Kashmir Priest case stayed

The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir stayed further proceedings against Rev Chander Mani Khanna. After accusing him of promoting disharmony and religious animosity in Srinagar, the authorities filed a First Information Report against him following allegations by the state’s grand mufti that the Christian clergyman had carried out forced conversions. Despite the favourable sentence, “his life is in danger”, Global Council of Indian Christians President Sajan K George said.

In November 2011, an Islamic court had summoned the clergyman to answer charges that he had pushed seven young Muslims to convert to Christianity in exchange for money. A video posted on YouTube was presented as evidence. Rev Khanna and the converts rejected the allegations.

The clergyman was first arrested and then released a week later. In January, the Islamic court ordered his expulsion as well as that of Fr Jim Borst and other Christian missionaries.

Source: Asia News

SC stays Nun’s rape case

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the trial in the alleged rape of a nun during the 2008 communal violence in Odisha.

The victim alleged that Aug 25, 2008, at the height of the communal riots in Kandhamal district, she was attacked by a mob that molested, assaulted, stripped naked and raped her.

The apex court bench of Justice Altamas Kabir and Justice S.S. Nijjar stayed the trial on the petition by the victim seeking the recall of Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate Prasanta Kumar Das, who recorded her statement during the identification parade of the suspects.

She alleged that after the identification parade, Das recorded that the victim had identified accused Santosh Kumar Patnaik. She could not identify any other suspect. It further said that suspect gave "her a slap, pulled her saree" ... groped her "and did not commit any other overt act".

The victim contended that the part of the statement by Das that the culprits "did not commit any other overt act" was contrary to the prosecution case.

As the counsel for the suspects sought to oppose the plea saying that the victim was trying to delay the proceedings, Justice Kabir asked him "a women is raped, molested or something has happened to her. What is her interest in delaying the proceedings". The victim alleged that her plea for recall of Das, who is a witness in the case, was rejected by the trial court. She said she appealed before the session court and subsequently before the high court. The high court rejected her plea Jan 5.

The trial court by its May 16, 2011 order rejected her plea holding that complainant could not move an application for the recall of the witnesses.

The high court by its Jan 5 order held that "no private person has any role to play in the trial beyond the limit prescribed therein".

The apex court Monday issued notice to the Odisha government and other accused and stayed the trial in that case.

The case would next be heard March 22.

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Mangalore: Huge protest rally against the communal forces in the Twin Districts of DK and Udupi

Mangalore, 11 Febraury 2012: The Human Rights Federation of the twin districts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada  organised a massive rally against the communal politics in the Karnataka State on Friday, February 10, 2012. The rally started from Ambedkar (Jyoti) Circle at 3 pm. The rally was inaugurated by Jason D’Costa, one of the victims of the attack on minorities at Suratkal  by beating the drum. The rally ended at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office  after covering 12 kilometers. Many minority organizations and general public participated in the rally in great numbers.

The rally was led by Justice MF Saldanha and many other leaders of various minority organizations. The rally was peaceful  largely peaceful as the marchers with various placards denouncing the communal attack on the minority communities and shouting slogans such as ‘down with Kalldka Prabhakar Bhat’ echoed throughout the rally. Besides there was also decrying of the three ministers who were found watching pornographic pictures on their mobiles during the Assembly session.

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State government failed to protect Christians

Working towards resolution of critical issues that affect minorities — such as extending reservation under the Scheduled Castes quota to Dalit Christians, concerns on the Right To Education Act “setting limits to the constitutional guarantees enjoyed by minority institutions” and the Communal Violence Bill — were among the key topics highlighted in the biennial report of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), presented here on Wednesday.

At the inaugural function of the eight-day 30th CBCI meet, being held at the St. John's Academy of Health Sciences, Albert D'Souza, secretary-general, CBCI, spoke about the socio-political situation in the country, particularly the anti-corruption mood and trust deficit in governance.

Criticising the Union Government, he said: “The Government is simply delaying replying to the Supreme Court on issues such as inclusion of Dalit Christians in caste reservations.”

The report by the National Commission on Minorities recommending that converted Dalits not be counted in the caste census was “yet another ploy of the Government to delay its response on the issue”, Fr. D'Souza said, reading from the report.

