The Bajrang Dal doesn't belong in Mangalore

10

For us from Mangalore it is hard to accept at a Catholic monastery could have been attacked. On Sunday (Sept 14) morning, I got an SMS from a friend there that St Clarie's Monastery had been attacked by about 20-25 youth, presumably belonging to the Bajrang Dal. The nuns there belong to a cloistered group. The monastery is in the city centre and the hoodlums apparently pulled down the sacrament, broke a cross, tore hymn books, damaged a statue encased in glass and beat up the worshippers. Around that time a Church of South India outfit a few kilometers away, in Lalbag, was attacked and so was a New Life Centre in the adjoining district of Udupi. As I write , my friends tell me that people have thronged Milagres Chuch (the parish where St Claire's is located) in response to the emergency pealing of bells. It was....