Legal Rights forum lodges complaint against AP police department

Amaravati: A complaint was lodged against a Christian religious group allegedly formed by AP Police officials, accusing that it was in a divisiveness nature and also a threat to social integrity.

Ch Kalyan Kumar, General Secretary, Legal Rights Protection Forum stated that certain police officials formed as a group and are contemplating to organise a Christmas dinner on the name of Soldiers for Jesus - Police, allegedly at police parade grounds in Vijayawada on December 16.

The Legal Rights Protection Forum lodged a complaint with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the union government on it.

Kalyan Kumar said that, unauthorized religious activities of some personnel of AP Police Department by forming a religious group named 'Soldiers for Jesus - Police' which needed immediate intervention and strict disciplinary action to avoid the threat to social integrity, by the Director-General of Police.

The Forum blamed that a section of Police personnel of the State formed the Christian religious body named 'Soldiers for Jesus - Police' and organizing religious events along with Missionary activities.

The website of the 'Soldiers for Jesus - Police' (URL: http://www.policebelievers.com/ ) is providing the details of the religious activities of the officials of AP Police Department on their official strength along with the images of their 'Missionary Trips', explained Kalyan Kumar.

"Besides this, on the eve of upcoming Christmas festival the 'Soldiers for Jesus - Police' is going to conduct a Christian religious event for at Police Grounds, Opp. Indira Gandhi Stadium, Bandhar Road, Vijayawada by inviting Dwaraka Tirumala Rao, Commissioner of Police, Vijayawada City as a chief guest.

The Forum stated that "It raises questions among the public that whether the AP Police Department is supporting these 'Missionary' Trips and Christian Religious Activities of employees of their department. The name of the organization 'Soldiers for Jesus - Police' itself is controversial in nature and raising the question that whether the Police is not the Soldier of the Society but to the Jesus?"

This is showing the religious divisiveness and biased nature of the officials of the AP Police Department who are promoting and encouraging such activities. These kinds of activities not only send wrong signals to the society but also a serious threat to social integrity, Kalyan Kumar observed.

Legal Rights Protection Forum demanded both State and Central governments to cancel the proposed religious event. On the other hand, when checked the website on Saturday by The Hans India, it was looking like suspended.

At the same time, the police officials at the office of Commissioner in Vijayawada observed that what was wrong in celebrations. If they promote the conversions, then only anybody could object, the police added on anonymity condition.