Christian leaders in New Delhi have condemned the communal violence in the Indian capital and asked churches to open their doors to victims of the riots.

The violence that started Feb. 23 in several areas of northeast Delhi has left 27 people dead and more than 200 injured in the deadliest episode of unrest in the capital in three decades, reported ucanews. com.

“At this trying moment, when communal riots have suddenly gripped Delhi, let us come forward with our prayers and every possible effort to bring relief to the affected people in terms of shelter, food and clothing,” said an appeal letter from Archbishop Anil Couto of Delhi.

In his letter to parish priests, Couto said churches should open their premises “for this noble cause in the Lenten season. Please convey this to our people and organize them for action.”

The three days of violence were the worst unrest since the 1992 nationwide riots following the demolition of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya, and possibly since the anti-Sikh riots of 1984 after the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, media reports said.

The clashes broke out after groups favouring the Citizenship Amendment Act clashed with groups protesting it. The act, passed on Dec. 11, 2019 aims to grant Indian citizenship to persecuted minorities from Muslim-majority Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan while blocking naturalization of Muslims.

Muslims see their exclusion from the law that makes religion the basis of citizenship as yet another attempt by the Narendra Modi government to marginalize them, ucanews.com reported.

Coupled with the National Register of Citizens, the community fears the moves are intended to strip millions of Indian Muslims of citizenship. People from other disadvantaged caste and gender identities as well as women are vulnerable to the national register.

“Humanity has been knocked down one more time, our houses burned, our kindred killed, our peace destroyed, and future betrayed,” said a Feb. 26 statement from the National Council of Churches in India, the forum of Protestant and Orthodox Churches in India.

Even as India prepared to welcome the American President Donald J Trump, who on his two-day visit to India reportedly plans to discuss, among other things, the issue of religious freedom in India with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Religious Liberty Commission (RLC) of the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) registered nine incidents of hate crime and violence on Indian Christians over the weekend.

From Feb 21 to 23, the RLC recorded nine incidents targeting Christians and their congregations including disruption of worship services, intimidation from police machinery and mob violence. Such incidents around weekends and especially on Sunday have become a regular phenomenon for Christians in many parts of India, Reverend Vijayesh Lal, national director of Religious Liberty Commission of EFI, said in a press note.

One incident was also reported from Chhattisgarh on Feb 20 evening taking the total number of incidents to ten in the last three days.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Feb 16 said India is known for unity in diversity, pluralistic ethos and peaceful co-existence of all religions.

This ethos should be nurtured and there should be no discrimination based on gender or differences between people, he said at an event in Kolkata.

Naidu said India wants good relations with all its neighbors and advocates for a climate of peace and progress. He said the world community should take a pledge to fight against any force that promotes terrorism. “We want to have good relations with all our neighbours. Let us take a stand… we must all seek to create an atmosphere where peace can flourish,” Naidu said.

In an apparent reference to Pakistan, Naidu said that “you can change your friends, but cannot change your neighbours.” “Peace is the prerequisite for progress. India has always believed in the concept of “Vasudaiva Kutumbakam” (the world is a family),” he added.

Leaders of various religions came together on February 26 evening to pray for peace in the national capital where sectarian violence has claimed at least 28 lives in four days.

The leaders met at Sacred Heart Cathedral of the Catholic Archdiocese. They appealed to the citizens for peace and non-violence and follow the path of loving each other.

One-minute silence was observed for those who lost their lives in clashes in Delhi’s north-eastern areas, bordering Uttar Pradesh State.

Spiritual leader present included chief Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi of Islam, chairman of Gurudwara Bangla Sahib Parmajit Singh Chandok, Jain guru Acharya Lokesh Muni, Swami Parmanand and Delhi Abp Anil J. Couto.

The gathering was informed that Sikh gurudwaras and churches are open round the clock for all the riot victims. “Anybody can come and take shelter in the house of God,” the organizers said.

Gurudwara Bangla Sahib near the cathedral has been sending ‘Langars’ (community kitchen serving free meals), ambulance facilities and relief materials to the riot-affected areas.

“This is the spirit of India and no amount of hatred can alter the spirit,” a participant remarked.

A member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults has urged the Catholic bishops in India to make child protection policy mandatory in all institutions under their care.

Sister Arina Gonsalves of the Congregation of the Religious of Jesus and Mary also wants the prelates to set up a system to make all diocesan priests and the religious in the country comply with the policy.

“The importance of human formation for the seminarians and candidates for the religious life in the formation houses must be given to prevent pornography in presbytery, seminary and religious houses,” said the Indian nun who joined the Vatican commission two years ago.

Sister Gonsalves, who addressed the 34th plenary assembly of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) on February 17, narrated some case studies that would bear the long-term effects on sexual abuse victims. She listed them as emotional and behavioural problems, abnormal sexual behaviour, psychiatric disorders, suicide tendency, drug abuse and traumatic stress disorder.

Card. Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay, on February 17 reelected president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India for a second term. The election took place on the fifth day of the conferences’ 34 plenary assembly at St John’s Medical College in Bengaluru, capital of Karnataka. The 75-year-old cardinal is among the six advisers of Pope Francis. The Pope had extended Cardinal Gracias’ term as the Bombay archbishop last December. The Indian prelate had submitted his resignation in November as he was about to cross 75, the mandatory year of retirement.

Actor Sonam Kapoor jumped headlong into a controversial debate by calling Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat’s comments on divorce “regressive” in a tweet on Feb. 17. “Which sane man speaks like this? Regressive foolish statements,” Sonam Kapoor tweeted, responding sharply to the news report on the RSS chief’s comments.

The Catholic Church in India has mourned the death of Msgr Hilary Rodrigues, a pioneer of Interreligious dialogue in India and close friend of Saint Teresa of Kolkata. He was 93. The monsignor died on Feb. 20 from old age ailments at the Clergy Home, Bandra, Mumbai suburb, where he resting after a surgery a year ago.

Retired Bishop Valerian D’Souza of Poona, who was known as the singing prelate of India, died on Feb 25. He was 86. The funeral was held at 11:30 am on February 27 at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Pune. Bishop D’Souza was born in Pune on October 3, 1933. He completed his Bachelor of Science course in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics before commencing his studies for priesthood.