India's Supreme Court Criticizes Orissa For Failing To Protect Christians

Religion News Service reports on a warning against religious violence issued by a 3-judge panel of India's Supreme Court last Monday. After a hearing on a petition by a Catholic archbishop who is asking for protection of his followers from retaliatory violence they have been experiencing, the Court said that it will not "tolerate persecution of religious minorities." It added that if the state government cannot protect Christians, "then quit office." Last October, at an earlier hearing, the Supreme Court said paramilitary forces should protect the churches and the churches should be compensated for damages.