Former Goa Congress leader and Christian activist Savio Rodrigues has today shared that he has been blocked by the Twitter handle representing the bishops of the Catholic Church in India. Rodrigues has long been criticised and even threatened for his nationalistic stand and recently he has been asking questions to bishops of India on their silence over recent events where many a church priests and nuns have been involved in serious crimes. The Catholic Bishops Conference of India which runs the Twitter handle @indianbishops has blocked Savio Rodrigues today.
I have been blocked by the Twitter ID that represents Catholic Bishops of the Catholic Church of India for asking logical questions to the Church on their notion ‘Indians Unsafe in India’ when Priests and Nuns indulging in heinous crimes. pic.twitter.com/LD7JRMfCtg
— Savio Rodrigues ?? (@PrinceArihan) July 8, 2018
Is this tolerance? Have I abused or trolled the leaders of the Catholic Church? All I asked were questions as a normal citizen of this Nation. My family has been ridiculed, I have been threatened and now I am blocked by Twitter ID of the Catholic Church in India pic.twitter.com/Z22EnbvbF4
— Savio Rodrigues ?? (@PrinceArihan) July 8, 2018
Savio has recently been asking questions to the Archbishop and other bishops of India over their conspicuous silence on cases where nuns and priests have been booked for serious crimes. He mentioned incidents where priests and even a bishop have been booked for rape and especially brought the matter of the recent case of nuns of Missionaries of Charity attempting to sell babies.
Rodrigues had specifically mentioned the Archbishop of Delhi Anil Cuoto and Archbishop Ferrao stating that they were quick to brand India as unsafe and intolerant of India after a few stray incidents. He had questioned that why the usually vocal bishops are maintaining silence over crimes committed directly by members of the Church.
In a disturbing incident in Ranchi, Jharkhand this week, two nuns of the Missionaries of Charity were arrested by the police for allegedly selling two babies in Nirmal Hriday home in Ranchi. Human trafficking is suspected in the case and 22 children residing in the home have been shifted and there are reports emerging that the records of several other babies have been missing from that organisation. There are speculations that a full-fledged human trafficking racket might have been aided and operated by Missionaries of Charity.
Allegations of crimes committed by Catholic institutes have been on the rise recently. Earlier this month, 4 priests of the Malankara Orthodox Church were also booked for blackmail and repeated rape of a married woman.
Savio Rodrigues had earlier questioned Archbishop Anil Cuoto for his controversial letter to all Christians to pray for a new government in 2019. He had also come out with a strong response against Archbishop Thomas Macwan when he had called for people of India to gather against nationalistic forces right before the Gujrat elections.
Rodrigues is often abused and threatened on social media for his nationalistic stand and his critical view of the high authorities of the church. He has stated that he has been threatened multiple times and issued warnings for raising his voice against crimes of the church.
