in Kerala. A report by the Malayalam newspaper Janmabhumi suggested that there was a massive encroachment of forestland near Panchalimedu, a part of Sabarimala forests in Idukki district. The entire region is designated as an ecologically fragile under the Environment (Protection) Act.
The worrying issue was that the Church had established boards and an arch in the forest area claiming it as a Christian pilgrimage centre. The reports further suggested that the move was aimed at the Sabarimala temple which had been on the radar of the Conversion lobby for the past seventy years.
