Panaji, Aug 4 (IANS) The All India Catholic Union (AICU) Tuesday demanded an independent audit of all properties owned by the Roman Catholic Church across the country, but firmly rejected government intervention in internal matters of the church.
John Dayal, who said he was the authorised spokesperson of the AICU, told reporters here that the last week’s statement by AICU president Remy Denis seeking a legislation to govern Church properties was not endorsed by the Christain group.

“There is definitely a need for an audit. We are all for it. But the Christian community rejects any interference by the government when it comes to church properties,” Dayal said, adding that Denis had made the statement in his personal capacity and not as the AICU president.

Dayal also accused the media of creating an unnecessary controversy by widely reporting AICU president “personal” statements with provocative headlines.

Dayal said speeches made by Denis, former Supreme Court Justice K.T. Thomas and former union minister of state for external affairs Eduardo Faleiro at a seminar in Goa July 29 on ‘Should there be a law to protect the properties of the Church’, were “misinformed” statements.