Fr Arthur Jebrass, who has been working in the Peth region, where 107 tribal families have converted to Christianity over the last 14 years, told The Indian Express that there is no scope for a compromise unless the church is rebuilt by those who damaged it. He accused Hindu fundamentalist organisations and the local police of pressurising Christian tribals to compromise and withdraw the criminal cases on terms suitable to Hindus. He said the 16 Christian families in Sadadpada would withdraw the cases the day the shrine was reconstructed.

Christian tribals had always participated in traditional rituals (not Hindu festivals) all these years and had refused to participate in the rituals in October last year only because the Hindu tribals of Sadadpada underthe influence of Hindutva organisations had isolated them from a wedding ceremony and refused to graze their cattle along with the village livestock, he pointed out.

On the other hand, Yogesh Shinde of the Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram (an organisation affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) said they would not concede the Christian tribals' demand, claiming the church was illegal. He also said attempts are being made to reconvert Christian tribals to the Hindu fold.

SP RALLY: Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav will address a public meeting and also the concluding session of the party-sponsored conference scheduled for May 1 and 2 in Nashik. Addressing the press, SP's district unit president Bhagwan Bhoge said the meet would be inaugurated by the party's national secretary Mohammed Azam Khan MP on May 1.