A high-level independent tribunal has concluded that the ethnic violence that engulfed Manipur from May 3, 2023, was a planned attack rather than spontaneous unrest, indicting both state and central governments for enabling the crisis through institutional breakdown. The 694-page report, released by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) at the Press Club of India, represents the most comprehensive independent investigation into the conflict that has displaced over 60,000 people and left them languishing in relief camps for 27 months.

“The violence which erupted on May 3, 2023, was not spontaneous but planned, ethnically targeted, and facilitated by state failures,” concluded the Independent People’s Tribunal chaired by former Supreme Court judge Justice Kurian Joseph. The tribunal, comprising 14 jury members and three experts deliberately chosen from outside Manipur, recorded testimonies from more than 150 survivors who painted what the report called “a picture of systemic impunity and targeted brutality.”

The report has drawn fierce criticism from Manipur’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanajaoba Leishemba, who dismissed it as “biased, one-sided and unprofound” during a public event Sunday. Leishemba, who founded the Arambai Tenggol group mentioned in the report, demanded “a strong probe against this PUCL” and warned the findings could mislead the Meitei community. The tribunal has recommended establishing a permanent High Court bench in hill districts, creating independent Special Investigation Teams monitored by the Supreme Court, and prosecuting those responsible for hate speech and propaganda.

District administration in Chhattis-garh’s Dhamtari has ordered an inve-stigation into a 115-year-old Christian hospital following complaints from Bajrang Dal, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other Hindutva organisa-tions. The groups have accused the Bathena Christian Hospital of medical negligence and forced religious con-version. The hospital was established in 1910 by American Mennonite missionaries and is recognised as the oldest hospital in Chhattisgarh.

The probe comes after Hindu organisation members specifically targeted the hospital premises on July 27, vandalising property, damaging equipment and misbehaving with doctors during their protest. Despite the targeted attack, no action has been taken against the perpetrators. Instead, authorities launched an investigation into the hospital itself, effectively legitimising the methods used by the groups. The hospital, known for providing affordable medical care, has faced repeated targeting by Hindu groups in recent months. This was not the first such incident; on June 28, VHP workers had created a ruckus for about three hours, forcibly entering the hospital, putting up flags, smearing the ground with cow dung, and damaging wheelchairs and CCTV cameras. The hospital filed police complaints about both incidents of vandalism, but authorities remained inactive against the perpetrators.

The kidnapping of nine individuals, including an Irish missionary and a child with disabilities, is being described as “a new act of barbarity,” a “shameful act,” and an expression of a “moral collapse” engulfing all of Haitian society. This is the denunciation issued by the Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince in a statement condemning what took place on Sunday, August 3rd, at the Sainte-Hélène Orphanage in Kenscoff, southeast of the capital. The Church is therefore appealing both to the faithful, called to respond with prayer and concrete humanitarian help, and to the institutions to ensure order, security, and justice.

The Archdiocese describes the kidnapping as “an attack on the noblest aspects of society”: selfless care for others, protection of childhood innocence, and faith embodied in works of mercy. For the Church in the capital, this violence affects not only the victims directly involved, but also undermines the very foundations of civil coexistence and human dignity. 

The statement expresses “deep sadness” and “great indignation,” emphasizing how such crimes reveal “the failure of the State and of a society that is losing its sensitivity to life.” It is a cry of alarm at the worsening climate of impunity, where “the unimaginable becomes routine,” and “places dedicated to care, education, refuge, and hope are becoming targets.”

Hindu right-wing groups in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district have escalated their campaign against Christians, with two tribal villages—Kudal and Junwani—banning the entry of pastors and priests. On August 5, the Sanatan Samaj organized a protest in Bhanupratappur, leading to a complete shutdown of local businesses. Demonstrators submitted an 11-point memorandum demanding government action to curb Christian religious activities, effectively challenging constitutional rights to religious freedom and movement.

