B’lore Archbishop thanks PM Modi for Christmas celebration, urges attention to community issues
Bengaluru: Archbishop Peter Machado, the head of the Archdiocese of Bangalore, expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Christmas celebrations held at the PM's residence in New Delhi with religious leaders of the Christian community. In an issued press release on Thursday, the Archbishop conveyed thanks on behalf of the entire Christian community while also urging the Prime Minister's attention to the escalating problems faced by the community, particularly in Manipur.
The Christmas celebrations for 2023 held special significance for Christians in India as Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended invitations to representatives of the Christian community, celebrating Christmas with them at his residence in New Delhi.
The Archbishop's press release highlighted the positive views expressed by the Prime Minister regarding the Christian community in India. Modi acknowledged the contributions of Christians to the Indian Independence Movement and commended the works undertaken by Christian institutions in education, health, and social service over the decades post-independence. The Prime Minister's emphasis on compassion and service, aligning with the teachings of the Lord, was appreciated by the Christian community leaders.
However, the press release also drew attention to the challenges faced by Indian Christians, including hate speeches, vandalization of churches and prayer halls, and the implementation of anti-conversion laws in several states. The Archbishop urged the Prime Minister's intervention through his office to prevent illegal activities against Christians and address the issues related to reservation for Dalit Christians.
The Archbishop specifically highlighted the situation in Manipur, where months-long violence has negatively impacted Christians in the state. The press release called on Prime Minister Modi to resolve the problems related to reservation for Dalit Christians by engaging with local leaders from the Christian community.
The Archbishop expressed the belief that Prime Minister Modi's response to the concerns of the Christian community would contribute to building an all-inclusive society guided by values of justice and selfless service. The press release concluded with gratitude for the invitation to celebrate Christmas and a humble request for positive responses to the challenges faced by the Christian community in India.
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UP: Misled by GPS navigation, car falls into river from partially constructed bridge, 3 dead
Bareilly (UP), Nov 24: Three people died when their car fell into the Ramganga river from a partially constructed bridge here on Sunday, police said, adding that they suspect the driver was misled by its navigation system into taking the unsafe route.
The accident occurred around 10 am on the Khalpur-Dataganj road when the victims were travelling from Bareilly to Dataganj in the Badaun district, they said.
"Earlier this year, floods had caused the front portion of the bridge to collapse into the river, but this change had not been updated in the system," Circle Officer Ashutosh Shivam said.
The driver was using a navigation system and did not realise that the bridge was unsafe, driving the car off the damaged section, the police said.
There were no safety barriers or warning signs on the approach to the damaged bridge, leading to the fatal accident, Shivam said.
Upon receiving information, police teams from Faridpur, Bareilly and Dataganj police station rushed to the spot. They recovered the vehicle and the bodies from the river, Shivam added.
The circle officer said that bodies had been sent for post-mortem. Further investigation into the matter is underway.
— Bareilly Police (@bareillypolice) November 24, 2024
