By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: Nearly 3000 members of several Christian and progressive organisations took out a silent march from St. Philomena’s Church premises in Mysore city on Saturday morning as a mark of protest against the recent attack by miscreants on Holy Family Church in Hinkal. Besides others, the activists of Popular Front of India also took part in the march.
The activists of Sarva Dharma Samanvya Samithi, PFI and various progressive and Christian organisations took part in the march. Earlier, a meeting was held in the Church premises to condemn the attack on Hinkal Church.
According to Star of Mysore news portal, Bishop Rev. Thomas Antony Vazhapilly, who addressed the meeting, strongly condemned the attack and said that the government should take stringent action against the culprits. The Government should also take measures to prevent such attacks on churches in future, he added and called upon the people to maintain peace and discipline while taking out the protest march.
Rev. Fr. Marie Joseph, Parish Priest, who also addressed the meeting, recalled the attack on Holy Family Church and said that he was in the church from 9.30 pm to 11.30 pm that night, following which he went to sleep.
He said that the attack on the church took place after midnight. There was an attack on the Hinkal Church in 2002 also but no case was registered then. Avila Convent too witnessed attack in 2006 and both the cases were not taken seriously by the police, the Parish Priest reportedly lamented. The Police are now trying to cover up the attack on Hinkal Church as a case of robbery, he said and urged the Government to trace the culprits and take stringent action against them. ([email protected])