Kandhamal Bishop feels threat from expelled diocese employees

Bishop of Phulbani diocese under Church of North India (CNI) Bijay Kumar Nayak, today appealed to the Christian believers to maintain peace, fraternity and brotherhood during observance of Christmas and the New year in the communally-sensitive Kandhamal district.
Expressing concern over a recent move to sack ten diocese employees by the Church on charge of indscpline, Nayak said the affected persons have started misleading the people in Kandhamal.
The ten former employees of the diocese alleged that Bishop Nayak has been deeply embroiled in financial bungling and irregularities, creating disparity among dalits and tribals, not properly and regularly disbursing salaries to the Pastors working in different churches under the diocese.

Rejecting allegations, Bishop Nayak told reporters here, "I have not initiated any action against any body, but the Council of the diocese has taken disciplinary action by expelling them from their primary membership from diocese. The employees who have been expelled from primary membership, were indulged in gross indiscipline since years despite my strictures and warnings."
About 500 people led by some victimized employees and members of the diocese accompanied by some minority leaders and people, most tribals, had taken out a procession at Daringbadi yesterday demanding action against the Bishop.
The dissident Christian leaders also brought the matter to the notices of the Sub Collector, Balliguda and the Collector, Kandhamal demanding their intervention.