CHIDAMBARAM OFFERS AN APOLOGY AT KANDHAMAL
PHULBANI (KANDHAMAL DISTRICT): Moved by the plight of violence affected families living in tented accommodation in three relief camps here since last August, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Friday apologised “for certain wrong happenings of last year.” Offering full protection to them, he urged them to return to their villages and resume normal lives. READ MORE

HIGH COURT DIRECTIVE ON "PEACEFUL PRAYERS"
MADURAI: Neither revenue officials in their capacity as Executive Magistrates nor police could insist on that people obtain their permission for conducting prayers in a peaceful manner inside religious institutions, the Madras High Court has said. READ MORE

LAW SOUGHT TO BAN CONVERSIONS IN KARNATAKA
BANGALORE: Six prominent Hindu leaders on Thursday said that they had urged Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa to enact a law on the lines of the legislation brought out by the Madhya Pradesh and Orissa Governments to ban religious conversion, in view of a significant exodus to Christianity that affects the demographic structure of the State. READ MORE

CHRISTIANS SEEK URGENT PROTECTION OF WITNESSES OF ORISSA VIOLENCE, REHABILITATION OF VICTIMS OF ORISSA VIOLENCE, SC RIGHTS FOR DALIT CHRISTIANS
The Christian community today asked the Union government to intervene decisively in Orissa and ensure the protection of witnesses whose lives are being threatened by criminals, including politicians and legislators of the Bharatiya Janata Party charged with multiple murders in the anti Christian violence of August-October 2008. READ MORE

ASSEMBLIES OF GOD COMPLETES 95 YEARS
Due to the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit during the beginning of the 20th century in America many holiness movements were formed. For the independent fellowships and churches of the believers who were baptised in the Holy Spirit, there was no common doctrine or leadership. This was seen as a shortcoming in the pioneer work of Pentecostal churches. READ MORE

MALEGAON BLAST ACCUSED'S AIDE HELDFOR ATTACKING CHURCHES, KILLING WORKER
An alleged aide of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, prime accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, has been arrested for his involvement in various attacks on churches in Delhi and a churchworker's murder in Noida in the past one year.
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KRISHNA DAS MURDER: CBI INVESTIGATION SOUGHT
The student communities of North East Indian states along with civil societies, social workers, Politicians, Human Rights Activists and Scholars demanded CBI Enquiry on the brutal killing of Social Worker Yengkhom Krishnadas in a protest held at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. Chief Minister O. Ibobi Singh Government has totally failed to keep the law and order situation of Manipur. READ MORE

CHURCH ATTACKS: BAJRANG DAL BLAMED
MANGALORE: Victims of church attacks have urged the state government to provide security from the violent mobs and compensation for the loss incurred. Appearing before the Justice B K Somshekhara Commission which is conducting a probe on attacks on Christian prayer halls across the state at the Circuit house on Monday, 13 victims who submitted their affidavits urged for immediate action. In the absence of Justice Somshekhara, Commission's legal advisor Hemalatha Mahishi conducted the hearing. READ MORE

REPRESENTATION OF MINORITIES WOMEN'S RESERVATION
Christians also need to get OBC reservations, especially in states, where they are deprived, as per the Mandal Commission Report. The Women Reservation Bill scheduled to be passed within 100 days of the new government has raised a number of issues. The CSF is of the opinion that we should demand for a minorities quota, within the women's reservation of 33% for Lok Sabha seats. READ MORE

INDIA BOWS TO HINDU EXTREMIST AGENDA - USCIRF DENIED VISAS
The move by the Indian government to deny visas to members of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) will be seen from several vantage points: READ MORE

ORISSA VICTIMS OUTSIDE KANDHAMAL DISTRICT STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE
HYDERABAD – June 19, 2009: The All India Christian Council (AICC) signed an agreement with the Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) to provide free legal intervention for victims of anti-Christian violence and to usher long-term solutions for inter-faith harmony in Gajapati District in India’s eastern state of Orissa. Kandhamal District was the epicenter for riots from August to October 2008. But Gajapati District had the second largest number of crimes. At least 337 families lost homes or businesses. Most rehabilitation as well as public attention has focused on Kandhamal District. READ MORE

USCIRF REGRETS ABSENCE OF VISAS FOR VISIT TO INDIA
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) regrets that visas have not been issued by the Indian government for a USCIRF visit to discuss religious freedom conditions with officials, religious leaders, civil society activists and others in the world's largest democracy. READ MORE

EMPLOYMENT & EDUCATION RESERVATION FOR CHRISTIANS
We have presented our case effectively, but not forcefully on the Dalit Christian issue. Now, it would seem the UPA Government has no reason, not to grant reservations to SC/ST Christians & hence, the Church needs to act fast. The Church means - the Clergy & Laity. Who will bell the cat? There are enough of those who claim to represent this issue and so The CSF will not dwell on it. READ MORE

This page is updated on July 3, 2009