Christians Closed 45,000 Schools Protesting Violence

(August 30, 2008) Some 45,000 educational institutions run by Christians across the country were closed on Friday to protest the continued anti-Christian violence in Orissa, which has claimed some 20 lives. Protesting the violence that began a week ago "all our schools and colleges are closed” on Friday, Father Bubu Joseph, spokesperson of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India told the Indian Catholic. Catholics alone manage some 20,700 educational institutions. Following the CBCI call to close its schools, other Christian groups like Church of North India, Church of South India and other Christian groups also decided to close their schools as a mark of solidarity. These groups together run some 20,000 schools and colleges. In Delhi scores of Christians marched to Orissa Bhawan, the office of the state resident commissioner, to protest the violence. Representations have been made to the President and Prime Minister already. In Bangalore, the Bangalore Citizens Forum, a civil society organisation , in collaboration with more than 30 NGOs and other Christian education institutions of Bangalore held a public rally and a candle light vigil near Mahatma Gandhi statue here on Friday, to protest against the communal attacks on Christians in Orissa. Over a thousand people, including students, activists, priests and religious took an active part in the rally, making it a huge success. In Kerala, All Christian denominations pledged solidarity with the Catholic Church by wearing black badges, passing resolutions condemning the attack on the community and holding prayer meetings. More than 700 Religious, clergy, lay Catholics and other Christians, and people of other religions have taken part so far in an Aug. 27-29 candlelight vigil at the Jesuits' St. Xavier's College in Kolkata, capital of West Bengal state. In Nashik, Archbishop Felix Machado organised a special-prayer meeting of all Christians' educational institutions, its staff, teachers and principals was held at Nashik road on Friday morning. Christians in every major city organised protest march condemning the atrocities in Orissa. Christian groups in Mangalore, a coastal Catholic stronghold jointly sent a memorandum to the Orissa government on Aug. 26 asking it to protect minority Christians. However, a spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday questioned the need for Christians closing their schools across the nation as a mark of protest against the ongoing anti-Christian violence in Orissa. “All children studying in Catholic schools are not Catholics. Why should they be forced to join? BJP spokesperson said. He added that closing was part of "coercive tactics' ' to compel non-Christian students also to take part in protest marches.