Nirmala Carvalho

For Mgr John Barwa, archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, those events were not a “curse”. “We are encouraged that Kandhamal now gives hope to the persecuted Church around the world. [. . .] Wherever there are trials and tribulations, there is light.”

For two Sundays in a row, Mass service was disrupted. Yesterday, a clergyman was roughed up and arrested on false forced conversion charges. For Global Council of Indian Christians president Sajan K George, “The aggressors walk free. Sixty-four years since independence, religious freedom does not exist in states like Karnataka, Orissa and Gujarat. This is a serious blot on secular India.”

The Indian activist left prison this morning. He wants to force the government to toughen its proposed anti-corruption law. Public opinion and the Catholic Church support the fight against corruption, but fear it might be used in a demagogical and anti-democratic way.

The retired archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, Raphael Cheenath, laments the lack of justice, the absence of the state and the climate of intimidation against Christians. The Hindu violence has led to the destruction of 300 churches, the burning of more than 5600 homes and the flight of over 56 thousand Christians.

Fr. Cedric Prakash, SJ, director of Ahmedabad based Prashant centre for Human Rights expresses concern about the government's reaction to protests against corruption. "Corruption is a problem of great magnitude in the country, and should be addressed at every level. "

The 29 year old drank and coated himself in gasoline before they setting himself on fire. Almost six months ago, another self-immolation led to a wave of arrests and rehabilitation for the monks. In the area where the suicide took place, phone lines were cut and internet cafes closed. The Chinese military have surrounded the monastery of Tawu.

On 15 August 1947, India and Pakistan were born. The event sparked mass migrations and equally large-scale violence between Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs. Today, “India is truly a secular democratic country and I am proud to be an Indian Muslim,” a Muslim politician says.

Indian authorities and an NGO call for an end to sponsorship, saying it violates Olympic code of ethics. Dow Chemicals, which now owns the plant that poisoned to death 20,000 people in 1984, rejects the blame, noting that it bought the plant in 2001.

One million young people are expected at World Youth Day (16-21 August). Of these, 1,732 are officially registered from India. The testimony of a young Indian Catholic, "excited to be an ambassador of our nation" to "always remember our Christian roots." It will be his first international trip.

The new Tibetan prime minister gives an exclusive interview, the first since the Dalai Lama gave up, in his favour, his role as political leader. Today, Lobsang takes office. He discusses relations with China, India and other countries as well as the suffering of the Tibetan people and possible solutions to the Tibetan question.

For an Indian Jesuit the ban highlights "deeper cultural tensions" that mark life in Europe, where the theme of integration is still and incendiary issue. But there are those who judge the closed attitude of Muslims towards their host country "contradictory". Fines and imprisonment for violating the law, a proposal to eliminate the "symbols of oppression and subjugation."

For the police it was "accidental death". Sajan K George, National President of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), demands a comprehensive report on what happened and asks the court to transfer the investigation elsewhere.