TEAM HERALD
BELGAUM: While the Catholic community and its leaders in Goa have strongly objected to the declaration of Lok Sabha polls on Maundy Thursday, bishops of Karnataka, the state which also goes to polls that day, have decided not to raise any concern.
The bishops of Karnataka, who had an interaction on the issue, have decided to go ahead with the decision of the Election Commission as per the poll schedule. One bishop has even gone to the extent of adding that a holiday (which will be declared on account of the polls) on Maundy Thursday would be an advantage to the Catholic community.
“We are not even one per cent of the total population of Karnataka. Hence it is uncertain whether the election authorities will accept our plea regarding the change in dates. It is better to accept the dates and support the authorities to go as per the scheduled dates,” Archbishop Bernard Moras, who had discussions with all the bishops in Karnataka, told Herald.
Belgaum Bishop Peter Machado also expressed a similar view. “Normally, there is no government holiday on Maundy Thursday in Karnataka and hence a holiday on account of the elections will be an added advantage to Catholics in the dioceses of Belgaum and Karwar that have a Catholic population of 30,000 and 60,000 respectively,” said Bishop Machado.
“Since the Maundy Thursday services are held only at about 5 pm in all the churches in both these dioceses, Catholics will have sufficient time to vote and later take part in the services,” Bishop Machado added.
When contacted, Bishop Allwyn Baretto of the Diocese of Sindhudurg-Maharashtra, which will also go to polls on Maundy Thursday, said he plans to hold a meeting in this regard.
