About 4 000 people led by priests joined a silent solidarity rally to the town's main church on Monday.The rally was a demonstration, according to church leaders, featuring no speeches and followed by a candle light vigils for the victim.
Similar rallies and vigils were organised in state capital Kolkata and in New Delhi. Most of the protestors were students and parents who carried banners that read, “We Want Justice” and “Shame”.Kolkata's Archbishop Thomas D'Souza condemned the assault, calling it an “inhuman act”.“We hope that the perpetrators will be swiftly brought to justice,” he said. “We stand in solidarity with the victim.”The nun, said to be in her 70s, was admitted to a hospital.
Doctors said she could be discharged in the next few days.Police released images of four suspects obtained on security cameras from the Jesus and Mary Convent.Senior state ministers alleged that the incident was connected to what is seen as rising religious fanaticism in the country.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has promised strict action against those involved.There have been a number of attacks on Christian institutions including churches in New Delhi in the past months. A church was vandalised on the weekend in the northern state of Haryana.Christians have organized protests alleging Hindu extremists were behind the attacks. More than 80 per cent of the population in the secular country is Hindu, while 13.4 percent is Muslim and 2.3 percent is Christia.