“While globally the community is being targeted — in China, Myanmar and Pakistan, for instance — in India too, we are seeing hate campaigns, even anti-conversion laws by States that are anti-constitutional,” he explained.

Archbishop of Bangalore Bernard Moras also observed that the State Government had “failed to safeguard the Christian minority”.

Following attacks against Christians in 2008 and 2009, the Karnataka United Christian Forum for Human Rights had been actively engaging with the Government and making representations every time such incidents were reported from across the State.

Highlighting the diversity of the Indian church, Archbishop Salvatore Pinnachio, the Vatican Ambassador to India, said the Church must always “promote sound family values, encourage small Christian communities and befriend the poor and marginalised”.

He too emphasised on the struggle of the Dalit Christians in India to get their constitutional rights.

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GCIC demands dropping of Farooq Abdullah

Urgent Press release- 25th January-2012

GCIC demands dropping of Farooq Abdullah

To
Dr. Manmohan Singh
Hon. Prime Minister
South Block, Raisina Hill, New Delhi-110001
Phone +91-11-23012312 Fax +91-11-23019545,
New Delhi- India

Sub: Distraught Christian community demands Janab Farooq Abdullah be immediately dropped from Council of Ministers for his anti-constitutional statement in support of Kashmir Shariat Court ‘s Recent Unilateral Decisions of Permanent Expulsion of 5 Respected and Innocent Christian Clergymen from Jammu and Kashmir

Dear and Honourable Sir,
 

Greetings
 

A Federal Minister, who is obligated to uphold the Constitution of India, has drooped down to the lowest level to endorse the unconstitutional action of self-styled Sharia court of expulsion of Indian citizens from the sovereign democratic Republic of India. This is in violation of the constitution of India, which upholds the rights of every citizen including Pandits and Christians to live peacefully within the geographical boundaries of India.

Our genuine apprehensions are that there is every possibility that the statement of Janab Abdullah and unilateral decision by the Mufti Azam and his sharia court can lead to the by now universally known “Fatwa,” ultimately leading to a situation of not only strained relations but perhaps even to a law and order situation in Kashmir and perhaps in the whole of India. What could be the possible consequences, if the religious heads of different religions in a secular country like India begin to issue the orders in the days ahead like the one issued by the Muslim clergyman in Srinagar, to the members of other religions throughout the length and breadth of India, for all sorts of reasons based on their own religious laws? Indeed, it is beyond our comprehension! If the religious heads are permitted to pass such ‘”Fatwas’, what becomes of the Indian law, civil as well as the criminal law? What becomes of our very constitution?

The Christian community is pained at the widely reported statement of a responsible member of your Council of Ministers to publicly endorse such Fatwa. His anti-constitutional statement not only goes against the spirit of the constitution that he has sworn to uphold but also has brought shame to the whole government. His statement is an embarrassment and humiliation to the country. Instead of public condemnation of such Fatwa, he has glorified it. We will hold him personally responsible for any harm to Pastor Khanna, his family and community.

The community was already hurt by the Fatwa but is deeply anguished by this endorsement. Therefore we demand immediate removal of Mr Abdullah from the ministry. His continuance in the ministry will lend legitimacy to anti-constitutional, anti-secular and anti-national forces in India. How can a member of your ministry endorse the expulsion of an Indian citizen by religious court from one state of the country? Your inaction in this matter will be construed as tactical approval of Mr Abdullah’s statement and the judgement of the Shriat Court.

With Warm Regards

Dr. Sajan George, Dr. Bernard Malik
President Council of Refernces-GCIC
GCIC

Minister from Kashmir speaks against conversions, does not mention ‘Kangaroo Court’ at all

Minister for renewable energy Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday slammed religious conversions as “anti-secular”, comments that come in the wake of an Islamic court’s indictment of Christian missionaries in Kashmir on charges of proselytisation. Abdullah’s views that conversions tend to “disturb the secular balance” could be potentially seen as his backing of “Shariah Supreme Court of Islamic Jurisprudence” ruling for four Christian evangelicals to be barred from the state.

