BADWHA, India, MARCH 31, 2011 (Zenit.org).- An act of violence that might be linked to a teacher who lost his job has Christians in central India worrying even more about their safety.
Father Sebastian Kaiparambil, 45, was beaten and seriously wounded in the early hours of Wednesday morning. He is currently hospitalized and undergoing treatment for head injuries.
The assailants stole money and the incident might be linked to a teacher who lost his job the day before at the school where the priest is the manager.
Nevertheless, Christians in this central Indian state are worried that the incident is yet another occasion of failed justice.
Acts of violence against Christians here have been numerous since 2003, when the Bharatiya Janata Party — the Indian People’s Party, associated with Hindu nationalism — came to power.
It is estimated that in Madhya Pradesh, Christians are less than 1% of the population of 55 million, 91% of whom are Hindu.
Representatives of the Church have filed cases in the Madhya Pradesh High Court, seeking punishment for officials who have failed to take action against assailants in incidents for the last five years.
The local bishop, Sebastian Durairaj, condemned Wednesday’s violence, saying Father Kaiparambil “is a very active missionary with excellent relations among the people,” according to the Fides agency.
The agency also reported that Archbishop Leo Cornelio of Bhopal, who chairs the council of bishops in Madhya Pradesh, sent a statement to the prime minister of the state, expressing his alarm about the incident, as well as concern about a recent episode in which statues for the Stations of the Cross were destroyed. He asked for protection and security for Christians.
