Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
New Delhi (Fides Service) - The Church in India has called on civil authorities to bring the perpetrators of recent attacks on Christians and Christian institutions to justice.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of India has asked the Central Investigation Office to make an inquiry into the murder of Father Job Chittilappilly, brutally assassinated in the district of Thrissur, in Kerala, on 28 August. The secretary of the Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Percival Fernandez, told Fides that decisive actions on the part of a civil body against the attackers will give a clear signal to people who spread hatred among religious communities in India.
“In Kerala Christians and people of other faiths have lived in harmony for centuries. The killing of our priest was an attempt to break this harmony”, said Bishop Fernandez, adding that the Church is deeply distressed at the death of 71 year old Father Chittilappilly who was killed while praying the rosary before celebrating Mass.
Fides sources in India say the state government of Kerala, has not yet identified the murderers and that large numbers of people, bishops and laity continue to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Graces where the priest was killed. The Bishops of Kerala had a meeting with the local civil authorities and made an official request for the criminals to be brought to justice.
Also in Orissa state there is concern among Christians and they have urged the National Minorities Commission to start an investigation into the attack launched on 26 August against Catholic church in the village of Raikia, in Kandhamal district. Local Christian leaders say nothing was done to prevent or stop the attack although there is a police station at 100 yards from the church. No one intervened to stop a group of about 500 attackers connected with Hindu fundamentalists. The church was devastated and desecrated, missals and lectionaries were destroyed and religious articles smashed.
Christians in India are disappointed after a Court in Bangalore issued a verdict acquitting men charged with carrying out dynamite attacks churches in Karnataka, Goa and Andrha Pradesh, four years ago. At that time a series of explosions in southern India cause fear and concern. Some attacks were attributed to Hindu extremists other the Muslim fundamentalist groups.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 15/9/2004 lines 34 word 342)
