Nirmala Carvalho

Arrested in 2018 and then released on bail, he was acquitted in January 2022 by a Kerala court; however, the High Court has admitted an appeal. “I resigned from the post for the sake of the Jalandhar diocese,” he says in a video message. The nunciature had asked to do so; now a new bishop can be appointed.

Undisturbed, the chairman of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights continues his campaign of persecution against Christian educational establishments. After threatening to arrest the bishop of Jabalpur, he recently targeted a children’s centre in Katni. The BJP-ruled state goes to the polls in November and now children are used as a political pawn by those who should instead protect them.

Catholic prelates appeal to the State’s various communities after a month-long violence pitting Meitei against tribal groups. They note that “concessions can be made in view of the common good” while “Both communities concerned know their destinies are intertwined.” Meanwhile, more attacks are reported against Kuki villages; in one, scores of houses and the church were set on fire. Weapons are rumoured to have been taken from armouries.

The only Catholic family in an Orissa village, they were forced to flee during the 2008 persecution, losing everything. Now the little girl from that time has made her first religious profession, and the Hindus who had participated in the violence also took part in the Christians' celebration. A ray of light amid gathering darkness for Christians in the state of Manipur.

A dispute over space in an Imphal market reignited tensions between Meitei and Kuki, which left many dead and caused devastation in the local Christian community earlier this month. In the meantime, in New Delhi, India’s Supreme Court requested a report from the state government about the situation. The country’s highest court also slammed the ruling by the Manipur High Court to allow the majority group to demand disadvantaged group status, which sparked disputes over land.

More than 500 altar servers attend a meeting organised by the Archdiocese of Pondicherry-Cuddalore at the Shrine of Our Lady Periyanayagi. Many of them are girls even though there is still resistance in some parishes. For Archbishop Kalist, serving at the altar “is a great ministry, which must be carried out with devotion and prayer”.

The archdiocese has appealed for relief for more than 45,000 refugees, victims of clashes between ethnic Meitei and Kiku. A tense calm imposed by the army reigns in the state’s 16 districts. Meanwhile, the death toll has reached 60. Some 40 churches have been affected, including Catholic facilities in eight locations. The attacks appear to have been planned. The Church is trying to lead the way towards reconciliation.

Heavily defeated in the vote for the local Legislative Assembly by PM Modi's Hindu nationalists who won a majority five years ago. Voters rejected the identity ideology pursued through the anti-conversion law and the law against "love jihad." Bangalore Archbishop Machado: "Now a government that really serves the people in a secular way."

Child protection agencies target another Christian welfare institution, the St Francis Orphanage in Sagar. Founded more than 150 years ago, it serves orphaned and special needs kids. During the raid, its church was desecrated, documents destroyed and mobile phones and computers seized. For the past three years, orphanage administrators have been trying to renew their licence to operate. Court orders upholding the status quo have been ignored.

Majority Meitei want Scheduled Tribe status fearing immigration from Myanmar and Bangladesh. Protests by hill tribes opposed to the demand has resulted in serious violence and, according to unconfirmed reports, casualties. The state government imposed a curfew and shut down the internet. Mostly Christian tribal communities fear losing their land, the bishop of Miao told AsiaNews.

Christians who met in a private home are arrested for “disturbing the public peace”. For Archbishop Thakur of Raipur, extremists are “sparking tensions” while police are “are duty-bound to protect the people”. Meanwhile, in Tamil Nadu, the state government comes out against Hindu anti-conversion rage, noting that “the Constitution of India guarantees every citizen the right to propagate their religion”.

The proposal had been made a month ago by Senator Aisha Wahab. Comment by Fr. Devasahayaraj, former secretary of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India's Commission on Recognized Tribes and Castes: "Caste-based discrimination is a disgrace to human society."