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Action taken for unlawful development of a church, say Tawang district authorities
A Christian organisation in Arunachal Pradesh has slammed the authorities of Buddhist-dominated Tawang for the arrest of a pastor on expenses of illegally setting up a church.
Joseph Singhi was arrested on October 6 and launched on bail hours later. The native police had additionally detained and recorded the statements of eight of his associates.
Tawang’s Additional Deputy Commissioner Lobsang Tsering mentioned the arrest was made on the premise of a primary info report lodged by the district Land Revenue and Survey officer.
The motion adopted complaints by two teams — the Indigenous Faith and Cultural Society of Arunachal Pradesh and Monpa (dominant Buddhist group) Mimang Tsogpa — towards the pastor and others for allegedly setting up a Revival Church illegally.
The church is situated behind the district planning officer’s quarters in Tawang’s AIR Colony. The minuscule Christian group in the district claimed the church has stood there since they occupied the plot in 1999 with the division involved “ignoring their application for land allotment initiated in 2003”.
“We were assured allotment of the piece of land after we met Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Chief Secretary [Naresh Kumar] in August. We started construction of the church out of frustration,” mentioned Sonara Degio, vice-president of the Arunachal Pradesh Christian Revival Church Council (APCRCC).
“Pastor Singhi and the Christian community here are under stress,” Mr. Degio advised The Hindu from Tawang, about 450 km northwest of capital Itanagar.
A district official mentioned the pastor had been served a number of notices to cease the development of the church and dismantle the buildings. The final such problem on the premise of a Supreme Court directive was served in 2017.
The apex courtroom had on September 29, 2009 mentioned no unauthorised development shall be permitted in the identify of temple, church, mosque, gurudwara or another place of worship on public services.
The APCRCC mentioned the district authorities invoked the Arunachal Pradesh Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupant) Act, 2003, after Mr. Singhi had allegedly didn’t adjust to the order to cease development. Work on the church had began in 2015.
APCRCC president Tai Ete mentioned the police motion was ‘unjust’ since public areas have been used in the State for buildings related to different faiths.
The district authorities denied focusing on any explicit group. Officials mentioned land allotments issued to many personal and public events have been cancelled in greater than a decade.
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