Persecution of Christians spreading in India; Hindu radicals enjoying immunity, humanitarian groups say

Attacks against Christians in India are increasing alarmingly this year, with about 30 incidents of religiously motivated violence reported in just two months, according to humanitarian groups.

The International Christian Concern (ICC) said at least 26 documented incidents spread across the subcontinent have been culled since Jan. 1. Hindu nationalists are leading the campaign of persecution and attacks on Christians, Fox News reported.

Such persecution cases used to be limited to a particular region or issue. However, the violence has now become more widespread with Hindu radicals enjoying immunity for their actions, ICC said.

"They are wolves in sheep's clothing," Jeff King, president of the ICC told Fox News. "There has been an increase in attacks because these nationalists feel emboldened with [Prime Minister Narendra] Modi in power."

"The government, which came into power with the election of Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has strong Hindu nationalist ties. As a result, radical Hinduism, which was already present under the previous government, has increased steadily,'' David Curry, CEO of Open Doors USA also told Fox News.

Curry said since 2014 there has been a significant rise in attacks on Christians and Christian communities by radical Hindu forces.

ICC lamented that Indian police usually take no action against the aggressors. One case was when a mob of over 30 radicals "attacked, beat, and dragged" a Catholic priest and three church officials from their car in the village of Ettimadai in the southeastern state of Tamil Nadu last Jan. 29.

The men tried to escape from the mob but failed. Police did not intervene, resulting in the hospitalisation of the four men, said the report.

Two weeks earlier, a local pastor and members of his congregation in the Nizamabad district of Telangana state were "savagely beaten" by a mob of 40 Hindu radicals after they allegedly tried to convert Hindus to Christianity.

The attack, which occurred during a Christian prayer gathering, resulted in the hospitalisation of six persons, including a four-year-old girl whose leg was broken, according to locals.

"It was a very scary scene," Pastor Nitin Kumar said. "They tore my cassock and I received blows, punches, [and] kicks from all directions as I was their prime target. [Our] Bibles were snatched from us and were tore and trampled. [Other] believers ran to all directions as they were chased by the mob."

Last Sunday, a Pentecostal church in the Chhattisgarh state was also attacked during prayer services by a mob believed to have been a part of the militant Hindu Bajrang Dal organisation.

Despite the growing atrocities, the administration of Prime Minister Modi and the BJP has yet to publicly condemn the attacks, the humanitarian groups said.

They criticised the Indian government for its refusal to speak out against the atrocities, adding that its silence has encourage radical Hindus to step up their attacks against Christians.

To stop the wave of extreme nationalism, the ICC has brought its campaign to Washington following the rash of outbreaks. Eight U.S. senators and 26 members of Congress have sent a bipartisan letter to Modi requesting that he strongly and publicly condemn the acts of persecution.

But India's leader has yet to respond, according to news reports.

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PM urged to protect Christian minorities

Dimapur, December 3 (MExN): Churches from Nagaland have appealed to the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, to ‘safeguard the right to equality, and the right to freedom of all people.’

In a letter to the Prime Minister, dated November 30, leaders from various Churches in Nagaland appealed for the protection of Christian minorities in India.

“We are deeply concerned about the continued violence and atrocities against Christians in different parts of India. We are deeply pained to see our brothers and sisters targeted for no fault of theirs,” wrote the leaders. The letter was signed by Rev. Dr. L Anjo Keikung, General Secretary, Nagaland Baptist Church Council, Fr. Carolus Neishalhou, Vicar General, Diocese of Kohima, Catholic Church of Nagaland, Rev. Dr. N Paphino, President, Nagaland Christian Revival Church, Rev. Dr. TR Angami, Superintendent, Assembly of God Church, Nagaland, Khyomo Lotha, Vice President, Nagaland Pentecostal Mission, Kohima, and DS Namrei, Corps Sergeant Major, Salvation Army Church, Nagaland. 

In many states, they said, Christians are deprived of their fundamental right to freedom of religion and practice of faith.

“The psychological damage done to the Christian brothers and sisters from time to time is very grave. We earnestly appeal that Your Honour takes up prompt action in such a way as to create tranquillity and render maximum protection to the Christians in India,” wrote the leaders.

The PM was reminded that Christians in India have become “victims of malicious campaign by certain unruly fundamentalists who take the law into their own hands.” However, “Christians have never retaliated against the people of other faith.”

The Church is for Peace and Harmonious Living, stated the Churches in Nagaland. “We love our country, India and we aspire for a country that is strong and resilient. We believe that to this end the Christians in India have contributed not less than any other religious groups in the history of our country.”

Stating how Christians have been “in the forefront for nation building,” the Church leaders said that the service of Christians in the educational, social and health sector is “universally acknowledged” and “recognized by” all sections of Indian population.

“Christians are at the forefront in matters of patriotism and defence. We are proud of what we have built together with the rest of the people. But we feel really sorry and betrayed that we are often looked upon as a despised lot of people.”

The leaders thus appealed to the PM, and also to respective State Governments in India, to “take strong measures to curb violence caused by any group in the country.”

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