The secretary-general of India’s bishops’ conference has urged prime minister Narendra Modi “to intervene to stop hatred” in the eastern state of Jharkhand.
Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas wrote to Mr Modi after being sent a “frightening, disquieting and scary photo” of protesters burning an effigy of Cardinal Telesphore Toppo, Archbishop of Ranchi.
The bishop said that Raghubar Das, chief minister of Jharkhand and a member of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), must take some responsibility for “spiralling hatred”. The letter said that if such actions were “not controlled immediately”, violence and hate would erupt. Mr Modi is also a member of BJP.
“Perhaps those leading this ideological hatred targeting the Christian community do not know what they are doing, where they are leading the people to – on the road of hatred and division,” he said.
In an interview with the Catholic News Service, Bishop Mascarenhas said: “We have a chief minister who is openly sowing seeds of hatred and destroying the social harmony. This is not acceptable. We trust the prime minister to stop this.”
Street protests led by Hindu nationalist groups against Cardinal Toppo, India’s first cardinal from an indigenous community, followed his criticism of legislation passed by the Jharkhand Legislative Assembly, which the BJP controls.
The Church opposed an amendment to the Land Acquisition Act that weakened restrictions on the purchase of indigenous land for mining and other projects, and a bill affecting religious freedom, which were both rushed through in August.
Bishop Mascarenhas cited full-page newspaper advertisements placed by Mr Das that carried a “spurious quote” along with a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi to vilify Christians, accusing missionaries of converting poor and indigenous people.
Quoting Mr Modi’s August Independence Day address in which he said “in the name of faith, violence cannot be allowed”, Bishop Mascarentold the prime minister that Mr Das and his advisers “in the past few months have not shown affiliation to the ideology you are proclaiming.
“History shows us that hatred which begins as a tiny spark can engulf into an unstoppable fire. As you know, the burning of effigies can very well turn into physical violence,” the letter said.
A member of the Vatican diplomatic corps serving in Washington has been recalled to Rome where he faces a criminal investigation involving child pornography, the Holy See has said.
The Vatican press office said it was notified by the US State Department “of a possible violation of laws relating to child pornography images by a member of the diplomatic corps of the Holy See accredited to Washington”.
“The Holy See, following the practice of sovereign states, recalled the priest in question, who is currently in Vatican City,” the press office said.
The Associated Press reported that the State Department confirmed it had asked the Vatican to lift the official’s diplomatic immunity. It said that request was denied.
The Vatican said the priest’s identity and other details are covered by “investigative confidentiality” during the preliminary investigation stage. The Vatican yearbook lists the nuncio, Archbishop Christoph Pierre, and three priests as making up the diplomatic staff at the Washington nunciature.
Under Vatican law those guilty of producing or trading child pornography face up to 12 years in prison and a maximum fine of €250,000 (£220,000).
Jimmy Kimmel defends priests
American television presenter Jimmy Kimmel has spoken up for priests unfairly tarnished by the clerical abuse scandal.
Interviewing former White House spokesman Sean Spicer, he said he thought the White House habit of “lumping” journalists together as fake news was “terrible”.
“In a way – you’re a Catholic and I’m a Catholic as well. I’m offended when people lump all priests together as child abusers. I find that to be unfair to those who aren’t,” he said.
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