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16 May 2015Hindustan Times (Mumbai)Swati Goel Sharma [email protected] Catholic groups to stage protest, fast over land deals MUMBAI: Demanding prompt action against what they allege are bogus land deals by the Archdiocese of Bombay, 26 Catholics, including two priests, plan to start their fast-unto-death at the Archbishop house, Holy Name Cathedral, Colaba, from May 29. Agnelo Gracias, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Bombay, however, has said the threat is “unjustified, as they are open to dialogue”. The protesting groups -Association of Concer ned Catholics (AOCC), Maharashtrian Christian Youth Forum (MCYF) and Catholic Residents Organisation for Social Service ( CROSS) – claim they have raised the issue on several occasions, to no avail. The groups have alleged a Rs550-crore scam in the deal for a plot owned by St Michael’s Church at Marinagar, Mahim. They have also claimed trustee Fr John Rumao sold a 5.5-acre plot belonging to Our Lady of Mercy Church, Thane, to a developer. The AOCC has got a stay order from the Bombay high court on the deals. “We have exposed similar land deals in Kalina, Vakola and Dadar, but the Archdiocese has not initiated any action. Our demand is all disputed church land deals should be cancelled with immediate effect,” said Melwyn Fernandes, secretary, AOCC. Advocate Joe Sodder, member of AOCC, said, “For more than a year, we have been trying to meet the officials at the Archdiocese. Despite presenting proof, they refuse to acknowledge the illegalities in the deals. We have no option but to resort to a hunger strike.” In an email, Agnelo Gracias, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Bombay, said, “Our doors are always open to dialogue with the groups. In our country, one can have recourse to law or appeal to statutory bodies such as the charity commissioner, etc.” Gracias said the group had taken up a number of issues, which made their demands unclear. “I am not sure if the group itself knows what their issues are,” he said, refusing to comment on matters that are subjudice.
