From: "Pravin Sabnis" <[email protected]>
I can personally vouch that my friend, Sandeep Heble is a very sensitive and
humane person in reality. His various postings on the Goanet reflect his
concern over the communal slants given to various topics. His views can be
challenged but to label him a bigot is unfair. We must be careful in
condemning somebody just because we disagree with that persons view, facts
or opinions.
***I do appreciate discussion on journalistic ethics. Let it be
scientifically geared and ethically guided. Let us be "secular", even when
we speak of Religion, respecting the views of others. Science does not
contradict Religion. While reading the news, we need also genuine views. I
read different news on Orissa happenings and keep it for myself.
Here it is:
Protect Christians or step down, India's top court instructs officials
Posted by: "Ancy S DSouza Paladka" [email protected] salusoz
Tue Jan 6, 2009 3:25 pm (PST)
Protect Christians or step down, India's top court instructs officials in
Orissa (Subscribe to RSS Feed)
New Delhi, Jan. 6, 2009 (CWNews.com) - In a searing criticism of the
Hindu-nationalist government leadership in Orissa, India's top federal court
has said that state leaders should resign if they cannot stop violence
against the Christian minority there.
"We will not accept the persecution of minority. If the state government is
unable to protect them, it should resign," declared the federal court. The
court was responding to a petition for protection entered by Archbishop
Raphael Cheenath of Bhubaneswar. The petition cited the lack of security
especially in the Kandhamal district, where thousands of Christians have
fled from their homes to escape roaming Hindu mobs.
"It is the duty of the state government to protect the minority community,"
the federal court stated. Addressing their criticism directly to government
leaders, the judges said that officials in Orissa had offered protection to
Christians "only after 50,000 people of the minority community fled to the
jungles."
The orchestrated violence against Christians in Kandhamal was let lose by
Hindu groups following the murder of Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati-- the
foremost figure among the Hindu nationalist groups in Orissa-- who was shot
dead on August 23. Although Maoist rebels claimed responsibility for the
murder, Hindu groups said the murder of the Hindu leader was a Christian
conspiracy. In the aftermath of the killing, Hindu mobs attacked Christians
in dozens of locations over a period of several weeks, with local police
doing little to curb the violence. More than 70 Christians were killed, and
over 6,000 homes looted or destroyed along with 200 churches. Roughly half
of the 100,000 Christians in the Kandhamal district were driven from their
homes.
Source: http://www.catholicculture.org/news/features/index.cfm?recnum=60270
***Are these communally biased news? Where is the truth? How to reach it?
What we want is peace. Let us all struggle for human rights. There is
rampant violation of basic human rights in India. Let this Forum help the
cause. Let our discussion unite us...
Regards.
Fr.Ivo
