New Delhi, August 2: At a time when the Catholic Church in India is allegedly tagged for religious conversions, Caritas India, its social wing has called for an inter-religious solidarity visit to Assam Flood.

The three-day visit from August 4 will have representatives from Rama Krishna Mission, Brahma Kumaris, Islamic Relief and Caritas India. The group will visit an ongoing relief works in Morigaon district. They will meet Assam’s Inter Agency group (IAG) that comprises of 50 civil society organizations with primary focus on emergency response. A meeting with the Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal may also be possible, which is subject to confirmation as of now.

Caritas India’s emergency response work in Assam spans across three districts of Lakhimpur, Karimganj and Morigaon. Despite all transparency measures, the organization has time and again been accused of ulterior religious motives. The latest accusation is a twitter comment on a video that the organization had put out explaining how it is working on solutions to some of the critical problems faced by flood survivors in Assam.

It reads, “Sites of #NaturalDisasters are opportunities for Christian #SoulVultures.”

Executive Director Fr. Frederick D’Souza dismissed the allegations saying, ‘we do not have to pay attention” to such accusations.

Caritas India’s work is inspired by the Church but “we do not preach (religion) or convert” he said. “There has not been a single incident of conversion or not even the intent of it”, confirmed Fr. D’Souza who has been heading Caritas India for more than a decade. Our staff coming from different religious background are witness to it, he substantiated.

Coming back to interfaith visit, he said that these are times to unite which is necessary for the nation building rather than stand divided. All religions teach love, peace and humanity, he explained.

We are hopeful that this joint exercise will pave way for bigger opportunities to work together, wherein people will benefit the most. Our services should bring hope to the suffering people of Assam.

Between 2012 and 2017, Caritas India has responded to almost every emergency in the Northeast benefitting a population of 1.2 lakhs in the sectors of health, cash support, temporary shelter, education, WaSH, livelihood, livestock and food.