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**** http://www.GOANET.org ****
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NEW BOOK: 'PATRIOTISM IN ACTION: Goans in Indias Defence Services'
With Foreword by Gen SF Rodrigues, PVSM, VSM, ADC (retd)
former Chief of Indian Army Staff
and Governor, Punjab & Administrator, Chandigarh UT
Copies now available at:
GOA: Literati (2277740), Other India (2263306), Broadway (6647038),
Mandovi (2427904), Noel DSilva & Associates (9823120454 / 9096781714),
Confidant / Golden Heart Emp (2732450), David & Co (2730326), Vardaan
(9527463684)
SERV / RETD Def Offrs in Goa: O/o Sainik Co-op Hse Bldg Sty, Def Col, Porvorim
(2417288)
MUMBAI: David & Co (22019010)
PUNE: Manneys (26131683), Popular (25678327)
BENGALURU: Narayan (22865800)
DELHI: Ritana (24617278)
ONLINE (worldwide delivery): http://www.ritanabooks.com,
http://goa1556.goa-india.org
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From the Desk of...
Joseph Dias, General Secretary, The CSF
Catholic-Christian Secular Forum www.thecsf.org
^Evangelical ^Ecumenical ^Interdenominational
Christmas Eve Attack & Christmas with Tribal Christians in Thane Rural
District
The CSF, the city-based activist community NGO strongly condemns the
attack on tribal Christians in the Thane Rural district, who had
scheduled the Christmas religious services in Talwada-Dodepada,
Vikramgarh, Maharashtra. The police has been refusing permission to the
tribal Christians, who out of fear, wanted to shift the Christmas prayer
meeting to Vasai. However, on the intervention of Dr. Abraham Mathai,
vice-chairman, Maharashtra Minorities Commission, the police gave
permission to have the religious service.
According to The CSF, " The Hindutva brigade's attempt to prevent the
tribal Christians from having the religious service being frustrated,
they took their anger out on a Christian tribal community leader, Laxman
Giu Dumada, near whose house the proposed prayer meeting was to take
place. Initially, they threatened the family and when they refused to
cancel the religious service, a mob of around 50 miscreants barged into
the venue and destroyed the mandap and other arrangements. Even women
and children were not spared. Two youth Dhaklia Janya Shedhad and
Rajaram Nandu Dhode were brutally beaten up and had to be admitted in
the near-by Kasa Hospital with serious injuries.", reports reaching The
CSF said.
As a result of which led by Dr. Mathai, Christian fellow activist spent
Christmas day in Vikramgarh to express solidarity with the tribal
Christians there and ensure that the religious service passed off
smoothly, with the tribals experiencing the love of the new-born Jesus,
nearer at home. The role of the police is suspect, particularly since
there have been repeated complaints from the district of RSS cadres, its
affiliated organisations like the Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad and other
fringe groups have been terrorising the community. "Great restrictions
on the freedom of religion are placed on Christian tribals and even
other tribals who have not converted are told that they are Hindus, even
though they are animists. The Christian tribals are not given benefits
and socially boycotted. The attack on the eve of Christmas is a clear
attempt to deter the tribal Christians from practising the faith of
their choice and make them soft target and an example for those who
don't follow the diktats of the Hindutva brigade. No arrests have been
made so far", said Joseph Dias to the media.
Andhra CM Hosts High Tea for Christians
Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy expressed the hope that the
Christians would continue to promote health and education and extend
cooperation to the government in its pro-poor programmes. In his
Christmas-eve message at high tea hosted by him at Jubilee Hall for the
Christians, Mr. Reddy said as promised earlier, the State government had
created the AP Christian Minorities Finance Corporation, which was
taking up a number of welfare schemes for the upliftment of poor Christians.
A sum of Rs.26.48 crore had been allocated to the Christian Minorities
Finance Corporation which was roughly around 15 per cent of the welfare
budget for minorities, he added. Ministers, top officials, Christian
leaders from all walks of life including Bishops, priests and pastors,
MLAs, MLCs and GHMC Mayor B. Karthika Reddy were among the participants.
Bishop of Medak Diocese Kanaka Prasada Rao spoke. Secunderabad MLA
Jayasudha and nominated MLA Christine Lazarus presented a memento to the
Chief Minister.
Christmas at Madhya Pradesh CM's Residence
Madhya Pradesh Government officially celebrated Christmas at Chief
Minister’s Residence in Bhopal along with around thousand five hundred
Christians from across the state. The venue was decorated with twenty
feet height star depicting the life of Christ, Crib, Christmas tree and
all around verses from the Bible. This is the first time the State
Government organized a Christmas celebration officially at the Chief
Minister’s Residence. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan in his
message exhorted people of the state to follow the way of Lord Jesus.
Throughout his speech he quoted many verses from the Bible.
Archbishop Dr. Leo Cornelio thanked the chief minister and the
government saying, “It is a great gesture of secularism and cooperation
between different religions. Christians will continue to extend hands
towards the development of Madhya Pradesh.” The programme started with
an opening prayer by Pastor Anil Martin followed by carols, folk dance
on the Birth of Christ; children enacted Christmas symbols - angels,
Christmas tree, Santa Claus, Christmas star etc. “The programme in the
Chief Minister’s Residence is an official recognition of the works of
Christians in Madhya Pradesh, he has made a new history” , said Fr.
Anand Muttungal. The programme was attended by all the religious heads,
ministers, Members of Parliament, MLAs, pastors, priests, nuns and many
social workers.
