'Staines' widow harassed'

NEW DELHI, MARCH 3. A dream project of the widow of Dr. Graham Staines, who was burnt alive along with his children in Orissa two years ago, to set up a reconstructive surgical hospital for leprosy patients has run into rough weather because of the ``hard stand'' of the State bureaucracy, the Global Council Of Indian Christians (GCIC) has said.

Despite the macabre end of her husband and two children, Mrs. Gladys Staines, widow of the Australian missionary, decided to stay in India to accomplish her husband's dream of setting up a hospital for lepers at Mayurbhanj, the GCIC said. ``But the Government authorities are reluctant to cooperate in providing her the necessary land for the hospital. They are also trying their best to repossess the Mayurbhanj Leprosy Home gifted 102 years ago by the Maharaja to take care of lepers in this least- developed region,,'' the GCIC national convenor, Mr. Sajan K. George, said.

The leprosy home ``is now facing an uncertain future because of the callous indifference of the Government'' which had recently slapped a demand of more than Rs. one crore on Mrs. Staines for regularising the property gifted by the Maharaja. ``This behaviour of the Government clearly demonstrates that they are under pressure from the Sangh Parivar to humiliate the lady.''

- UNI

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