Indian Gov't Approves Demolition of 20-foot Jesus Statue in Christian Village After Hindus Complain
A 20-foot-tall statue of Jesus that stood in a village in southwestern India for 18 years was taken down on Tuesday after local officials claimed that it was built on land reserved for an animal pasture.
An authority told the Catholic news outlet Crux that the High court ordered the destruction; however, Christian leaders from the region say the matter was still unsolved..
The statue was built in 2004 next to Gokunte village's St Francis Xavier's Church in Karnataka state.
"We demolished the statue based on the High Court order," said an official. "After seven to eight hearings, the High Court had ordered the demolition of the statue as it was constructed on government land. We had issued a notice to the church regarding the demolition. We had to submit the compliance report to the High Court on Wednesday and hence it was demolished."
Villagers say several members of a pro-Hindu organization sought to create conflict in the area and filed a plea in the High Court. Gokunte village has a population of 500-600 people with four Catholic families.
Story by Andrea Morris for CBN News.
Cover photo - social media screenshot of demolition of the statue.
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