Nirmala Carvalho

The Court ruled in a case involving Tamil schools in the capital, forced to operate with 30 per cent of posts vacant. “The State can regulate the proper utilisation of aid,” the ruling said, but “It cannot subjugate the minority educational institution to its dictates”. For Archbishop Elias Gonsalves, “bureaucrats and education officials have tried to downplay” minority rights. Now things can only get better for the kids.

The victory of the alliance led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taken for granted, but in large and populous states such as Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh it was neck-and-neck for key seats. Even within the opposition, led by the Congress, there has been a rise of regional and local parties. Card. Gracias to AsiaNews: ‘A politically aware vote’.

At St.Andrew's College, the event desired by Pope Francis was experienced by taking girls from a community for minors at risk in the Thane district to visit the city. Rector Fr. Magi Murzello: "Offering hope is a life-changing adventure".

Dozens of people died in two separate incidents last night in Gujarat and Delhi. The gaming venue operated for four years without proper licences. “We are deeply saddened by this tragedy,” the bishop of Rajkot told AsiaNews. “We grieve with the families”.

People in financial difficulty were taken to a clinic in Tehran to sell a kidney for a few thousand euros. It is suspected that some of them died during the operations, which brought proceeds of up to ten times more to the pimps. Iran is one of the crossroads of these criminal deals because of the high incidence of kidney disease.

Inaugurated by Card. Gracias on the eve of Pentecost, it proposes the twenty mysteries of the Rosary through 252 statues at natural height and in a setting that recalls the time of Jesus. The Archbishop of Mumbai: "A great gift from which many will benefit".

In Bastar, tribal converts to Christianity continue to be attacked. Kosa Kawasi was one of them, killed by an uncle and a cousin. This kind of incidents shows the level of discrimination against people who embrace Christianity in rural villages. “Christian tribals live in fear and insecurity even among their own families,” a local told AsiaNews.

In his message, the prelate urges voters to go to the polls because “This is a very important moment" for the country, choosing a "clean" candidate who knows how to make India "one large family”. He also asks parishes to take part in a "special novena" and recite the rosary during the Marian month.

The 38-year-old member of the Congregation of the Holy Cross graduated from college in Mumbai before embracing the religious life. The new priest told AsiaNews: “My vocation and mission as a priest are to provide all the Sacraments in the Indian Sign Language to all deaf Catholics in India” as well as “support God calling” them to the religious life.

A year ago, violence broke out between ethnic Meitei and Kuki, tearing apart the northeastern state, with at least 220 deaths. In a situation that remains tense and painful, Archbishop Linus Neli called for three days of fasting and prayer. “[W]e know only too well the present scenario of ethnic segregation,” but we “pray for the day when people of all ethnicities and religious communities can live together”. To this end, we urge “positive action from the State Government and other authorities”.

The Supreme Court in New Delhi has given the green light 'exceptionally' to the termination of the pregnancy of a 14-year-old rape victim. Dr. Carvalho: 'The trauma and violence suffered by the girl is undeniable, but the fact remains that the most defenceless life is killed'.

Fr Paul Thekkanath, vicar of Puthukkad, filed a complaint over a video by the ruling National Democratic Alliance. Supporters of Suresh Gopi used portions of a speech by the clergyman to suggest that he was backing their candidate. Christian voters are an important electorate in the southern Indian state.