God has blessed us with contacts in the media, especially the secular media, which The CSF utilizes to put forth the Christian point of view to non-Christians. The media has also been helpful in creating conditions for solutions to many issues. A mere glance at the press-clippings in our archives will show how effective The CSF has been.


This page will also feature our latest press releases, such as ...


The CSF Welcomes Minorities Department:

The Catholic Secular Forum (CSF), the Mumbai-based activist community NGO welcomes chief minister, Mr. Vilasrao Deshmukh’s decision to constitute a department of minorities’ welfare in Maharashtra. It will be yet another step towards bettering the plight of minorities in the state. The CSF strongly condemns those who are critical of the move and the timing of their criticism, to coincide with Narayan Rane’s demand for removal of the chief minister, makes their political motive apparent. The minorities affairs department constituted by Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh is to be under a state minister and staffed by IAS officers at the helm. It is to look after matters such as the PM’s 15 point programme, Haj pilgrimage, Waqf properties, etc. Such statements by those with vested interests will do great damage to the cause of the minorities and provide a stick to communal forces, who are already raising such issues. Those critical of the Democratic Front on the issue of the minorities department are either unfamiliar with government functioning or using the criticism, as a pressure tactic to get nominated on to corporations / boards themselves.

According to The CSF, the Catholic Church and most reputed minority organizations could not possibly subscribe to this view, as the chief minister has repeatedly assured his support for minority causes. Recently at a felicitation for Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh said that he had the community’s welfare at heart. Last week, when a delegation of The CSF met Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh on the Sahar Church acquisition and the Gorai-Uttan SEZ issue, he gave a categorical assurance that a amicable settlement would be arrived at. The CSF is of the opinion that such knee-jerk and irresponsible reactions will not stand the minorities in good stead and appeals for restraint and working with the government, rather than rushing to the press on. Fortunately, such organizations are not representative of the community viewpoint and cannot claim to speak for it – e.g. in case of Catholics, it is only Cardinal Gracias’ view that matters.