MUMBAI:
Maharashtra has witnessed among the largest number of communal attacks
on Christians in 2013, second only to Karnataka, says a
recently-released report by the Catholic Secular Forum (CSF), an
organization chaired by Justice Michael Saldanha, former judge at the
Bombay and Karnataka high courts. Across the country, the report points
at 4,000-odd offenses aimed at Christians, with 400 clergy and 100
churches attacked in a year.
While Karnataka may have had a higher number of attacks on Christians over the last year, the report suggests that Maharashtra is the next Hindutva laboratory. "The new government in Karnataka is sensitive to the attacks on Christians. However, in Maharashtra, the police and the lower levels of state administration are highly saffronized," said Joseph Dias, author of the report and general secretary of CSF.
While Karnataka may have had a higher number of attacks on Christians over the last year, the report suggests that Maharashtra is the next Hindutva laboratory. "The new government in Karnataka is sensitive to the attacks on Christians. However, in Maharashtra, the police and the lower levels of state administration are highly saffronized," said Joseph Dias, author of the report and general secretary of CSF.
From the desecration of a heritage cross in Mumbai and a statue of Jesus at Mangaon to violent
attacks on priests and nuns across the state, Dias says few other
minorities would have been as tolerant to such attacks as Christians
have been. "We're looked at as easy targets as we do not fight back. We
are compelled to turn the other cheek because our religion teaches us
not to resort to violence."
Growing attacks on India's Christian
minority form the unreported story of communalism in India, says Harsh
Mander, social activist and former member of India's National Advisory
Council, who has worked extensively with victims of communal violence.
"Unlike pogroms targeted at the Muslim community, attacks on Christians
are of a low intensity, though very widespread. You don't have the sort
of large outbreaks that you see in case of Hindu-Muslim clashes, and
hence attacks on Christians often do not attract the same attention.
However, there is a pattern emerging when it comes to attacks on
Christians. Much of it is a result of Hindutva propaganda over what is
perceived to be mass conversions. Like much hate propaganda, however, it
is not backed by evidence to show any large increase in India's
Christian population," said Mander.
Saldanha feels the onslaught against Christians is a cause for deep concern, especially in the run up to the Lok Sabha
elections. "No party says they stand for communal violence, and yet
such attacks continue unchecked," says Saldanha. In addition to violent
attacks, Dias points to discrimination against the church in cities like
Mumbai where the civic administration is ruled by the Shiv Sena-BJP
combine. "There have been instances where Christian burial grounds were
destroyed to widen nullahs on one side of the road, leaving the other
side of the road untouched," says Dias.
Persecution of Christians in 2013
(Report by Catholic Secular Forum)
*Instances of persecution against Christians were highest in Karnataka,
followed by both Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh at no. 2.
*Odisha, Chhattisgarh, MP, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Rajasthan and Delhi were among the top ten states where persecution occurred.
*Around 4,000 Christians were targeted in anti-Christian violence across India.
*Over 1,000 women and 500 children were victims of violence.
*Over 400 clergy and community leaders were attacked.
*About 100 churches and places of worship were attacked.
*7 were killed for their faith, including a 7-year-old child in Rajasthan.
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