Thousands of Naga students and citizens rallied in Kohima, Nagaland, opposing the central government's directive to mandate the singing of Vande Mataram in official functions and educational institutions, citing concerns over secularism and religious freedom.
The Maharashtra government on Monday declined to stall staging of the play 'Agnes of God', which tells the story of a nun who delivers a still-born child, as demanded by the church on the ground that it hurts the sentiments of the Christian community.
"Since Catholics believe that the Holy Father is elected by a move of God, the Holy Spirit, prayers are necessary to elect the best man from among the good, in these trying times for the universal church."
The attacks on the Christian community are not restricted only to Mangalore or Orissa, but have spread to other states like Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Chhattisgarh and even the national capital, says activist Jospeh Dias
'I do not call the BJP or RSS as extremist groups, but some small groups all over India have started behaving aggressively after the BJP came to power.' 'These groups think they have the authority to attack anyone and impose their ideas on people.'
The Tamil Nadu Bishops Council's decision to support the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-Congress alliance in the upcoming elections will vitiate the political atmosphere in the state, reports R Ramasubramanian.
