Christians to urge political parties for representation in Pune polls

Christians to urge political parties for representation
CAMIL PARKHE | Thursday, 19 January 2017 AT 11:49 PM IST
Send by email    Printer-friendly version
Christian community, Pune Christian community
Pune: A meeting of leaders of the Christian community from Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad held here on Thursday has decided to urge various political parties to provide representation to their community members in the forthcoming civic polls in the two cities.

Presently, not a single member of the Christian community is a member of the present houses in Pune or Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporations.

The meeting of Christian leaders, belonging to various political parties and social activists, was held at St Patrick’s Cathedral. Pune Bishop Thomas Dabre presided over the meeting. It was attended by Pramod Pardhe from Vadgaonsheri, Samuel Negal, Rajan Nair, Mozes Kolkati, Ashish James, Chitralekha James, Anupama Dongre-Joshi and Mary Cruz.

The leaders decided to approach political parties to seek party nominations for the community members in areas where the Christians have a sizable population.

Speaking to Sakal Times, Bishop Thomas Dabre said, “India is a secular country and leaders of all political parties must ensure that people of various religious communities are nominated by them to contest polls and that members of the majority community alone should not be given preference.”

Bishop Dabre, however, made it clear that the Church does not favour any single political party and that the Christians are free to join and vote for any political party.

“The meeting of Christian community leaders held on Wednesday has appealed to the community members active in social and political life that they may approach various political parties to seek nomination for the forthcoming civic polls.” 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dnyanodaya monthly enters 175th year

Image
Dnyanodaya monthly enters 175th year CAMIL PARKHE |  Wednesday, 31 May 2017 AT 11:10 PM IST          goo.gl/t2mMQq    Camil Parkhe ,  Dnyanodaya Pune:  Dnyanodaya monthly, founded and edited by American missionaries for many decades, has earned the distinction of being the longest surviving Marathi periodical. The monthly is celebrating its 175th year here on Saturday, June 3. Dnanodaya fortnightly was founded by the American Marathi Mission’s clergy in Ahmednagar by Rev Henry Balentine, a scholar in Greek, Latin, Sanskrit and Marathi languages, on June 20, 1842. The fortnightly was later converted into a monthly. Presently, it is published from the city and is edited by Ashok Angre. Balentine edited the periodical from 1842 to 1845 and again from 1858 to 1865. The other American missionaries who edited the Marathi periodical for many years included Robert Wilson Hume, Dr Samuel Fairback, Dr Allen Hazen, Charles Park, Edward Hume, Robert Hume and Justine E Abbot. Shahu Daji
Read more

Shakuntala Paranjape : Crusade of a lifetime

Shakuntala Paranjape :  Crusade of a lifetime Pune Plus The Times of India By Camil Parkhe When the list of recipients of national civilian awards was announced on the eve of Republic Day this year, the inclusion of her name among the Padma Bhushan awardees did not strike a loud note. Ironically, some newspapers in Pune, where she has worked as a lone crusader in the field of family planning, did not have a story on her. She was clubbed together with other eminent local persons who were also honoured with civilian awards. Perhaps there was a reason for this omission. The redoubtable Mrs. Shakuntala Paranjape, has been away from the limelight for more than two decades now. To Shakuntala Paranjape, who turned 85 on January 17, goes the credit of launching a long crusade for popularising family planning during the pre-independent era, when even discussing this issue in public was taboo. Many an eye-brow was raised when this lady, from a well-known and respected family (
Read more

Fr. Rudolf Schoch. A Jesuit Looks back in satisfaction

Fr. Rudolf Schoch. Looking back in satisfaction Pune Plus, The Times of India (1991) By Camil Parkhe From days in the forties and fifties when he went horseback to visit the Jesuits-run 50 schools in Ahmednagar district to his present retirement days in Pune, it has been a period of great challenge and fulfillment for Fr. Rudolf Schoch. The founder of two reputed schools in state, and school principal for 38 years, Fr. Schoch has set a record of a sorts which may shared by only a few. By a strange twist of history, this Swiss-born Jesuit had to choose India as his Karmabhoomi and later, in a similar manner, education as his mission in life. But Fr. Schoch, now 78, says that he has not regretted the two sudden changes In his career which moulded his life in an unexpected way. As the founder of Loyola High School in Pune and Dnyanamata High School in Sangamner in Ahmednagar district and as an able administrator, Fr. Schoch commands respect in academic circles. But that is
Read more