Although it has no jurisdiction under the Indian Constitution, the Shariah court, a 200-year-old body, administers and advises the state government on applicability of Islamic laws in JK, a state that enjoys a special federal status.

“Those who aid conversions through allurement should be punished,” Abdullah, prominent Kashmiri, told HT.

There are concerns that the decree could stoke attacks on Christian institutions and missionaries in the Muslim-majority state, where native Hindus had faced strikes from Islamic insurgents in the late 80s.

Srinagar, the state’s summer capital, itself boasts of famous missionary schools, such as Burn Hall School, founded in 1956. Mufti Nasir-ul Islam, a top Shariah court official, told HT: “We respect Christianity. The trails were held under cordial circumstances and videotaped. The pastors were duly heard.”

Christian bodies, including the Catholic Bishop Conference of India (CBCI) and the All India Christian Council, have ruled out “allurement” of Muslims.

“There is no immediate threat but surely a great deal of insecurity,” CBCI spokesperson Joseph Babu said. Christian Council head and National Integration Council member John Dayal said its fact-finding team had found “absolutely no evidence of allurement”.

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Sharia decree making Christians 'nervous' in Valley

The angry reaction to the issue of conversion of Muslims in Kashmir is scaring the Christian community no end. "It's making me nervous," says Carin Jodha Fischer, a German working in Kashmir's rural areas since 2006.

On January 19, the government-backed sharia court, headed by Mufti Bashiruddin, issued a decree banning the entry of four Christian pastors, finding them "guilty of luring Muslims of Kashmir, especially boys and girls, to Christianity by exploiting their financial conditions".

The names of the four pastors- CM Khanna, Gayour Massi, Chandre Kanta and Jim Brost- had come up in the course of an investigation done by the court. While Khanna, who is an Indian and is now in Jammu, the whereabouts of the other three are not known. The police do not know their nationalities either.

"They were promised help like passports and visas," said deputy grand mufti (priest) Nasir-ul-Islam in Srinagar.

The sharia decree came four months after a video clip allegedly showed Srinagar-based All Saints' Church pastor Khanna apparently baptising a few young persons here.

"They are all false and cooked-up stories. The matter is before court and will wait for its orders," Khanna told Hindustan Times on the phone from Jammu.

Khanna, who has been in the state for the past 24 years, was in police custody for 11 days for "forcible" conversions in Kashmir. He said he had no connection with the three others.

Brost was asked to leave Kashmir in July 2010.

"Legally, these conversions are not forcible. People have approached the church to become Christians," said Fischer, who works in Kashmir for community-based rural tourism. "If the conversion stories spread to rural areas, I won't be able to work then."

Muslim organisations including moderate Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq's Awami Action Committee have taken the issue seriously. The Mirwaiz also launched a website "to safeguard Islamic interests" after recent conversion reports.

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Rally against persecution in Karnataka

Several Christian, Muslim groups and human rights organizations will take out a rally on January 27 in Mangalore to protest the growing communal attacks in Karnataka.

The groups will emphasize on the “unending communal atrocities and partisan behavior of officials,” especially in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts.

A public meeting in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s Office will be held after the rally.

They will also demand the suspension of “communalized law-enforcement officers and appointment of able, impartial and secular officers.”

Christian organizations, which will take part in the rally, include Karnataka United Churches Forum for Human Rights (a forum of the Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant churches), Karnataka Missions Network, Federation of Christian Churches, Bharatiya Chraista Okkoota and Catholic Sabha, Mangalore.

“Atrocities against minority communities and their places of worship have recently reached intolerable heights,” said the Federation of Human Rights Organizations in a statement.

It said that 2011 alone saw 66 incidents of attacks on Muslims and 15 against members of Christian communities.

“It won’t be an exaggeration to say that as a result of such persecution, a sense of terrible insecurity prevails among the members of the minority communitie,” the statement added.

According to the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI), the southern state of Karnataka recorded the most number of attacks against the Christian community in 2011.

The groups are also planning to demand implementation of Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation) Bill with necessary amendments.

