Indian Christians mark anniversary of attacks

(Sept.15,2010) Prayer gatherings in churches and Christian institutions across Mangalore in South India on Tuesday marked the second anniversary of anti-Christian violence in Karnataka state. Bishop Aloysius Paul D’Souza of Mangalore celebrated Mass Sept. 14 in Adoration Monastery, a cloistered convent, which was one of the several places attacked on that day in 2008.
At least 27 Christian sites were damaged across the state in the first few days of violence that began three months after the pro-Hindu Bhratiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power. The first attacks occurred in Mangalore after some Christian sects allegedly distributed leaflets promoting conversion, and making derogatory remarks against Hindu gods. Bishop D’Souza issued a circular asking his people to mark the anniversary as “a day of prayer for peace” among all religions. The circular also feted with the Hindus on their Ganesha Chathurthi and Muslims on their Id ul-Fitr. Both feasts were celebrated in India on Sept. 11.
Melwyn Noronha, a lawyer representing the Justice B. K. Somashekar Commission, told ucanews that the group’s probe on the violence will soon conclude its proceedings, with its final hearing held last Aug. 9. The latest hearing involved Mahendra Kumar, the former state chief of Bajrang Dal, a Hindu radical group accused of attacking Christians in the state. “He has confessed that their agenda is to create a Hindu nation” in India as recorded by the commission reports,” Noronha revealed