By Lalita Roshni Lakra
Ranchi, July 23, 2023: Members of various Churches joined the Conference of Religious India to organize a human chain and prayer service on July 23 for peace and harmony in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur.
Jesuit Archbishop Felix Toppo of Ranchi led more than 10,000 people who stood on the road from 10 and to 12 noon, holding banners and placards pleading for peace and justice in Manipur where ethnic clashes have raged since May 3.
The archbishop was accompanied by Auxiliary Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas, prelates of other Christian denominations, and lawyers, besides the young people.
The program was attended by priests and religious of various congregations, members of the Catholic Mahila Sangh (women’s forum), Catholic Sabha (council), Yuva Sangh (youth forum), hostel students, people from various parishes who came by hired buses, autos, and bikes.
The program began with Jesuit Father Joseph Marianus Kujur, director of Ranchi’s Xavier Institute of Social Science, explaining various aspects of violence in Manipur.
He then asked the gathering if they feel pain because the victims in Manipur are Christians, tribals or humans. “Do we feel the same pain when such incidents take place in any part of India?” the priest asked.
He also wanted to know how they could help the Manipur people, besides organizing human chains, protest rallies and prayer services.
Archbishop Toppo referred to the Bible verses asking people to love their neighbour. “God is our loving father and when there is sorrow among his children God feels the same pain and anguish for his children,” he added.
The prelate said God feels pain and grief when the dignity of women is outraged or raped.
“We need to repent and ask forgiveness from the Lord on behalf of the perpetrators, because we are sisters and brothers of those people. We have come to pray for Manipur today so that peace may prevail,” he added.
It is good to see the church’s institutional might used for protesting against injustice. Not possible in BJP ruled States.