Catholic bishops in India’s Karnataka state decried the demolition of a statue of Jesus in a village, calling the move as an example of the growing attack on Christians in the country.
“The Christians are really alarmed and pained at such repeated acts by the pro-Hindu government machinery,” said Father Faustine Lobo, spokesperson of the Karnataka Regional Catholic Bishops Council.
The priest told the news site Matters India that a video of the demolition “was widely circulated.” He said the demolition was done in a “very rude and painful way” and without a proper court order.
Authorities in Kolar district in Karnataka demolished the 20-foot tall statue in the village of Gokunte on February 15 despite the opposition of the local Christian community.
Kolar comes under the Archdiocese of Bangalore, about 65 kilometers northeast of Bengaluru, the state capital.
Father Lobo said a similar incident took place in Mangaluru, a port town about 350 km west of Bengaluru, on February 5.
A church was demolished for allegedly standing on government land. “The matter was in the court and some people demolished it,” said Father Lobo.
The ecumenical United Christian Forum earlier said Karnataka recorded the highest incidents of anti-Christian violence in southern India. It comes third in the number of violence against Christians after Uttar Pradesh in the north and Chhattisgarh in the center.
Read details of the story on Matters India
