MP Christians on state tour to unity

(May 16, 2011) Christians in central India’s Madhya Pradesh launched a state-wide tour last week to shore-up unity in the face of a growing number of communal attacks. An ecumenical group led by Father Anand Muttungal, the Madhya Pradesh Catholic Church’s spokesperson, will visit headquarters of each of the 50 districts of state. The month-long tour, called Sadbhavana Yatra (Harmony rally), set off early Friday morning from the state capital Bhopal and is scheduled to conclude on June 13 in Bhopal. Father Muttungal said the group will interact with leaders and faithful of all denominations to forge strong bonds of love and brotherhood. Madhya Pradesh Christians have suffered a series of violent attacks since the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party came to power in December 2003. The latest provocation was the government’s community profiling of Christians in the state. Fr. Muttungal said the government treated them like “criminals” in the profiling issue, while overlooking Christian contributions in education and health and services to the poor. The team also will take up issues plaguing the community such as poverty, unemployment, school admissions and ecological concerns.