Author: R. Sridharan, VSK, Chennai
Publication:
Date:
During his visit to India a few years back
Pope John Paul II had exhorted his followers that Asia , particularly Bharat
was ripe for harvesting souls for Christianity. As a result of that increased
efforts are on to Convert the Poor and gullible Hindus using different ploys.
Especially in Tamilnadu it has assumed alarming proportions. One of the ploys
is promising to build free houses if they convert to Christianity. But in
reality the promised benefits are never given to the people.
Trusting the sugar-coated words of these evil
forces some people fall into their traps and get cheated.
The latest such example is that of one Bishop
Anandaraj who converted a large number of poor and gullible people by promising
them free houses worth 3 lacs each on condition that they have to get converted
to Christianity. The people have been converted but no house has been given
to them.
The world-famous Mahabalipuram or Mamallapuram
near Chennai known for it's marvelous Pallava temples and sculptures is now
in the news for all the wrong reasons because of Bishop Anandaraj who has
cheated scores of people of crores of rupees by promising them building contracts,
free houses etc.
The Bishop is now in police custody .The police
have constituted three teams to arrest the relatives of the Bishop and freeze
his assets. He is the 'bishop of Molin Mission Charitable Trust' at Perur
near Mahabalipuram and founder of 'Rural Resource Development Centre'. He
had advertised in the newspapers that he proposed to construct houses for
the poor with the funds received from abroad and hence he needed contractors
for this. Believing this many contractors approached him. They were promised
contracts worth Rupees 6 crores. Bishop Anandaraj extracted huge commissions
from them on the promise of awarding them the contracts. His victims are from
a huge geographical area comprising all the four southern states. Some of
them have built houses spending crores of rupees for which Bishop Anandaraj
had issued cheques. But the cheques bounced unpaid.
In Kancheepuram District alone more than 40
contractors have been cheated. They have lodged complaints with the Superintendent
of police. On a single day alone about 35 persons had walked into the police
station to file their complaints. The victims are from as disparate places
as Nilambur in Kerala to places in Karnataka. The amounts range from Rs.50000
to 6 lacs.
In Thiruvallur district Bishop Anandaraj had
collected amounts ranging from Rs..500 to Rs.1000 from each family promising
to construct houses for them. He had erected foundation stone for this purpose
. But the scheme never got off. The angry victims who were cheated uprooted
the foundation stone.
Similarly he had enticed one Thangavelraj
of 'Vennila Builders' by telling him that he proposed to build 210 houses
for the poor and collected in all 5.07 crore rupees comprising of Rupees 4.41
crores at the rate of 2.1 lacs per house and the balance for community hall,
water tank etc. Some contractors had earlier shied away from complaining out
of fear because of the Bishop's top- level connections. He had also told all
and sundry that he was the sub- editor of a Mumbai journal. He extracted huge
donations from many industrialists telling them that he was helping orphans.
Complainants are making a continuous beeline
into the police station at Mahabalipuram daily.All the cases from different
police stations have now been transferred to Mahabalipuram. The police are
in search of his wife Daisy and daughters . Complaints are also pouring in
from all the Southeren states.
There are also complaints of sexual harassment
against the bishop. A couple from .Thuvarankadu near Kanyakumari have told
the police that Bishop Anandaraj had asked them to send their daughter Deepa
to his office for employment in his office. They sent their daughter to him.But
after that she never returned to their house but used to contact them over
phone. One Daisy claiming to be his wife had come to them and told them that
there was an illicit relationship between Bishop Aandaraj and Deepa and wanted
them to admonish her. After that Deepa contacted them once over phone and
told them that she was in Malaysia.
One Gunasekaran of Perambalur had been cheated
of Rs.3.5 lacs. Five associates of Anandaraj approached him saying that he
will be the contractor for building houses for 300 poor persons and got the
advance. When Gunasekaran demanded the money back he was threatened with death.
Gunasekaran has filed a petition in the magistrate court at Perambalur. The
Magistrate has directed the SP of Perambalur to take suitable action.
In old Sukkampatti of Melur in Madurai district
210 Harijans were allotted free house sites. Shri. M.Karunanidhi had distributed
the pattas to the beneficiaries at a function on 17.8.98. An area of 5.48
acres was earmarked for the scheme. It was divided into plots of 1.5 cents
each .Some persons approached the would- be beneficiaries and told them that
there was a proposal to construct free houses for them..Amounts ranging from
Rs.500 to Rs.2000 were collected from them. The foundation stone -laying ceremony
was done in the presence of the Municipal chairman Thanga Jayabalan . Bishop
Anandaraj delivered the benediction. The invitation for the function had the
names of many congress leaders. But now the people are shell-shocked on knowing
that they have been cheated.
Anadaraj was born in Odhiyathur village near
Thirukoilur. He had left his native village in penury but returned as bishop
Anandaraj. The people were happy that he had not forgotten his village and
had arranged a grand welcome for him. He himself shelled out the money for
the same. He had promised that his trust will build a hospital near Kandachipuram
and hundred houses for poor people. He had appointed agents in places like
Mugaiyur for allotting contracts for this purpose. Lacs of rupees have been
swindled. Several contractors of Thirukovilur have been cheated in this manner
but some of them refrained from making it public because they were feeling
ashamed. As per the agreement 100 houses will be allotted to a contractor.at
2.1lacs each. A community hall measuring 6000 square feet has to be built
at a cost of 36 lacs. The total contract amount was 2 crore 61 lacs. EMI deposit
of 2 lacs and Rs.10000 for his trust were also collected.
An agent of the Bishop approached a contractor
telling that contractors were required for building 100 houses for the poor
at Nedungampattu near Thirukovilur by The Rural Resource Development Centre.
He was taken to a luxury hotel in Pondicherry saying that Anandaraj was staying
there. But from there he was taken to another hotel.He was carrying Rs.5lacs
as advance for executing agreement. On suspicion he started taking his friend
along with him. But he was told that he had to come alone and then only the
Bishop will meet him. Then he was told that the Bishop was coming to Thirukkovilur
the next day where the agreement can be executed. The reason for the dilly-
dallying was that a group from Andhra Pradesh which had been previously cheated
by Anandaraj was in search of him and his meeting may reveal his place of
hiding to them. But as luck would have it the gentleman escaped from being
cheated of Rs.5 lacs.
Hence the Hindus have to be vigilant and not
fall victims of such fraudulent forces.lotted to a cotactor.at 2 la 10000
6000 cfeet community hall at 36 lacs total contract amount was 2 croere