Village councils in Kudal and Junwani passed resolutions prohibiting Christian from entering. Warning signs posted at village borders cite the Fifth Schedule and the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, as justification for the ban. Local leader Rajendra Komra accused Christian pastors of persuading tribal villagers to convert, claiming they exploit the simplicity of rural communities. These restrictions, however, violate constitutional guarantees of religious expression and mobility. Media reports indicate that 18 families in these villages had embraced Christianity in recent years, though five later reverted under community pressure.

Allegations suggest conversions were encouraged through access to education, healthcare, and financial aid—yet no evidence was presented to support these claims.
During the protest, speakers made sweeping accusations against Christian missionaries, alleging foreign funding was being used to promote conversions through social services. Municipal council president Nikhil Singh Rathore called religious conversion a “sensitive issue,” urging Hindu unity. Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma announced plans to strengthen the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Act, 1968, following consultations across 52 meetings. This move signals potential legal tightening amid growing hostility toward Christian communities, who are already facing systemic exclusion and threats to their constitutional rights.

Sister Sujata Jena, a lawyer and member of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, has denounced recent allegations of religious conversion by nuns in tribal areas as “unfounded and politically motivated.”

In an interview with Matters India, Sr. Jena, who serves in Odisha, issued a pointed challenge to Church authorities: “If you’re going to insist that we wear habits everywhere, then be ready to defend us when we’re attacked on the streets.”

Her remarks follow a disturbing incident in her state Odhisha which occurred at Khordha Road Railway Station on the night of May 31, when Sister Rachana Nayak of the Holy Family Congregation was detained for nearly 18 hours along with four girls and her younger brother. The group was forcibly removed from the Rourkela Rajarani Express by Bajrang Dal activists, who falsely accused them of trafficking and religious conversion. Despite the girls affirming their Catholic faith and voluntary travel, the group was held until human rights lawyers intervened and officials confirmed the allegations were baseless.

Speaking to Matters India, Sr. Jena noted that all three major attacks on nuns in less than three months this year involved Sisters wearing habits. “To those who insist on habits during travel—and to congregations unwilling to reflect or adapt—I say: be prepared to defend these Sisters when they’re attacked,” she asserted.

On August 10, Prison Ministry Day, we honour the remarkable journey of Father Scaria Nedumattathil, a Salesian priest from Kolkata province, who founded the Don Bosco Prison Ministry (DBPM) after a compassionate visit to Berhampore Central Correctional Home in 1995. What began as a simple act of kindness has grown into a nationwide mission of hope and transformation. For three decades, Father Scaria’s vision has remained steadfast: to restore dignity, freedom, and honour to those behind bars. His guiding principles—Reform, Release, Rehabilitate, and Reintegrate—have shaped DBPM’s outreach, impacting over 25,000 inmates and 45,000 family members. The ministry offers legal aid, counseling, vocational training, and cultural programs, helping prisoners rebuild their lives.

On August 10, Prison Ministry Day, we honour the remarkable journey of Father Scaria Nedumattathil, a Salesian priest from Kolkata province, who founded the Don Bosco Prison Ministry (DBPM) after a compassionate visit to Berhampore Central Correctional Home in 1995. What began as a simple act of kindness has grown into a nationwide mission of hope and transformation. For three decades, Father Scaria’s vision has remained steadfast: to restore dignity, freedom, and honour to those behind bars. His guiding principles—Reform, Release, Rehabilitate, and Reintegrate—have shaped DBPM’s outreach, impacting over 25,000 inmates and 45,000 family members. The ministry offers legal aid, counseling, vocational training, and cultural programs, helping prisoners rebuild their lives.

Prison officials praise DBPM’s impact. Superintendent S. Chatterjee notes improved inmate behaviour and reduced conflict, while the Inspector General of Correctional Services calls the ministry a model for reform. Father Scaria’s mission was shaped by collaborators like Father T.L. Francis and supported by the Salesian Provincial Team, including late Fathers C.J. Jacob and Thomas Panakezham. Lay leaders like Anupam Choudhury and partners like DB Tech India and Schneider Project have strengthened the ministry’s reach. Honoured with the Rector Major Paschual Chavez Award and recognized during Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, Father Scaria continues his work at the Human Resource Development Centre in Dhobasole, West Midnapore. His legacy lives on through Prison Ministry India, a national movement dedicated to restoring dignity and hope to society’s forgotten.

