BSI President urges Christians to show solidarity

Bangalore, Oct 1 (UNI) Expressing his displeasure at the mute response to the attacks on religious places in Orissa and Karnataka, Bible Society of India (BSI) President B K Pramanik today called upon Christians to unite and exhibit solidarity.

Speaking at a Christian solidarity meeting of Inter Church Alliance for Christian Solidarity, a congregation of more than 100 churches in the state, Mr Pramanik, a former IAS official hailing from Orissa said Christians had withstood persecution for nearly 2000 years and it was not new for the community. But the need of the hour was solidarity among the people belonging to the community, he said.

He said the attacks on places of worship in Karnataka, though of less intensity compared to Orissa, had disturbed the whole world because of the state's popularity.

''Maybe there are only seven per cent Christians in Bangalore, where churches came under attack, but 70 per cent of the people have been benefitted from schools, colleges and medical institutions run by Christian missionaries. This was the reason the attacks hurt the community most,'' he claimed.

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