Nirmala Carvalho

In recent weeks, in the district of Narayanpur, a series of measures have targeted Christian families with the aim of forcing them to take part in tribal religious rituals. The Archbishop of Raipur to AsiaNews: “These actions are funded by those with a self-serving political agenda. Let us pray that God may open their hearts.”

The Bishops’ Conference has called for a day of action tomorrow, a Sunday, against the new FCRA licensing regulations which, in the name of “national security”, are stifling Christian schools, hospitals and welfare organisations. Cardinal Poola: “We serve the poor to live out the Gospel”. Thousands of licences have already been revoked in recent years.

Across the Indian state, thousands of people took part in the celebrations, diving into wells, ponds and watercourses in a symbolic ritual that recalls the biblical episode in which St John the Baptist leapt for joy in the womb of his mother, Elizabeth. A festival deeply cherished by the Catholic community, it coincides with the start of the monsoon season.

The victims were young people attending a 3D graphics class offered by an animation studio. The building had been subject to a demolition order in 2016 due to serious flaws, which was later revoked. Bishop Gerald Mathias sent his “heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families”, urging the authorities to take “appropriate measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.”

Controversy and outrage mount across the country over the latest femicide committed within the family. Fuelling the controversy is the fact that it occurred under the eyes of police officers who were supposed to protect the victim. Activists blame the killing on a mix of patriarchy, caste, and failure to enforce the law in Uttar Pradesh.

Just the day after the release of the Kuki hostages, the discovery of a new massacre has further inflamed the conflict between the two ethnic groups. Among the victims were two Christian pastors. Protests have erupted around the Imphal mortuary where the bodies were taken, with militants calling for the ceasefire to be suspended. The archbishop emeritous Lumon tells AsiaNews: “There are historical wounds, but violence is never the way to heal them”

A viral video allegedly shows Samuel Garvyn De Braganza dumping rubbish in a public area, sparking a wave of online abuse and prompting police to open an investigation. At the young man’s funeral, Father Ramiro Luis said that this tragedy teaches us that, “Every post, every comment, every act of kindness or cruelty contributes to the kind of world that we create”.

The incident took place in the Worli district of the city. In a letter, the Christian organisation Watchdog Foundation has called for an investigation to identify those responsible. ‘Christian symbols repeatedly targeted’. The religious freedom enshrined in the Indian Constitution has been highlighted.

After decades, the Catholic community in Vallakkunnu can now bury its own in a two-storey mausoleum with nearly 400 burial cells. For Bishop Kannookadan of Irinjalakuda, such an innovative and eco-friendly solution avoids communal tensions and conveys a message of faith.

In a pastoral letter, Archbishop John Rodrigues clarifies that the “Ecumenical Catholic Church of Christ” is not in communion with the Pope and has nothing to do with the local Catholic Church. Promoted by a former married priest, it has called for a “mass protest” on 5 June against injustices towards Christians. But dividing the community by confusing people is not the way to combat discrimination.

On 24 May, movements affiliated with the RSS organised a demonstration in New Delhi to call for the ‘delisting’ of Article 342 of the Constitution. The aim is to pass a law that would exempt those who have converted to Hinduism. The protest by Christians and pro-rights groups.

The appeal made at the funerals of the three Baptist leaders killed in recent days during renewed clashes between the Kuki-Zo and Naga tribal groups: “I forgive those who killed my father in the name of the Lord and in the broader interest of peace.” The slain pastor had worked tirelessly for reconciliation between the two groups. Concern remains for six people still being held hostage.