Author: TNN
Publication: The Times of India
Date: September 8, 2009
URL: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/hyderabad/HC-stays-govt-funds-for-church-repairs/articleshow/4984058.cms
A two-member bench of the AP High Court on
Monday directed the authorities to maintain status quo on government funds
for building or repairing churches. The bench of Chief Justice Anil R Dave
and Justice C V Nagarjuna Reddy was hearing a writ petition filed by Tripuraneni
Hanuman Chowdary complaining that the state government was engaging itself
in the promotion of a religion contrary to court injunctions. He listed 49
GOs, placing 150 Christian institutions as beneficiaries of state aid. The
petitioner argued that there were no legislative sanction for the said expenditures
and thus illegal. Listing various GOs between December 2001 and March 2009,
he said the state was promoting Christian related activities in the guise
of SC/ST welfare. He said the state was getting involved in a systematic manner
for promoting church-related activities.
The petitioner had earlier filed a writ challenging
the action of the government in granting funds for Christian pilgrimage. A
two-member bench by an order dated July 22 had suspended the GO granting such
allowances.
