Jesuit Father Felix Raj, vice-chancellor of St Xavier’s University, Kolkata, received the prestigious 2019 Sankalp Award, “Educationist of the Year” from Javed Khan, minister, Government of West Bengal at JW Marriot hotel on September 1, in the presence of Industrialists HP Budhia, Lal Bhatia and others.

The Sankalp Education Forum supported by the David and Goliath and Lions Club selected Father Raj for his contribution in the field of higher education in India particularly in West Bengal.

The Jesuit priest had spent 33 years at St Xavier’s College, Kolkata as vice-principal, rector and principal. He took over as the founder vice-chancellor of the St Xavier’s University, Kolkata. He is credited with setting up the university with the support alumni spread all over the world.

“I am not worthy of this award, but I accept it in all humility in the name of my students who made me a teacher and what I am today,” Father Raj said in his acceptance message.

At the Community Radio Awards ceremony organized by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in collaboration with One World Foundation India, 3 Church run community radio stations bagged 5 out of 30 awards given under five categories for the years 2018 and 2019.

The awards were given in five categories, including Best Thematic category in programs, Best Community Engagement Initiative, Best Program for Promoting Local Culture, Best Innovative and Creative Program and Best Sustainable Model for Community Radio.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar on August 28 gave away 30 excellence awards to different community radio stations for their valuable contribution in sensitizing local people about their social, cultural and developmental requirements around the community.

Church run community radio stations snatched five out of 30 awards given for past two years.

Among them, Jesuit run Radio Sarang from Manga-lore got first prize in the Most Creative / Innovative Category for its programme Antarabelaku for year 2019 on visually challenged listeners.

Radio Mattoli of Mananthavady Diocesan Wayanad Social Service Society got first prize for 2018 in the sustainability category for its commendable efforts in achieving technical and financial sustainability.

No third prize was awarded for both years in sustainability category.

Days after he stoked a controversy by insinuating that Christian education institutions were unsafe for women and that they indulged in forcible religious conversion, a judge of the Madras High Court on August 21  agreed to withdraw the remarks from his order.

Justice Vaidyanathan had made the controversial remarks while dismissing a petition filed by a professor of the famed Madras Christian College challenging a notice issued to him by the college following charges of sexual harassment filed by girl students.

The Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council, Tamil Nadu Latin Bishops’ Council, Indian Christian Association of Tamil Nadu, All India Democratic Women’s Association and MDMK leader Vaiko had taken exception to the comments saying it was “unwarranted” and unrelated to the case at hand.

The National Commission for Minorities Vice Chairman George Kurian had also issued a statement expressing anguish over the judge’s observations.

On 27th August the counsel for Madras Christian College represented to the judge saying the remarks could be withdrawn. Following this the judge said he would remove those observations from the order.

The contentious remarks read: “Before parting with the judgment, this Court feels it appropriate to point out that Christian missionaries are always on the source of attack in one way or the other and in the present era, there are several accusations against them for indulging in compulsory conversion of people of other religions into Christianity.

Now, there is a general feeling amongst the parents of students, especially female students that co-educational study in Christian institutions is highly unsafe for the future of their children and though they impart good education, the preach of morality will be a million dollar question.

Advertisement of Jerusalem yatra and Haj pilgrimage on bus tickets in the temple town of Tirupati has sparked a row on August 26, compelling Andhra Pradesh government to order a probe.

State Endowments Minister Vellampalli Srinivas said some of the tickets of Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) that were supposed to be issued from Nellore depot have been diverted to Tirupati. He said instructions were given for strict action against the erring officials.

He said Telugu Desam Party and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders were trying to level baseless allegations against Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for every small issue with the “help of its friendly media” and trying to create untoward situation.

“We will take action against all those who are purporting the vicious propaganda and trying to blame the state for such sensitive issues,” he said.

The minister said it was the previous TDP government which had given the contract for printing of religious material on the back-side of the RTC bus tickets.

Condemning the incident, BJP demanded action against those responsible for what it calls hurting the sentiments of Hindus.

Certain sections of the media are spreading misunderstanding about the disciplinary actions taken against Sister Lucy Kalappura, alleges the Franciscan Clarist Congregation.

“The media should refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of the congregation that spreads misunderstanding and creates unrest in society,” says an undated statement from the Public Relations Officer of the congregation’s Saint Mary’s Province based in Mananthavady in Kerala that was made public on August 20. The 130-year-old congregation, with headquarters in Kerala’s Aluva, on August 5 dismissed Kalappura accusing her of violating the vows of obedience and poverty.

The 54-year-old nun on August 16 appealed to the Vatican against her dismissal, alleging that the congregation expelled her since she had joined last year a protest against a bishop who had allegedly raped a nun.

The Indian media has reported cases of human trafficking of girls and boys from north-eastern India. Incidents of racial attacks on people from the region are reported from other parts of India, including New Delhi, national capital.

The Church in north-eastern India has brought these matters to the attention of labour commission as well Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) Office for Labour about.

In response, the CBCI Office for Labour organized a two-day reflection on issues such as migration, human trafficking, child labour, issues of domestic workers and the present situation of tea garden workers in collaboration with the Labour Commission Northeast India, on August 16–17 at North East Diocese Social Forum Kharguly, Guwahati.

It was a call to respond instantly and intensely by the church in Northeast. The alarming rise in migration and human trafficking impelled the church in North East to respond without counting the cost.

Archbishop John Moolachira of Guwahati, chairman of North East Labour Commission, in his message urged participants on strictly implementing the practice of paying the minimum wage to the domestic workers.

The prelate also expressed his concern over the youth who are migrating without prior knowledge, information and relevant legal documents and are becoming victims of human trafficking and other evils. He has assured all his support towards this cause.

The first six months of 2019 witnessed 158 incidents of violence against Christians in 23 states of India, says United Christian Forum, based on the records of its helpline.

Among the 158 incidents recorded, 130 relate to attacks or intimidation and threats by violent mobs that beat up faithful assembled peacefully in church or house-church for prayer service.

Freedom of Religion or Belief is severely curtailed in 23 of India’s 29 states.

This means that “practicing one’s faith is becoming dangerous to life in over 90 percent of the Indian territory,” bemoans the forum.
All the incidents were recorded at the UCF Helpline Number 1800-208-4545.

“Mob violence has become a norm in the country with no political party taking strong position against such acts of violence,” regrets a UCF press release.

Another disturbing trend is the refusal of police to file First Information Record against violence perpetrators. “Only 24 incidents out of 158 have FIRs registered against them,” the press release says.

It also notes that the police inaction was noted in 11 states are “under the rule of so-called secular parties” as against 12 states under the rule of the pro-Hindu National Democratic Alliance.

List of states where violence against Christians are reported are: Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Puducherry, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

Uttar Pradesh continues to witness highest number of incidents with 32 incidents of violence reported against Christians followed by 31 incidents in Tamil Nadu, the press release says.

In the recorded 158 incidents, 110 women and 89 children injured. “Sadly, these incidents have become so common nobody has time to condemn them including political, civil society and religious leaders. There are just about couple of publications which gave unbiased report,” the forum bemoans. (See Focus)