Source: Christian Today

Stop The Hate - Kashmir’s main political parties must act to prevent zealotry in the Valley

While media attention is riveted on the Salman Rushdie row, another controversy provoked by religious zealots in the Kashmir valley hasn't received its due share of critical scrutiny. For the past few weeks, a Christian priest and foreign NGOs have been targeted for seeking to persuade Muslim youth to give up their faith in return for liquor, women and money. One priest, Pastor Chander Mani Khanna, had to appear before a sharia court to defend himself against charges of proselytization. The evidence produced by the prosecutors to substantiate the charges was, to put it mildly, far-fetched.

But that did not deter the sharia court from asking for the pastor's expulsion from the state. Likewise, Juan Marcos Troia, an Argentine football coach widely hailed for his efforts to popularise the game in the Valley, has been hounded for allegedly promoting the cause of Christianity. Here again no evidence of such activity has come to light. The blunt fact is that the sharia court has no locus standi in the matter. Any aggrieved party should have turned to a proper court asking it to determine whether the pastor and the coach had infringed the law. No such case has been filed.

The vicious campaign conducted by the zealots does not come as a surprise. In the Valley, separatism and religious intolerance often work in tandem. The forced exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits is a case in point. What is galling, however, is the inaction of the National Conference-led government and the pointed discretion of the opposition PDP on the attacks against the Christian priests and foreign NGOs. The state government has remained on the sidelines when it should have ensured protection to the victims of the hate campaign. The PDP too should have thrown its weight behind them.

They did nothing of the sort and in the process acted against the letter and spirit of Article 25 of J&K's own Constitution. It says that it is the duty of the state to 'combat ignorance, superstition, fanaticism, racialism, cultural backwardness' and to 'foster brotherhood and equality among all communities under the aegis of a Secular State'. It is incumbent on the two major political formations in the Valley to stop the zealots and hate-mongers in their tracks.

Times of India

No action against Sri Ram Sene - BJP minister

 

Bangalore: Karnataka Home Minister R Ashoka said on Monday there was evidence on the involvement of right wing Srirama Sene in the recent hoisting of Pakistani flag in Bijapur district but ruled out any move to ban the outfit at this stage.

"There is evidence against Srirama Sene in the Sindagi incident", he told reporters here.

Asked if the government would ban the organisation, he said the probe was at a certain stage and the state would spell out its stand while filing chargesheet in the case.

He pointed out that a lot of formalities had to be gone through and "correct and confirmed evidence" needed for banning a organisation. At this stage, 'there is no need to ban Srirama Sene', the Minister said.

Ashoka said he would discuss the issue with Chief Minister DV Sadananda Gowda.

Six college students, who were members of the Srirama Sene, had been arrested for allegedly hoisting Pakistan's flag in the premises of the Tahsildar's office in Sindgi, 60 km from Bijapur, on January 1.

The Minister said the incidents of communal violence had come down during the three-and-half-year tenure of the BJP Government. From 28-30 such incidents every year (in the past), it had come down to 7-8 annually now.

Police are keeping a special vigil at places where incidents of communal violence took place in the past five years. An 80-member commando force is already functioning to deal with such incidents as well to fight naxal menace.

Another 80 personnel would join the force soon.

They would also be deployed in Mangalore, Hubli, Gulbarga and Belgaum, Ashoka added.

PTI

Sharia court asks govt to take over Christian schools

A self-styled sharia court in Jammu and Kashmir has asked the state government to take over the management of the Christian missionary schools and monitor their activities.

The decree also asked three Christian priests to leave the state for “luring Muslims in the valley toward Christianity.”

It asked the renowned Kashmiri educationists to form a part of the management of Christian schools.

The court also directed the school management to allot a class for Islamia studies as well for the students of other faiths.

“Given the Muslim majority character of the valley, the Muslim students should be taught Islam and daily prayer written by Syed Mohammad Iqbal should also be sung in the morning prayers,”.

It comes in the wake of accusations against Christian priests, including pastor M C Khanna of All Saints Church, of indulging in conversion activities in the valley.

Besides pastor Khanna, others who have been asked leave the state include Dutch national Jim Borst and Gayoor Messah, said Naib Mufti Nasir.

Meanwhile, the All India Christian Council had expressed apprehensions that the community members may face a backlash after the decree.

