Catholic schools in India protest

About 25,000 schools and colleges in India run by the Catholic Church remained closed today to protest against continuing anti-Christian violence in Orissa. The Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has described the violence as a "national disgrace".

Pope Benedict XVI labelled the death of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati as "deplorable". He said,"I firmly condemn any attack on human life." Pope told a crowd of pilgrims on Wednesday. "I express spiritual closeness and solidarity to the brothers and sisters in faith who are being so harshly tested."

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Gurukul College also Joined the protest meeting held in Chennai Central on Friday, on 29th August 2008.

Human Rights Watch, Christian Solidarity Network, Dalit Freedom Network and the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty have appealed to foreign ministers in the EU and the US to immediately call for an end to the sectarian violence in India's Orissa.

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In a memorandum submitted to Dr Manmohan Singh the Christian community said, “We are pained and shocked at the merciless killings and unabated violence against the Christians all over the State of Orissa. While the Christian leaders have condemned the heinous crime perpetrated on Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and his associates in the Ashram at Kandhamal District, Orissa, the killings of and atrocities against Christians are the evil designs of the fanatic fundamentalists. They are still continuing the violence and the State Government has failed to protect the Christians and other innocent people”.

The way Sangh goons have killed tens of Christians in the state with impunity shows that how lax we are when it comes to saving the minorities in the country.

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