India has witnessed more communal violence cases this year than the previous year, revealed the latest data culled by intelligence agencies.

Nine states reported increased number of incidents of communal violence. Uttar Pradesh topped the list with 457 communal incidents in 2019 between January 1 and October 30, as compared to 396 incidents last year during the same period.

The second state was Rajasthan (165 incidents this year, compared to 116 communal incidents last year), followed by West Bengal (79 incidents as compared to 57 last year), Gujarat (40 incidents against 26 last year), Assam (20 communal incidents against 17 such incidents last year), Kerala, Tripura, Delhi and Odisha (five incidents against none last year).

Commenting on the latest report on the communal violence in the country, A C Michael, former member of Delhi Minorities Commission, told Matters India, “It is really sad to note our country that is known for being the largest democracy in the world is today going through a phase of continuous communal violence.”

“I would like to blame the politicians for this menace as their vote-bank politics have pitted the citizens of India against each other based on religion,” said Michael, national coordinator of United Christian Forum.

“The present government has made no bones about their strategy of following majoritarian appeasement policy. Till the time the young generation which is being claimed to be on the ruling party side understands the politics of appeasement, I do not foresee any solution to this problem,” he added.

The Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) and the National Alliance and Central Network of Evangelicals in India called on the Christian community to observe the Nov 24 as the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP). “An estimated 100 million Christians face persecution daily in the world today. In India according to the database kept by the Religious Liberty Commission of EFI, this year itself, over 250 instances of hate crimes and violence have taken place against Christians till the last October,” said Reverend Vijayesh Lal, EFI general secretary.

“Let us stand in solidarity and prayer with our persecuted family. Let us join our sisters and brothers worldwide in praying together,” he said. India, rich in its diversity of religions, languages and cultures, faces several incidences of persecution. Reverend David Fernandes from Commission Church Mumbai, said, “Pray that the Lord will comfort, protect and guide persecuted Christians and others and the Church would remain strong even amid all the persecution and opposition. That there will be a decrease in anti-Christian and anti-minority violence in India and we will respond in love towards our persecutors. Pray that the constitutional guarantees will remain.”

The Family Commission of Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) will create a matrimonial website, with a separate option for the widows to register.

“We want to bring in a change in the overall outlook to widows in our community. Even today society prescribes dress code for them and forces them to behave in a certain manner in social gatherings. They are humans and in no way they should be discriminated in society,” explained Father Paul Madassery, KCBC Family Commission Secretary.

The Church official pointed out that the remarriage of widows, even very young one, has become a rarity. He claimed the new website would give Christian widows hope for a new life, especially those under 40 years.

Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao of Goa and Daman has urged contributors to a daily Bible reading booklet in Konkani to take risks to proclaim the word of God.

“It is a challenge to make Jesus’s vision and values ours. He wants us to be instruments in forming his people through this booklet of reflections,” the archbishop said during a Mass on November 10 to mark the 25th anniversary of “Jivitacho Prokas” (Light of Life), a booklet published by the archdiocese.

The prelate reminded the gathering that they are not Jesus’s disciples by chance. “He has called us and formed us. He is calling us to personalize His vision. He calls us constantly to care for the others,” he added.

The booklet was started in 1994 when Archbishop Ferrao was a priest and the director of the Diocesan Centre for the Lay Apostolate. He also edited the “Daily Flash,” a similar booklet in English.

Both the booklets are written by the laity for the laity.

“We are all members of the “Jivitacho Prokas” family. I am glad that the Jubilee takes place this year when we have the theme ‘Go and do likewise like the Good Samaritan,’ for the archdiocesan activities,” the archbishop pointed out.

The “Daily Flash” was started in 1990 by Noemia Mascarenhas, a lay woman, and it soon became popular scripture in Goa and elsewhere. The aim of “Daily Flash” is to help the faithful read and reflect on the Word of God, so that they gain a faith encounter with God.

The claim of a pro-Hindu politician that children can become cannibals by eating chicken eggs violates democratic principles, says a church leader in central India. Gopal Bhargava, a senior politician of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Madhya Pradesh, made the claim as he opposed a government plan to include eggs in school midday meals to fight malnutrition.

“If children are given non-vegetarian food, they may turn into cannibals,” Bhargava reportedly said. “They will serve eggs to children. Those who do not eat eggs will be forced to do so. If they are still malnourished, give them chicken and goat meat.” The Hindu culture prohibits eating non-vegetarian food, said Bhargava, the leader of the opposition in the state legislature.