CBCI urges the government to protect the church and clergy from religious extremism

New Delhi – Denouncing the atrocities being meted out to the Christian community in certain states of India, the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) has urged the Central and the State Governments to take a serious note of the recent spurt of violence against the Church and its personnel and protect them from all forms of religious extremism, Christian Today has confirmed.

“The apex body of the Catholic Church in India strongly appeals to the guardians of law to make immediate inquiry into the incidents of violence against the Church in India and take appropriate action against the culprits who have been destroying Churches, physically assaulting religious women and intimidating many others,” said Most Rev. Percival Fernandes, secretary general, CBCI.

Strongly condemning the incidents of attacks launched by miscreants and Hindu extremists on The Holy Trinity Church and the Infant Jesus Shrine in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, two convents in Bettiah and Sokho in Bihar, and on three US–based missionaries in Mumbai, the secretary general said that the attacks reflected a “pattern of operation against a community especially its most defenseless group, the religious women.”

“Places of worship and consecrated persons have always been respected in this country and it is very unfortunate that such noble customs have been losing their preeminence in our contemporary society,” he said.

“We urge the Central and the State Governments to take quick and effective action against those involved in these incidences and bring justice to the affected persons so that the religious minorities especially the religious women feel safe and secure in our country,” he said. “The democratically elected Governments must act to protect the safety and security of its citizens and the law enforcing agencies have a bounden duty to see that justice is done to all sections of society.”