"It is the worst attack suffered by the Christian communities in India over the last few years. The extremists tried to attack all Christian devotees, places and symbols, as if to efface any trace of Christianity from the region. It is a real tragedy": this was stated to the Agency Fides by father Babu Joseph, spokesman for the Indian Bishops Conference (Cbci). Now, the situation seems to be calm again, thanks to a wide deployment of police forces ordered by the authorities, and the Church is trying to take stock of the first attacks, which seem to have been taken a heavy toll. According to the figures provided by Cbci, 50 churches have been attacked and 10 shops, 4 convents, 5 hostels, 6 religious schools have been destroyed, while 6 Catholic priests and religious men have been injured. It is still impossible to say which Christian community and confession the 26 victims may belong to. "It is clear it was not a sporadic event but a carefully planned and orchestrated action". "We informed the government and the highest national authorities of the situation and they sympathised", says father Babu, who speaks of a "serious breach of human rights, of religious freedom, even of the right to life" and for this reason he asks for an international mobilisation to take place.
