Nirmala Carvalho

In Varanasi, the celebrations for the end of Ramadan are blocked due to closures related to a Hindu holiday. Meat, fish and poultry shops have had to close; only a few vegetarian markets are available. Protests also break out in Meerut over the ban on street praying.

A crowd stormed a Sufi shrine, replacing the green flag with a saffron flag, a symbol of Hindu nationalism. In Nagpur, clashes broke out on 17 March after extremist groups called for the removal of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb’s tomb. In this tense climate, Prime Minister Modi is expected in the city. Once a symbol of harmony, it has become a stronghold of the RSS paramilitary organisation and the centre of religious and political tensions.

In a sacrilegious act, thieves desecrated the Eucharist in the Holy Family parish in Titilagarh. The Bishop of Sambalpur, Mons. Sualsingh: ‘Let us remain united and trust in the Lord even in this moment of trial’.

In a letter circulated in the churches, the complaint about the continuous opening of bars and pubs to make money from the proceeds guaranteed to the State with the licences. The Catholicos of the Orthodox Church also speaks of an ‘explosive situation’. About 10% of the population claims to be a consumer of alcohol.

With a Mass presided over by Card. Poola, the Holy Year and the long history of the complex, whose first church dates back to 1820, were celebrated. The commitment of the PIME missionaries was remembered. New areas were inaugurated, including a parish centre and the Adoration Chapel.

More than 50 people have been arrested in the wake of communal violence that included several vehicles and houses vandalised. The authorities imposed a curfew imposed in some areas of the city in Maharashtra. Hindu nationalists want to remove the tomb of a Mughal ruler. Rumours that a copy of the Qur'an was burnt sparked a violent a reaction by Muslims. Archbishop Gonsalves urges respect for everyone, and warns against spreading “rumours and false news.”

The measure touches 10 places of worship along the path of a Hindu procession during which participants throw coloured powder at each other. This year's celebration coincides with Islamic Friday prayers during the holy month of Ramadan. The authorities remain on maximum alert. Catholic priest laments that the Muslim community is “living in fear” of attacks by Hindus.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav makes the shocking statement at an event for Women's Day in Bhopal. Conversion becomes the equivalent of raping minors. Against the backdrop of “government apathy and indifference,” such remarks incite “the masses against the minorities,” laments Archbishop Machado of Bangalore, speaking to AsiaNews.

The young son of a bishop of the (Protestant) Church of North India died and two women were raped in a crime committed at a well-known tourist site. The Catholic bishop of Bellary, Mgr D'Souza, calls for “culture of safety and security for all women".

After 33-year-old Shahzadi Khan was executed last month, reports indicate that two men from Kerala were executed in the Emirates last week. India's Ministry of External Affairs said it provided its citizens legal assistance. More Indian nationals await on death row in the Gulf country.

Thousands in Ladakh have joined the hunger strike in Bodh Gaya for full control of the Mahabodhi temple, the place where according to tradition the Buddha received enlightenment. At the heart of the protest is the management committee, which is dominated by Hindu members. Venerable Bhikkhu Sanghasena calls on the Indian government to recognise the right of Buddhists to independently run their holiest site. Meanwhile, support for the protest grows in India and abroad.

The death sentence has been carried out on Shahzadi Khan, a migrant from Uttar Pradesh, imprisoned for the death of a 4-month-old baby following a vaccination. The family did not want an autopsy and - after two months - accused her of murder. The video in which she is accused was allegedly extracted through torture. Her father: ‘The Indian embassy abandoned her’.