A man has been arrested in the troubled Indian state of Orissa in relation to the gang rape of a nun that is alleged to have occurred during sectarian violence in the region. Communal clashes between Hindus and Christians in the eastern Indian state since late August have left at least 35 dead and thousands of others homeless.
The Union Cabinet will meet here today to discuss the recent spate of attacks on Christians in Orissa and Karnataka. The Cabinet is expected to mull over the "growing demand" for the dismissal of the BJD-BJP Government in Orissa in the wake of communal violence in Kandamal district. The role of Bajrang Dal will also come up for discussion. Earlier, the Union Home Ministry had said that the Bajrang Dal activists were allegedly involved in the communal violence in Karnataka.
In another development, attacks on Christians have now spread to Tamil Nadu. In one of the incidents, miscreants broke statues inside a Christian school in the state's Dharmapuri district. The incident took place inside the 'Our Lady high School' at Mathagondapalli near Thali in Dharmapuri district on Saturday night.
Rediff.com News bureau says Christians have decided to do send flowers to Patnaik whose state has been racked by anti-Christian violence for few weeks now, with the state government being little more than a mute witness. Emails sent by various Christians exhorting everyone to join in the 'birthday celebration' are targeting October 16, Patnaik's 62nd birthday. 'Since we love those who hate us, please do not fail to send him special birthday greetings from the Christian community, especially from those who are impressed by his efforts to uphold the honour of women and enforce the rule of law in this state,' exhorts the email.
Sporadic assaults on Christian institutions were reported in the past many days in Tamil Nadu. According to the police, these included desecration of 20 graves in a cemetery in a district bordering the capital's southern outskirts, stoning of three churches in Erode and Karur districts, theft of a statue of Mother Mary in Krishnagiri, damage to a Virgin Mary icon in Kanyakumari district and vandalism against an idol of Jesus in Madurai during the past five days. Cutting across the political divide, ruling and opposition parties have criticised the acts of vandalism terming them 'reprehensible, despicable and irresponsible acts aimed at destroying peace and amity prevailing in Tamil Nadu'.
The Union Cabinet will meet here today to discuss the recent spate of attacks on Christians in Orissa and Karnataka. The Cabinet is expected to mull over the "growing demand" for the dismissal of the BJD-BJP Government in Orissa in the wake of communal violence in Kandamal district. The role of Bajrang Dal will also come up for discussion. Earlier, the Union Home Ministry had said that the Bajrang Dal activists were allegedly involved in the communal violence in Karnataka.
In another development, attacks on Christians have now spread to Tamil Nadu. In one of the incidents, miscreants broke statues inside a Christian school in the state's Dharmapuri district. The incident took place inside the 'Our Lady high School' at Mathagondapalli near Thali in Dharmapuri district on Saturday night.
Wesley Owen stores (part of the IBS-STL group) throughout the UK threw themselves into collecting Bibles to send to Christians in India this summer, and the Bibles have now arrived safely in Hyderabad. Over 35,000 were collected in six weeks, to send to pastors and church members who don't have, and cannot afford, their own Bibles. Malcolm Stockdale, Managing Director of the Wesley Owen group, borrowed the idea from the Australian retailers, Koorong.
In Aberdeen, one elderly woman caught the vision and came in each week with bags of Bibles from people in her church. She then went round the local charity shops and bought any Bibles she could find.
Money raised through the Wesley Owen stores in 2007 for their chosen charity, the Dalit Freedom Movement, has now been distributed. Over £30,000 has been put into education, micro-credit, building projects and providing cricket and sports equipment, bought within India, to schools.
Rediff.com News bureau says Christians have decided to do send flowers to Patnaik whose state has been racked by anti-Christian violence for few weeks now, with the state government being little more than a mute witness. Emails sent by various Christians exhorting everyone to join in the 'birthday celebration' are targeting October 16, Patnaik's 62nd birthday. 'Since we love those who hate us, please do not fail to send him special birthday greetings from the Christian community, especially from those who are impressed by his efforts to uphold the honour of women and enforce the rule of law in this state,' exhorts the email.
Sporadic assaults on Christian institutions were reported in the past many days in Tamil Nadu. According to the police, these included desecration of 20 graves in a cemetery in a district bordering the capital's southern outskirts, stoning of three churches in Erode and Karur districts, theft of a statue of Mother Mary in Krishnagiri, damage to a Virgin Mary icon in Kanyakumari district and vandalism against an idol of Jesus in Madurai during the past five days. Cutting across the political divide, ruling and opposition parties have criticised the acts of vandalism terming them 'reprehensible, despicable and irresponsible acts aimed at destroying peace and amity prevailing in Tamil Nadu'.
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