The High Court in India’s northeastern Manipur state on Feb. 22 deleted a paragraph from a controversial order that reportedly resulted in unprecedented ethnic riots in the state, killing some 175 people mostly Christians.
The Manipur State High Court deleted part of the March 2023 order that directed the state government to send a recommendation on ‘Scheduled Tribe’ status for the Hindu Meitei community, which triggered protests from the Christian majority Kuki tribal people.
The ethnic violence that began in May 2023 killed at least 175 people and injured some 1,100. Some 30 people are also reported missing. The rioters burned down or vandalized some 380 religious structures including temples and churches, according to reports.
The violence between Meitei Hindus and Kukis and Zos (Christians) also left more than 70,000 people displaced.
A panel of  experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, who did not speak on behalf of the United Nations, said they were especially concerned “that the violence seems to have been preceded and incited by hateful and inflammatory speech.”
“The March 2023 High Court ruling was bad in law. It entitled Hindu Meiteis to the same economic benefits and quotas in government jobs and education as the minority Christian Kukis. Finally, after a review petition was filed, the impugned order has been set right,” says analyst Ashutosh Talukdar.
The court move “may help bring normalcy in violence-hit Manipur state,” he added.
According to the 2011 census, Manipur is 41.29 percent Christian, mostly tribal people, while 41.39 percent are Hindus.

As india prepares to elect a new federal government this spring, its catholic bishops have urged citizens “to vote wisely” to help the country remain a secular and democratic republic.
“we urge all citizens to enroll as voters and exercise their sacred duty to vote wisely, so that we elect leaders who are committed to constitutional values and to the uplift of the poor,” said in a statement the catholic bishops’ conference of india issued at the end of their 36th biennial meeting.
As many as 170 bishops from india’s 174 dioceses attended the jan. 31-feb. 7 meeting in the southern indian city of bengaluru. The meeting’s central theme was “the church’s response to the current sociopolitical situation of the country and the benefits and challenges of artificial intelligence (ai).”
The bishops, representing india’s latin, syro-malabar and syro-malankara rite churches, met as the current federal coalition government led by the hindu nationalist bharatiya janata party (indian people’s party) completes its second five-year term in may.
India’s 966.8 million voters will elect the country’s 543-mem-ber lok sabha (people’s council), the lower house of parliament, in april and may. About 170 bishops attended the opening mass of the 36th biennial meeting of the catholic bishops’ conference of india in bengaluru, india.

An opposition member in the Meghalaya legislative assembly on February 22 sought government intervention after a Catholic nun was humiliated while traveling in a bus five days ago.
Charles, a member of the Trinamool Congress, told the zero hour that the nun, who works in Siju village in Meghalaya’s South Garo Hills, was forced to get down from the bus after some passengers harassed her for her nun’s dress and Christian religion.
“Harassment of religious persons who wear their religious dress is uncalled for,” asserted Pyngrope.
Rakkam Sangma, a state minister who represents West Garo Hills in the assembly, too has taken up the matter with Meghalaya Chief Minister Con-rad K Sangma. He wants the Meghalaya government to take up the matter with the federal government and the rulers of Assam, a neighbouring state where the nun’s humiliation took place.
The chief minister, in his reply to the assembly, agreed to address the legislator’s concern and added that he has already taken it up with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswas Sarma who “assured action.”
The victim, Sister Mary Rose of the Daughters of the Francis de Sales, has been serving Siju’s St. John’s Parish that comes under Tura diocese.
Auxiliary Bishop Jose Chirackal of Tura, who is pursuing the matter with the Meghalaya government, told Matters India February 22 that the nun “is traumatized” after the incident.

The provincial government of a central Indian state has announced plans to add more teeth to its sweeping anti-conversion law, which is often used to target Christians in the country.
The proposed bill by the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Chhattisgarh requires individuals seeking to convert to another religion to apply at least 60 days in advance to the district magistrate.
The Chhattisgarh Religion Freedom (Amendment) Act, 2006, requires the application to be submitted 30 days in advance.
The proposed law will also have more punitive measures to stop fraudulent religious conversions in the state, known for its large tribal population.
It proposes a punishment of a minimum of two years and a maximum of 10 years in prison, along with a fine of Rs 25,000 (US$301) for illegally converting minors, women, or persons belonging to the tribal community.
Brijmohan Agarwal, minister for religious trusts and endowments, speaking in the state assembly on Feb. 13, warned that many forces were “at work to alter the demography of Chhattisgarh.”
A.C. Michael, president of the Federation of Catholic Associations of Archdiocese of Delhi said that “Agarwal is liable to be questioned for making a false statement in the assembly as there are no illegal conversions taking place in the state.”
Michael asked the minister to “come up with evidence to prove his claims.”

A convent school in Mangaluru, southern India, on February 15 denied the allegations from some Hindu nationalist groups that a nun teacher had made derogatory remarks against Hindu deities.
St. Gerosa High School’s denial came three days after it suspended the nun, yielding to the pressure from the Hindu groups.
A press statement from Sister Anitha, the school headmistress, clarified that Sister Mary Prabha Selvaraj had not insulted Hindu gods but only taught Nobel Laureate poet Ravindranath Tagore’s poem on “Work is Worship” in a moral science class.
The headmistress said the nun had denied belittling Hindu deities. What she did was to explain to the students the meaning of the poem. The teacher had clarified that she had not hurt Hindu religious sentiments.
The trouble started after an audio clip from the mother of an unnamed student went viral. It alleged that the nun had made derogatory remarks about Hindu gods during class in early February.
On February 12, Hindu groups led by local legislator Vedavyas Kamath barged into the school and demanded immediate suspension of the teacher.
“As alleged by the anonymous woman in the voice message and the BJP leaders, Sr Prabha did not make any derogatory remarks against Hindu or any other religion or on the prime minister while explaining the poem.”
The headmistress also clarified that the school management had urged the district administration to conduct an enquiry into the matter, stating that the audio message was far from the truth. The school also sought protection from any untoward incident.
“A complaint was also lodged with the police to take action against the woman’s audio that had gone viral,” Sister Anitha said.