Mangalore Christians rally against government injustice

Tens of thousands of Christians, drawn from over 45 different denominations, marched with their mouths covered by gags through the streets of Mangalore Sunday, against the Karnataka government's Somasekhar Commission report into attacks on churches in 2008, which they say is "distorted" and "anti-Christian".

On Friday a silent fast was held on the campus of the St Mark University of Bangalore, involving 18 bishops, including the Archbishop of Bangalore Bernard Moras. In addition to fasting, marches and sit-ins, the bishops, the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) and Christians leader in Karnataka, presented the Governor and the Chief Minister of Karnataka, a counter-report, entitled: "1000 days in office, 236 attacks and 1000 traumatized people".
Archbishop Moras told Emer McCarthy the report, contrary to an interim inquiry published last year, "exonerates radical Hindu groups and police complicity in the attacks". He also points out to worrying reccomendations in the Commission report that call for the "the introduction of anti-conversion legisation and government regulation of Christian activities, including properties and foreign donations". Listen: