Catholic bishops in Kerala warn that the drastic fall in the birth rate among Christians threatens the community’s existence in the southern Indian state. The Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) that met August 2-6 expressed grave concern over the dangerously low birth rate among Christians who once accounted for one fourth of the state’s population.
The bishops justified the decision of Pala, Idukki and Thamarassery dioceses to reward families with four or more children. Pastoral letters were read in many churches in the state two weeks ago reminding believers about their “family duty and obligation.”

Justice Bhuyan Calls for Protection of Dissent and Personal Liberty
Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has expressed concern over the growing trend of treating peaceful dissent and ordinary actions as criminal offences. Speaking at a


