Sun, 14/02/2010 - 9:43am GCIC condemns in strongest terms the terror attack in Pune

Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) condemns in strongest terms the senseless terror attack on innocent people in Pune on Saturday evening.

The tragic death of nine people in bomb blast in a popular bakery in Koregaon Park, is a cowardly act by terrorists.

GCIC offers prayers for the dead and shares deepest sympathies with the families of the victims who struggle to come to terms with the loss of thier dear ones.

GCIC prays also for the speedy and complete recovery of those injured in the bomb blasts.

May the Lord look with tenderness on our beloved India and bring peace, harmony and unity among all peoples.

Tue, 19/01/2010 - 9:54pm Give Modi's speech, other documents to SIT-Supreme court of india

Give Modi's speech, other documents to SIT: SC to Guj

New Delhi, Jan 19 (PTI) The Supreme Court today asked the Gujarat government to furnish without delay all documents, including the alleged inflammatory speeches made by Chief Minister Narendra Modi, to the Special Investigation Team probing post-Godhra 2002 communal riots in the state.

A bench of Justices D K Jain, P Sathasivam and Aftab Alam rejected the state government's argument that the documents sought by SIT may not have relevance to investigations.

"According to SIT, the statement made by the Chief Minister has some relevance. What is wrong if you make it available?" the bench said while directing Gujarat government to hand over without further delay all documents required by SIT.

Sat, 09/01/2010 - 6:48pm Cardinal Toppo calls for restructuring of CBCI

Nagpur, Jan 9 (PTI) Former president of Catholic Bishops Conference of India Cardinal Telesphore P Toppo has called for restructuring the CBCI set up to meet changing scenario.

Inaugurating the 10th biennial General Body Meeting of the Catholic Council of India (CCI), the second highest decision making body after CBCI, Cardinal Toppo said there is a need for appointment of a full-time secretary to strengthen the CBCI secretariat.

He should be relieved of his pastoral work to concentrate on CBCI secretariat in Delhi as it has a huge responsibility and wide network and has to co-ordinate with various government and non-governmental agencies also on socio-religious front, Toppo said.

His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios, Major Archbishop of Syro-Malankara Church, Thiruvananthpuram, presided, while Archbishop Abraham Viruthkulangara, the hosts Archbishop graced the function. Secretary general of CBCI Archbishop Stanislaus Fernandes was also present

Tue, 22/12/2009 - 7:06am Mumbai police stop Usha uthup.s Christmas songs radicals spoil Christmas in M.P

Mumbai Police stop Festival of Christmas at 9 pm.for allegedly 'vilolating High Court Silence Zone Rules

A Festival of Christmas music : Lets Celebrate the Birth of Jesus Together" held at the Bandra's Supari Talao on 21st December was brought to an abrupt end, even as the well known pop singer Usha Uthup was melodiously singing Christmas Carols on stage

The audience of over five thousand people disappointed and hurt and many were angry when the police entered the grounds at 9pm and stopped the Christmas event

The programme was arranged by the BJP corporator Adv Ashish Shelar and organsied by Dereyk Talker in aid ''Atmavishwas'" an NGO for specially challenged children.

According to a letter written to the Bandra police by Awaaz foundation, the grounds are close to the Mount Carmel Church, Supari Talao Municapl School and St Aloysius School and cannot be used to host event that exceed the prescribed decible level.

However the grounds (Supari Talao) have been used regularly by many organization who blatantly violate the decibel levels and the Festival of Christmas definitely did not exceed the prescribed decibel levels.

Attack against Christians in Madhya Pradesh
An attack on a Christmas fair in Madhya Pradesh state has spread panic among Christians in the state, says an organizer of the event.

Radicals chanting Hindu slogans torched representations of biblical scenes at a fair in the town of Gwalior on Sunday. The police have arrested one of four men they named in connection with the incident. According to fair coordinator, Raju Francis, the group evoked the names of Hindu deities and started damaging the biblical artworks depicting scenes from the life of Christ.

Christians had held the two-day fair before Christmas for eight years on public land near a market. "Everything went well on the first day,on the second day, the troublemakers not only spoiled the fair but sent panic through the Christian community in the state.

Archbishop Leo Cornelio of Bhopal, said the attack "is a matter of serious concern for Christians especially when we are preparing to celebrate Christmas." The prelate has sent a three-member fact finding team to Gwalior,and asked the team to submit its report in two days. He said he would in turn submit the report to the state government and seek protection for Christians and their institutions, especially during Christmas Eve midnight Masses. Christians, who form less than 1 percent of the state's population, have experienced sporadic violence since the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)) came to power in December 2003.

Mon, 07/12/2009 - 7:10am Shiva Sena attacks Pune school, roughs up nun-GCIC condemns attack

Pune-(Maharashra)5th December
The right wing student wing of the Shiv Sena on Saturday manhandled the manager and the principal of Alphonsa School, an English medium institution at Kalewadi in Pimpri-Chinchwad and created a ruckus for nearly an hour bringing the admission process to a halt.

Activists of the Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena (BVS) carried out the attack claiming it was not admitting local children, an allegation the school said was false as 90 per cent of the students happened to be locals.

BVS activists, including women, roughed up the manager of the school, Father Benny, and principal, Sister Mary and some of them tried to remove the headgear of Sister Mary during the scuffle. Global council of Indian Christians(GCIC) condemned the heinous attack of the premier christian institution in Pune

Mon, 30/11/2009 - 3:10pm Stone pelted at believers

Believers of ' Ashirwad Prayer Centre' on 28th November were pelted with stones in the Dongri-Bhuigaon village in Vasai to the north of Mumbai.
Around 8 in the morning, around 10-15 people started hurling stones at the vehicles headed for the prayer centre at the Dongri-Bhuigaon.

This was allegedly a protest against vehicles-trundling towards the prayer centre and those parked nearby-making too much noise and disturbing the peace of the neighbourhood, where a school is also located.

On Saturday night, a few people met me outside the prayer centre and threatened me to stop conducting prayers or face the consequences,'' said director and founder of the centre Sebastian Martin. "They said the cars were causing problems for the school and the families staying in the vicinity.'' Martin had informed the police of the threat.

"But the officials failed to take the threat seriously. Three policemen posted outside the centre were mute spectators when the incident occurred,'' Martin added.

However, the police have denied that any such incident had occurred but admitted that personnel had been posted at the prayer centre from Saturday night. "The fight between the centre and the villagers is an old issue. Two months ago, a committee headed by the district collector was formed to settle it,'' said Rajendra Naik, police inspector of Vasai police station. The police have asked the representatives of both the sides to put their grievances before the committee and redress them.