Archbishop Peter Machado of Bangalore on April 26 dis-missed as false and misleading the media reports that some Catholic schools in the southern Indian city force children to buy Bibles and bring them to class.
According to an ndtv.com April 25 report a row erupted in Karnataka after a Catholic school in Bengaluru, the state capital, had allegedly taken an undertaking from parents that they would not object to their wards carrying the Bible to class.
The news portal also said the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (Forum to awaken Hindus) accused Clarence High School of making it mandatory for students to carry the Bible.
The group’s state spokesperson Mohan Gowda alleged that the school has asked non-Christian students to compulsorily carry and read the Bible adding that it violated Articles 25 and 30 of the Constitution.
“It has been brought to my notice that the Christian Institutions are once again being target-ed for conversion in the allegation of the children being forced to buy Bibles and bring them to Schools in Bangalore. This allegation is false and misleading,” asserts Archbishop Machado in a press statement.
The prelate says Clarence High School’s management has clarified that such a practice existed in the past but since last year, no child is required to bring the Bible to the School or asked to read it by force.