By Thomas Scaria Mangaluru, April 17, 2023: Catholics in Mangaluru are mourning the tragic death of a young entrepreneur of the community who died in an accident in Thailand. Oshin Pereira died April 11 in a scuba diving accident while on holidaying in Thailand. The 26-year-old who debuted in bakingContinue Reading
By Thomas Scaria Mangaluru, Sept 16, 2022: Christians in Karnataka have been plunged into grief after the legislative council of the southern Indian state passed a stringent anti-conversion bill that could threaten even the Church’s humanitarian works. The passage of the “Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion” bill inContinue Reading
By Thomas Scaria Bengaluru, May 17, 2022: The Karnataka government has passed an ordinance to abolish religious conversions in the southern Indian state ignoring resistance from the Catholic Church and other groups. Karnataka Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot ordinance on May 17 signed the ordinance a day after a Catholic delegationContinue Reading
By Thomas Scaria Mangaluru, March 16, 2022: The Karnataka High Court order upholding the government ban on hijab in educational institutions the southern Indian state has evoked mixed responses. The government on February 5 banned wearing hijab in state-run schools and colleges stating “Hijab is not an essential religious practiceContinue Reading
By Thomas Scaria Mangaluru, March 4, 2022: Some politicians in India are being publicly criticized for their controversial remarks on student evacuation from the war-torn Ukraine. The latest to draw public ire was Arvind Bellad, a member of Karnataka’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, who said it was better to bringContinue Reading
By Thomas Scaria Mangaluru, Feb 6, 2022: The government of Karnataka has issued an order to ban religious dress in educational institutions to help maintain harmony in the southern Indian state. The February 5 move came after a dress code controversy in educational institutions divided some coastal districts of theContinue Reading
By Thomas Scaria, Mangaluru, Dec 21, 2021: The Karnataka cabinet led by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has approved the draft of the Anti-Conversion bill. The cabinet meeting was held at Belagavi (formerly Belgaum) on December 20, just five days ahead of Christmas. The government led by the Hindu nationalist BharatiyaContinue Reading
By Thomas Scaria Mangaluru, Nov 19, 2021: Church officials in India say suicide cases in India have increased mainly because of government’s wrong economic reforms and insensitive policies. “Many have come to a rock-bottom with no jobs, no income and no hope for a better tomorrow,” says Father Faustine Lobo,Continue Reading
By Thomas Scaria Mangaluru, Sept. 29, 2021: The government in Karnataka has issued an order to check “forced conversions” in the southern Indian state. State Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on September 28 instructed the district deputy commissioners to become vigilant about the conversions in their respective jurisdiction and punish thoseContinue Reading