UCAN

Kashmir zealots push Christians into valley of fear

SRINAGAR: From the toast of Srinagar to a man with a question mark about his intentions, it's been quite a journey for Juan Marcos Troia, an Argentinian football coach and star of the documentary, 'Inshallah Football'.

In 2009, Marcos was credited with reviving football in Kashmir. 'Inshallah Football' is about one of Marcos's best players, Basharat, the son of a former militant, and his dream to play in Brazil. Though initially denied, Basharat got his passport and went to Brazil a few months ago. But there is no smile of satisfaction on Marcos's face. Much has changed since 2009.

Kashmir is in the grip of a controversy surrounding religious conversions by priests and foreign NGOs. Everyone, it seems, is under the scanner. Troia, who has been questioned by the state football association about the funding for his clubs, is now the target of a whisper campaign. Fundamentalists are ratcheting up religious mobilization.

His house vandalized, Marcos is now running around asking cops for help. "We have to fend for ourselves," says his dejected wife, Priscilla.

The controversy began when a video surfaced showing a pastor C M Khanna baptizing young Muslim boys. A Sharia court "summoned" Khanna and accused him of converting Muslims by luring them with money; a claim that the Christian Council of India denies. Khanna was arrested for disturbing communal peace. He is now on bail but the Sharia court ordered his "expulsion" from the state. Although this court has no legal sanctity, political parties have remained silent.

This has left the field open for further pressure on the 400-odd Christians in the Valley. The two missionary schools in Srinagar are now facing calls to include Islamic prayers as part of the curriculum and prove they do not promote Christianity.

The few foreign nationals who live here are harassed. "I got a call around midnight, and this man on the phone asked me how many Bibles I had, how my 'real motive' was known to him," said one foreigner.

Local converts are worse off. A few weeks ago, the mere rumour that a few boys in a Ganderbal village had converted led to a raids by five carloads of men led by a maulvi from a madrassa. Their homes were ransacked.

Adding to this climate was an article in Kashmir's leading English daily on Friday last. Titled 'Apostasy unveiled', the full page spread is an alleged first person account of one of the boys pastor Khanna had converted. The story of Class 10 student reads like a film script.

He was trapped by the pastor who used a girl to entice him to drink alcohol. Then blackmailed him with a video recording. The student is "progressively addicted to alcohol, women, money, drugs, and the promise of weapons".

At each stage, pastor Khanna's personal involvement is recorded. The highlight is this passage: "There were candles and an empty glass on the table. As the prayers went on, someone brought a jug full of red liquid and poured it into the glass. It was swine blood which we all had to drink. Khanna took some sips, then his daughter and I joined the others."

This is the most talked about news in Srinagar - on twitter and facebook, in living rooms and cafes. "One comes to know the extent to which these people will go to convert," read a facebook comment.

Even educated people this reporter spoke to believe sex, booze and money is the only reason why anyone would convert to Christianity. For the Christians here it's an indictment they shall have to learn to live with.

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Expel three Christian priests: Kashmir Sharia court

Srinagar : A Sharia court Thursday issued a decree seeking expulsion of three Christian priests from Jammu and Kashmir and monitoring of the activities of Christian missionary schools in the Valley.

Maintaining that the decree of the Sharia (Muslim Personal Law) court was not against the Christians in any manner, Kashmir’s grand mufti Bashir-ud-Din told a media conference here that three priests had been attracting local youth to conversion through monetary allurement.

“The Sharia court has unimpeachable evidence against these three priests who are non-locals. They have been using financial allurement to convert some local youth to Christianity.”

“The Sharia court has issued a decree for their expulsion from the state and the administration must ensure that they do not enter the state,” Bashir-ud-Din said.

“The decree has been issued to preserve harmony between followers of different faiths in the Valley,” the mufti said.

The decree also asked the state government to monitor the activities of the local missionary schools where a majority of the students were Muslims.

“These schools should include a period for Islamic education in their daily teaching programmes and a prayer written by poet Iqbal should be part of the school assembly prayers at these schools,” the decree said.

A row had broken out here last year after video clips showing conversion of local youth to Christianity were uploaded on the Internet.

