Nirmala Carvalho

One of the backers of the initiative believes that it will be a place for inter-faith dialogue. Inside Jesus is represented in the position of a meditating Buddha. Local bishop says that inculturation means that “whatever is good in other cultures can be consecrated in Our Lord Jesus Christ”.

Increasingly, police in Andhra Pradesh disrupt Christian religious meetings for the simple presence of foreign Christians who have come on a tourist visa. For years India has not granted visas to foreign missionaries; by contrast, Sikhs and foreign citizens of Indian origin can freely move about the country.

The archbishop of Bhopal talks to AsiaNews about the state government’s proposal to organise a mass sun worshipping ceremony. In his view there are more important issues that require attention. The Muslin community protests against what it considers an un-Islamic and unconstitutional proposal.

In India’s IT capital, Muslims protest Saddam Hussein’s execution, Hindus celebrate a Hindu leader’s birthday, and when they cross paths sparks fly.

The prelate dies at the age of 71 from a heart attack. The archbishop of Mumbai remembers him. India’s Christian community mourns a charismatic leader, involved in education interfaith dialogue, and the search for the truth.

Extremists demonstrate, demand government to compensate victims’ families to prevent Christians from trying to convert them with money. The All India Christian Council rejects charges saying they are propaganda since police prevented Christians from bringing any comfort to victims’ families.

In an interview with AsiaNews the executive secretary of the Commission for Justice, Peace and Development, explains what contribution Indian Catholics will make to the forthcoming World Social Forum in Kenya. They are working against every form of discrimination, but they especially want to focus attention on the plight of people living in tribal areas whose lands are being seized. Every year some two million farmers become landless.

In an open letter to Sonia Gandhi, Syed Shahabuddin, a former lawman and president of the All India Muslim Union, wants the state’s proposed anti-conversion bill dropped because it is unnecessary and dangerous to the whole Union.

Female labourers in a Nagpur factory beat up and drag one of their supervisors to the police. The man had been sexually exploiting them for some time. Awareness of their rights increases among Indian women, but also distrust of the judicial system.

For police it is a case of suicide but for others it is a another example of religious persecution. The 18-year-old succumbs to his injuries after three days of intense pain. Bajrang Dal extremists are suspected.

The two Indian 18-year-olds wrote a fantasy novel called “Conspiracy of Calaspia”. Already famous back home, the two Christian brothers are about to make their name in Europe. Publication rights have already been sold in many countries.

As in the past, the procession of the Three Wise Men took place this year. Once a prerogative of upper caste residents, for decades it has brought the entire village together irrespective of social differences.