Attack on northeast people absurd: Catholic bishop
August 28, 2012: A Catholic bishop in India has termed attacks on northeast people
and the resulting exodus in Pune as absurd and against the spirit of religions. Bishop
Thomas Dabre of Poona was speaking at an inter-religious meet organized by a Hindu
NGO, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family), at St Anne’s School in the city
on August 25.
The meet was based on the theme “Religions and Non-violence.”
“Revenge and retaliation will create more unrest but forgiveness and love will heal
the wounds,” the prelate said. People today do not have enough love and the spirit
of forgiveness which can bring the strife-stricken people of different faiths together,
he added.
The death toll in the ongoing ethnic clashes in four districts of
Assam has reached 88. As a fallout to these clashes, northeast people living in other
parts of the country were attacked, resulting in mass exodus in Bangalore, Pune and
Hyderabad.
Ashgar Ali Engineer, a Muslim leader, said no religion can be violent.“All
religions preach the same path of love and peace and unless one practices true religion,
one cannot bring about peace and reconciliation,” he said.
Ervad Noshirwan
Dastoor, a Zoroastrian leader, said, “When you see God everywhere, you will not commit
violence but automatically become the ambassador of peace.” Surjeet Kaur Chahal, a
Sikh leader, said intolerance of other faiths sows the seeds of violence.