The Anjediva island, Goa, India. Goa (INDIA): A ruling parliamentarian has accused the Indian Navy of repeatedly barring Christians from praying at a sacred chapel (a smaller place of worship for Christians) on the Anjediva island, a few hundred meters off the coast of the Western Indian state of Goa. Naik told India's Upper House on Wednesday that the attitude of the Indian Navy officials was not correct and in violation of a written contract between the government of Goa and the naval authorities. “There is a strong resentment over the fact that Indian Navy did not allow members of Christian community to say prayers in the chapel at Anjadiv Islands despite the Navy having signed a written contract with the Government of Goa while accepting the land from the then Union Territory,” Naik said, adding that “attitude” of the naval authorities in Goa was not right. Two ruling Congress MPs from Goa Naik and Francisco Sardinha have already submitted memorandums earlier to the defense minister A K Antony asking him to permit the Christian community members to visit the island on religious occasions. “People are taken to the island on the (occasion of) Navy Day under security, but the Navy is not willing to follow the same procedure in case of the visit by members of the Christian community,” the memorandum had said. Twenty six per cent of Goa's population comprises of Christians.
