Social, religious organisations to hold prayer rallies tomorrow

Mumbai, May 26 (UNI) Several social and religious organisations in Maharashtra will organise prayer rallies in the metropolis and other parts of the state tomorrow to protest the Union and state government's failure to protect the Christian community from attacks by anti-social elements.

Noted film director Mahesh Bhatt will attend these rallies, president of Indian Christian Voice and vice chairman of the State Minorities Commission (SCM), Dr Abraham Mathai said in a statement here today.

''On the occasion of the Global Day of Prayer, this Sunday, while Christians the world-over will pray for world peace, the plight of persecuted Christians in India has been marked as a special prayer intention,'' Dr Mathai said.

He said, there were no signs of abetment in the violence against Christians in Maharashtra, as two community leaders in Sakvar village of Vasai taluka in Thane district were allegedly stripped naked and beaten up with cable wires in public view on Friday night.

''Attacks on Christians, far from lessening, are becoming the order of the day in Maharashtra. In the country as a whole, the year is not yet half way through and the atrocities against Christian clergy and activists have crossed the century mark,'' he said.

He alleged that repeated representations by way of memoranda to the government had not brought the desired results, even as the culprits roam freely, planning their next attack.

According to the statement, prayer rallies will be held at 60 places in Mumbai alone, besides all over Maharashtra on Sunday and made a fervent appeal to secular civil society to join hands to maintain communal harmony in the country.

On the occasion, a memorandum will be presented to Governor S M Krishna by community organisations, the statement added.

UNI