From The States

Indian bishop denies role in actor’s bail plea

A Catholic bishop in India has denied media reports that he had a hand in securing bail for a film actor charged with sexual abuse and assault on an actress in the southern state of Kerala. Local media reports said Bishop Vincent Samuel of Neyyattinkara helped actor Gopalakrishnan Padmanabhan, better known by his stage name Dileep, to […]

Corruption, lack of freedoms holding back Asia-Pacific

Perceptions of corruption among Asia-Pacific countries remained almost unchanged in 2021, with New Zealand, Singapore and Hong Kong among the world’s best performers but Cambodia, Afghanistan and North Korea again ranked with the worst. Transparency International (TI) said “grand corruption” and a lack of freedoms were holding back progress in the Asia-Pacific region. While Asia-Pacific […]

Mother Teresa nuns seek protection from arrest in India

Missionaries of Charity (MC) nuns accused of attempting to convert girl inmates at a shelter home in Vadodara city in the western Indian state of Gujarat will be hoping for protection from likely arrest when a local court hears their plea on Jan. 19. The two nuns, who did not want to be named, had […]

Indian Christians rap secular regime for rising insecurity

A Christian leader in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh has squarely blamed the provincial government for failing to check attacks on the minority community after a spate of recent incidents. “Reports of Christian persecution are nothing new in this part of the country, which is very unfortunate. More than 10 attacks targeting Christians were […]

Dalit Christian activist bags European award

A social activist from Tamil Nadu, southern India, has received this year’s Raoul Wallenberg Prize, a prestigious award given by the European Council. The ceremony took place in France and Arokiasamy Vincent Raj, popularly known as Evidence Kathir, received the award online on January 19. The award, given every two years, carries a cash prize […]

Varanasi ghat reverberates with message of love

The civil society people in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh committed to secularism and composite culture, have initiated a series of programs to promote communal harmony and peace. The programs, held under the banner of “Paigam-e-Muhabat (Message of Love), are being held in the wake of hate speech, exclusive and divisive ideologies being spread by the fundamentalist […]

Indian ‘prophet’ stuns politician with surprise gift

A self-proclaimed prophet in the north-eastern Indian state of Mizoram has caused a stir by presenting a black shawl – a symbol of mourning – to Chief Minister Zoramthanga at a Sunday prayer service. The episode took place at Zarkawt Presbyterian Church in the state capital Aizawl on January 2. Eyewitnesses said Zoramthanga was seated […]

Scepticism over official claim that Haryana vandals who destroyed a statue of Jesus on Christmas night were drunk

Christian leaders in India have sought an impartial probe into the destruction of a cent-ury-old statue of Jesus Christ at a British-era Catholic church in Ambala in the northern state of Haryana. Two men were seen on CCTV footage scaling the church compound on Christ-mas night and destroying the statue after breaking open the casket. […]

Eviction-facing Indian Catholics to fight Muslim charity’s claims

Goans oppose tourism project near 16th century basilica