Christians of various denominations in Tamil Nadu marked Black Day on 10 August with public demonstrations, gatherings, and awareness campaigns across all 18 dioceses of the state. In addition to parish-level meetings, the programme was conducted in 51 prominent locations in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Catholic Bishops, Protestant Bishops, priests, religious congregations, and lay faithful gathered — many in the streets — to hold public meetings and present memoranda to the government. The state-wide network was coordinated by the Chairman, Bishop Jeevanandam, and the Secretary, Fr. Nithiya OFM Cap, of the Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council (TNBC) Commission for the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes, working through all Diocesan SC/ST Commission Secretaries and staff.

Black Day is observed by Christians in India, particularly Dalit Christians, to highlight the injustice stemming from the Presidential Order of 1950. This order decreed that the entitlements granted to Hindus from the Scheduled Caste category would not be extended to Dalits of other religions. Despite facing similar socio-economic challenges, such as discrimination, lack of education, and limited employment opportunities, Dalit Christians and Muslims remain excluded from these benefits. In addition to diocesan headquarters events led by bishops, priests, and religious, several meetings were held at parish level. Leaders from other faiths — including Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, and Sikhs — attended, alongside political leaders, laity movements, and social activists. The public meetings were held under police protection.

The day’s observances included hoisting black flags in Christian homes and churches, wearing black badges, conducting public meetings and protest gatherings, delivering speeches on constitutional injustice, holding media briefings, passing resolutions demanding Scheduled Caste status, submitting memoranda to government officials and the SC/ST Commission, organising rallies and peace marches, drum beating, and forming human chains for awareness campaigns.

The government in Jharkhand, eastern India, has announced a plan to rename a state health service after Catholic saint Mother Teresa, removing its current name, which is linked to a prominent leader of India’s Hindu party. “It is a fitting gesture to honour St. Mother Teresa’s profound compassion for the sick and suffering, regardless of creed, caste, or colour in India,” former Archbishop Felix Toppo of Ranchi, based in the state capital, told on July 28.
The Atal Mohalla (community) Clinics in the state will be renamed Mother Teresa Advanced Health Clinics in honour of Mother Teresa of Kolkata, who cared for the sick, the state’s Chief Minister, Hemant Soren, announced on July 24. The name Atal refers to Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who was the leader of the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party and became the party’s first prime minister in May 1996. He died in August 2018. Soren heads the state government, which is led by his regional Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM or Jharkhand Freedom Front). The BJP, which previously ruled the state, is now in opposition. Soren, who follows the nature-worshipping tribal religion of Sarna, told the media that the state cabinet meeting decided the change, along with some 20 key proposals approved by the government. The BJP opposed the renaming move, calling it a tactic to convert more Hindus to the Catholic Church.

Catholic agencies have intensified relief efforts in the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, where continuous rains, cloudbursts, and flash floods have resulted in more than 100 deaths in the past four weeks. “Our teams have continued to aid the relief efforts fearlessly despite ongoing rains, road blockades, and bad weather,” said Father Lenin Henry, who heads Manav Vikas Samiti (human development forum), the social work agency of Simla Chandigarh diocese. At least 109 people have died, and thousands have been left homeless in the state due to rains and floods between June 20 and July 16, 2025, according to the State Disaster Management Authority.

Church leaders and activists have criticized India’s Maharashtra state for threatening legal action against Dalit Christians, who allegedly benefited from India’s affirmative action pro-gram. Chief Minister Devendra Fadna-vis, who heads the state government led by the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said on July 17 that legal action will be taken against Dalit people from religions other than the three recognized – Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh – ones for claiming benefits. Chri-stian leaders say the move aims to target “Crypto Christians,” a term BJP leaders use to describe people who they say follow the Christian faith but officially remain Dalit Hindus to claim benefits from affirmative action.