Pope Francis should acknowledge that the Christian victims of the 2008 pogroms in Kandhamal, Odisha (Orissa), are “martyrs of the faith”, this according to an open letter penned by John Dayal, an Indian activist and former national president of the All India Catholic Union. August 25 was the tenth anniversary of the most vicious wave of anti-Christian persecution carried out by Hindu extremists. For Dayal, “the faith of the Kandhamal Christians must be recognised in the way the Church has historically recognised such sacrifice.”
As reported by asianews.it, In his missive to the pontiff, the activist writes: “We have pressed with the Archbishop of Cuttack Bhubaneswar, with the four Cardinals and the Hierarchy that the dead of the 2008 Kandhamal violence be recognised by the Church as Martyrs of the Faith. That is what they are. Their recognition will, we feel, strengthen the faith of the people of India, especially at a time like the one we are going through.” John Dayal notes that Mgr John Barwa, archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar (which covers Kandhamal) “has formally started the process. [but] It needs a national movement to give it the pace that is required. As the head of our Church, as the Pope, we look upon you and pray that the process be expedited. This will refresh and rejuvenate the Church in India, and strengthen the faith of each one of us.”
In August 2008, Hindu radicals blamed Christians for the murder of Swami Lakshmanananda, leader of the Hindu nationalist group Vishna Hindu Parishad. This accusation led to “second biggest pogrom against Christians. It began on 25th August 2008, and continued for several weeks, led by political gangs, with the state complicit or a helpless witness.”
Source: www.asianews.it
