Bible row: Incorrect to paint all Christian schools with Bible colour, says Archbishop Peter Machado

Amid the controversy over a Christian school making Bible classes compulsory for all students, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Bengaluru Peter Machado said that it is incorrect to paint all Christian schools with Bible colour.

Hindu outfits had complained that the Clarence High School had directed all the students, including non-Christians, to compulsorily take part in Bible lessons. Responding to the same, the Archbishop clarified that the charges levelled against the school are incorrect and Bible is not mandatory for non-Christian students.

He further mentioned that nearly 75 per cent of the children studying in the school follow Christianity and the government can investigate the forced conversion allegations.

“It is incorrect to charge that the Bible is made compulsory for all students. It is not mandatory for students belonging to Hindu and Muslim communities.

If the government wants to investigate the matter, let them conduct an inquiry. Let them find out how many children have been converted,” the archbishop said.

Mentioning names of a few reputed dignitaries like Piyush Goel, Former Vice-President L K Advani who have studied in Christian institutions, the Archbishop said that Christian education institutions have given many dignitaries to the society.

First Churches were targeted, later they were attacked and destroyed. “Now they have focused on our educational institutions, he added.

 

 

With IANS inputs