Police had also arrested a Christian priest in connection with these alleged conversions. The priest was later released on bail.

Christian missionary schools have contributed immensely towards the spread of modern education in the Valley.

The services of the Christian missionaries in healthcare and social service are also acknowledged by Kashmiris.

Fatwa against Christian schools in Kashmir

Srinagar: A self-styled sharia court of Kashmir on Thursday issued fatwa asking three Christian priests to leave the state for "luring the valley Muslims to Christianity". The court also directed Jammu and Kashmir government to take over the management of the Christian missionary schools, besides monitoring their activities in future.

Last summer, a controversy arose over the conversion of some Muslim youths to Christianity after they were allegedly lured by the pastor MC Khanna of All Saints Church in Srinagar. The video clips were distributed across the valley, showing conversion of local youth to Christianity, which made the Mufti Azam of Kashmir, Mufti Bashir-ud-Din, to summon the pastor for explanation. Mufti Bashir runs a sharia court in the valley and is promptly known for announcing appearance of moon on the occasion of Eids in Kashmir.

According to Nasir-ul-Islam, a deputy of grand Mufti Bashir-ud-din, four Christian priests were involved in alluring the Muslim youth in Kashmir to Christianity. An investigation against the principal of the local Christian missionary school Parvez Sameul Koul is going on.

The Naib (deputy) Mufti Nasir said: Punjabi M C Khanna, Dutch national, Jim Borst, and Gayoor Messah were directed to leave the valley forthwith for their involvement in the conversions in the valley. "However, the case against the principal of Tyndale Biscoe school Parvez Sameul Koul is under investigation and judgment will be announced in due course of time," Naib Mufti said.

The Christian pastors have already migrated from Kashmir valley soon after CM Khanna was released on bail on December 1, 2011 after Jammu and Kashmir police arrested him on November 19,2011 on charges of fomenting communal trouble in the state.

Besides, the decree of the sharia court said that Jammu and Kashmir government should involve itself in the management of the missionary schools and renowned Kashmiri educationists should form the part of the management.

The sharia court even directed the school management to allot a class for Islamia studies as well for the students of other faiths. "Given the Muslim majority character of the valley, the Muslim students should be taught Islam and daily prayer written by Syed Mohammad Iqbal should also be sung in the morning prayers," Naib Mufti Nasir said.

All India Christian Council at in New Delhi on January 13, 2012 had expressed its apprehensions that the community members may face backlash by the verdict of the self-styled Srinagar's Islami shariat court against Christian pastors Jim Borst, C M Khanna and Gayoor Messah for their alleged involvement in luring the people to convert to their religion across Kashmir valley.

The Deputy Mufti,Azam Nasir-ul-Islam, and son of grand Mufti Bashir-ud-din, Mufti Muhammad Nasir-ul-Islam, in a statement on January 11, 2012, had said that it was proved beyond doubt that the accused pastor Khanna, who is putting up in Kashmir for past many years, was along with other accomplices luring Muslim people to change religion.

Dr John Dayal, the spokesman of the Indian Christians, has rejected that that any conversion took place by force.

"A fact finding team which went to Srinagar in the wake of the arrest of Rev Khanna, and interviewed Church personnel, Ulema, school authorities and the police, found no evidence of force or fraud in baptisms that have been carried out over a period of time. Each baptism has been proved to be voluntary," John Dayal said.

Grand Mufti bans pastor from Valley

Srinagar Mufti Bashir-ud-din, the government-appointed Grand Mufti who heads the Islamic Shariah court, has imposed a lifetime ban on the entry of a pastor and three other missionaries into the state. The Shariah court said they have been found “guilty” of converting Kashmiri Muslims to Christianity.

The state government is, however, silent on the legality of the Shariah court. “I have to check whether the Shariah court can impose ban on entry of missionaries,” said Law Secretary Ghulam Hassan Tantray.

Deputy Grand Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam said pastor C M Khanna of the All Saints’ Church, Ghayoor Maseeh, foreign missionary Jim Borst, and woman missionary Chandrakanta have been found guilty of luring Muslims of Kashmir, especially young boys and girls, towards Christianity. He said the entire proceeding of the investigation is on record with the Shariah court.

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