Demonstrators clashed with police for a third day in Delhi on Dec. 17 as protests against a divisive citizenship law spread to universities across the country, raising fears of widespread unrest.

Rights activists and Christian leaders say the protests began to spread after the federal government led by the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attempted to crush peaceful opposition to the discriminatory law.

“The protests by students in many universities indicate the great worries among the people. Students are the antenna and the conscience of the people, and future decision-makers,” said the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI), a Protestant Church Group, in a Dec. 16 statement.

China will enforce new restrictions on religious groups, organizations, meetings, and other related events starting on February 1.

The country’s state-controlled media announced the new policy on Dec. 30, after Chinese authorities moved to further suppress Catholics in the Archdiocese of Fuzhou who are refusing to join the state-run Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association.

According to UCA News, the new “Administrative Measures for Religious Groups,” which consists of six sections and 41 articles, will control every aspect of religious activity within China, and will mandate that all religions and believers in China comply with regulations issued by the Chinese Communist Party, which must be acknowledged as the higher authority.

“Religious organizations must adhere to the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, observe the constitution, laws, regulations, ordinances and policies, adhere to the principle of independence and self-government, adhere to the directives on religions in China, implementing the values of socialism,” says Article 5 of the new policies.

A new feature film pays tribute to Father Marino Rigon, an Italian missionary lauded for his outstanding contributions to education, socioeconomic development, culture and literature as well as Bangladesh’s independence struggle during his more than six decades of service.

The Father: An Untold Story is a joint venture between Bangladesh and Italy. More than 200 actors from Italy, New Zealand, Brazil and Britain have participated in auditions for the film in various cities in Italy. Shooting is expected to start soon in Venice and Vicenza, Italy, and Khulna, Mongla and Jessore, Bangladesh, according to the Dhaka Tribune.

Bangladeshi writer Shahaduzzaman scripted the screenplay of the film, which will be helmed by Hemanta Sadeeq, a local film producer and director.

Sadeeq and Rocco Cosentino, the Italian producer of the film, have been in touch with Father Rigon’s family and received their support, executive producer Lisa Asma Akter told the Dhaka Tribune.

The film is an effort to honour the “selfless sacrifices” of Father Rigon for the people of Bangladesh, said director Sadeeq. “Father Rigon was an extraordinary man who made unconditional sacrifices for the people of Bangladesh. This film will be a tiny homage to this great soul,” Sadeeq wrote on his Face-book page.

The Church has hailed the new initiative to honour the missionary, said Bishop James Romen Boiragi of Khulna, where Father Rigon was chiefly based.

“Father Rigon made tremendous contributions in uplifting the status of poor and marginalized communities, in education, culture and literature. His life and work have brightened the image of the Church in the country and abroad. We are glad and grateful that a new film is being made to pay tribute to Father Rigon,” Bishop Boiragi, chairman of the Catholic bishops’ Social Communication Commission, told ucanews.

There is no harm in backtracking if the government thinks it has erred in amending citizenship laws, says Cardinal Oswald Gracias, head of the Catholic Church in India.

“Religion should never be made a dividing factor,” asserted the cardinal when asked about the political turmoil in India over the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 (CAA) and the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

However, the prelate disapproved people indulging in violence to get their voices heard. “Violence is not right. A continuous discussion must take place,” the Bombay arch-bishop told friends and well-wishers who on December 24 greeted him on his 75th birthday.

Cardinal Gracias, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India and an adviser of Pope Francis, says he is “very keen” on inter-religious dialogue between people of different faiths. “This will knock off any prejudices and eventually help to understand and appreciate each other. I want the Catholic community to be at the forefront of this… to build bridges,” he added.

The Indian Church leader termed the love for the nation as an important trait of citizens. “If we truly feel strongly about India, then we must work for the country, to the point of being ready to sacrifice for it,” the cardinal asserted.

To foster patriotism, the cardinal suggests people engage in reflection and exchange of ideas. “Reading and knowing the thoughts of others helps one’s own thoughts to mature and conceptualize a better India, in which everyone is like one big family. This is what should be our priority,” Cardinal Gracias explained.

Any attack on “Indian spirit” can damage the age-old secular fabric of the country, warns Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao of Goa.

The prelate was addressing the annual civic reception on the occasion of Christmas in Panaji, the state capital. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and several ministers were present on the December 27 program.

Although the archbishop did not refer to any political issue, his remarks came amid the raging controversy over the amended Citizenship Act. Anything that vitiates the genuinely “Indian spirit” can damage the “centuries-old secular fabric of our nation,” he said.

“Sometimes, it (attack on Indian spirit) causes disturbances and flare-ups that can mar the peace and the tranquillity among its citizens,” the archbishop said.

A Hindu politician’s plan to build the world’s tallest statue of Christ has run into trouble after some radicals raised objections.

Doddalahalli Kempegowda Shivakumar, popularly known as D K Shivakumar and a leader of the opposition Congress party in Karnataka state, has pledged to build the 114-foot-tall Jesus statue at Harobele in Ramanagara, some 80 km south of the state capital of Bengaluru. On December 27, a day after Shivakumar, a former minister and currently a legislator, laid the foundation stone for the statue, the Karnataka government said it would review all land allotments made during the time of the previous government, a coalition of the Congress and a regional party.

The pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party now heads the state’s current coalition government

The proposed ‘tallest’ statue of Jesus Christ is threatening to snowball into the tallest controversy yet, reports the Bangalore Mirror daily.

Karnataka Law Minister J C Madhuswamy said that there was a need to review the government land allotments during the time of the previous government. The proposed project is coming up on a 10-acre land in the backdrop of Kapali Betta (mountain). The Congress leader has paid the money to the land allotted by the previous government and is funding the project too.

Initially placed in charge of vocations and youth movements, in 1969 he obtained a license in theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University following a period of study of the English language in London. He was then sent to India where he was assigned an assistant in the parish in Mumbai and attended the theological faculty of the Pontifical University of Pune. Unable to obtain a permanent visa for India, he was transferred to Hong Kong. For several years he was assistant cooperator in Tsuen Wan.

In 1981 he returned to Hong Kong, first as parish priest of Yuen Long, then, in 1986, he was appointed Director of the HK Press Office and of the AsiaNews Agency.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attended the Christmas night services on December 24 at the Cathedral Church in Kolkata. On her first visit to the cathedral for Christmas, Banerjee inaugurated the crib – traditional nativity scene of Jesus birth.

Banerjee has served as the eighth and current chief minister of West Bengal since 2011, the first woman to hold the office. She founded the party All India Trinamool (grassroots) Congress in 1998 after separating from the Indian National Congress, and became its chairperson.

Archbishop Thomas D’Souza of Calcutta presided over the Christmas night services at the cathedral. “Jesus is born for all people of good will, to bring them love, peace and joy,” said cathedral parish priest Father Siluvai Pitchai recalling the message of angels who announced the birth of Jesus to shepherds.

The traditional nativity scene at the church entrance this year wore a modern look with an art work depicting the Holy Family of Nazareth.