Church in Delhi Offers Succour to Riot-Hit People

New Delhi: The Church in riot-hit New Delhi, the capital of India, has come forward and asked Catholic parishes and institutions in the archdiocese to open their doors and offer relief to those affected by the communally-charged situation in north east part of the city.

In a letter to parish priests and heads of Church institutions, Archbishop Anil Couto of Delhi said, “At this trying moment when communal riots have suddenly gripped Delhi let us come forward with our prayers and every possible effort to bring relief to the affected people in terms of shelter, food and clothing.”

Archbishop Couto’s letter has asked Church institutions to open their premises to the riot-affected and urged parish priests to inform and organize their people to come forward to help in “this noble cause in the Lenten season.” The archbishop’s appeal was forwarded by vicar general Father Susai Sebastian a day before the Latin rite in the Catholic Church observed Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.

Calling for calm, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi called people to maintain peace. In another tweet he said, “Peace and harmony are central to our ethos. I appeal to my sisters and brothers of Delhi to maintain peace and brotherhood at all times. It is important that there is calm and normalcy is restored at the earliest.”

“I appeal to my sisters and brothers of Delhi to maintain peace and brotherhood at all times,” the Prime Minister tweeted this afternoon, in his first reaction on the unprecedented violence in northeast Delhi. So far 27 people have died and at least 200 injured.

PM Modi said he reviewed the situation in the capital. Stone-throwing between rival groups, arson and vandalism on Tuesday marked unrelenting violence over citizenship law protests that began on Sunday, with reports of fresh arson and stone-throwing this morning. PM Modi today attended a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security – the final decision-making body on matters related to country’s security – to review the situation. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, who visited the violence-hit areas last night, briefed the committee on the law and order situation.

In a statement, Sister Anastasia Gill, a Supreme Court lawyer and a member of the Presentation congregation, said , “Innocent lives are lost and the wounded are not allowed to go to hospitals for treatment. Shops in Muslim areas burnt by unruly mobs who are allowed to destroy property and create violence,” she regretted in a statement issued on February 26.

Sister Gill urged her community members to form peace committees to prevent “unwanted elements” to create in their localities.

She also urged Christian institutions to monitor the situation in their areas and stand together with Muslims and other communities and take steps to end the violence.

She also wanted Christians to bring medical relief to the wounded and provide shelter to those affected in the violence.