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Catholic groups slam Odisha mob violence
CBCI and Syro-Malabar Church protest mob attack on priests and nuns in Odisha, alleging Bajrang Dal involvement over false conversion claims.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) and the Syro-Malabar Church in Kerala on Friday protested strongly against the alleged mob attack on two Catholic priests, two nuns and a catechist in Balasore district of Odisha on Wednesday.
According to the Church, the attack on the Christian group was led by members of Bajrang Dal, an affiliate of the Sangh Parivar, in Jaleswar on false suspicions of illegal religious conversions in the area.
Mar Andrews Thazhath, metropolitan archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church in Thrissur, told reporters on Friday that the attack on the group comprising priests and nuns took place while the latter were returning after taking part in a special mass organised in connection with the deaths of two church members in the area.
“The group comprised Fr Lijo Palakkaran and Fr Jijo, both of them natives of Kerala, two nuns and a local catechist. They had gone to Jaleshwar for the special mass as well as to discuss the jubilee celebrations of the local parish. So you can understand how old the Catholic congregation there is. After the function ended at 9 pm, the catechist departed on a two-wheeler followed by the priests and nuns in a car. A few kilometres away, the catechist was stopped by members of an extremist group. They took away his cell-phone, deflated the bike’s tyres, tore his shirt and hurled verbal abuses,” said Thazhath.
“The vehicle containing the priests and nuns were also stopped by the mob. They were accused of conducting illegal religious conversions. The priests faced extreme verbal attacks from the mob. The incident shows how democracy and secularism are under threat in this country,” added Thazhath, who is also the president of the CBCI.
Meanwhile, Sujata Jena, nun of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Odisha, said attacking someone based on religious attire is a violation of constitutional rights, human dignity, and a punishable offence.
“In Odisha, Christians are denied burials, forced to renounce faith, detained on false charges, and physically assaulted. Tribal villagers now demand ‘ghar wapsi,’ or reconversion, for burial permission; a cruel exchange of faith for dignity in death,” she said.
