Hindu radicals vandalize Catholic school

(February 05, 2009) Suspected members of a Hindu group attacked a Catholic school in Bhopal, while police arrested its priest-principal for insulting the national anthem. A trial court granted bail to Father Thomas Malancheruvil, principal of St. Thomas Senior Secondary School, which was attacked February 2nd. Fifteen youths who had been arrested by police for the violence on the premises were also released on bail. "It was a real ordeal for me, through no fault of mine," Father Malancheruvil said after his release, UCA News reported. Some teachers, including a Christian, spread a rumour that the priest had stopped them from singing the national anthem on Jan. 26, India's Republic Day. The physical-training teacher of the school, who had the responsibility to conduct the school's national-day program, had arrived late and was reprimanded and suspended. The staff and students who were absent for the programme were reprimanded by the Principal. They in turn spread the rumour that the priest had prevented them from singing national anthem and filed a police omplaint which led to the arrest of the Priest. Meantime around 30 members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarti Parishad barged into the school premises seven days after the program, shouting slogans against the principal and entered the principal's office, destroying computers, furniture and windowpanes. The principal called the police, who came immediately and arrested the trouble makers. The ABVP is the student wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (Indian people's party), which rules the state. Archbishop Leo Cornelio of Bhopal condemned the incident, calling on the administration to deal with such violence "with iron hands," lest it undermines the country's ethos and constitution. "Chaos will become the order of the day," he predicted.