NDTV
CHENNAI, INDIA, January 4, 2006: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa’s offer of “Annadhanam,” or free meal scheme, has divided the Christian churches in the state. While the Protestants have welcomed the extension of the daily feeding program to seven churches after Hindu temples and dargahs (Sufi saint shrines), the Catholic Bishops Council wants it stopped. They feel that converting a place of worship into a mass meal center will disturb the sanctity of churches as even non-believers could throng churches just for the food. They also fear it may eventually result in the government poking its nose into Church administration. The Catholics run close to 3,000 schools and colleges in Tamil Nadu. “We fear a possibility of the government, of politicians slowly interfering in our administration,” said Father Peter Thuma, Chancellor, Archdiocese of Madras. The AIADMK government, which has received a formal letter from the Catholic Bishops Council rejecting the scheme, dismisses the Church’s apprehensions. “When there is no problem in temples and dargahs, I don’t see why there should be problems in churches,” said Dr. V. Maitreyan, Special Representative, Tamil Nadu Government. There are 3.5 million Catholics in Tamil Nadu – that’s more than 5 per cent of the state’s population.