India News | Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council Conducts Special Prayers in Support of Victims of Manipur Violence

Kochi, Jun 7 (PTI) The Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) on Wednesday held special prayers at the Vallarpadam Basilica here and then conducted a candle-lit 'parikrama' around the church in support of the victims of the ethnic violence in Manipur.

The prayers were attended by Syro-Malabar Church head Cardinal George Alancherry, Syro-Malankara head Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, Latin Archbishop of Verapoly Dr Joseph Kalathiparambil and bishops of various dioceses.

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The KCBC event comes a couple of days after Archbishop Andrews Thazhath, president of Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and raised the issue of "attacks" in Manipur.

Shah was in Kerala for a day on June 4 to be part of the silver jubilee celebrations of Kochi-based Amrita Hospital.

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Violent clashes broke out in the northeastern state after a Tribal Solidarity March was organised in the hill districts on May 3 to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. At least 98 people have died and 310 more were injured in the ethnic violence in Manipur.

A total of 37,450 people are currently sheltered in 272 relief camps in the state.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Nagas and Kukis, who are tribals, constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)