Christians in Rajasthan, India Harassed with False Charges, Church Leaders Say

NEW DELHI (Morning Star News) – When evangelists in India were accused of fraudulent conversion in a village at a time when they were hundreds of miles from it, they knew powers beyond their control were at play.

Pastor Kasiram Meghwal, 46, was leading his church in Choru, Rajasthan, 410 miles from the village near Khajuwala where he was accused of trying to fraudulently convert people on May 20, his attorney said.

Evangelist Sahiram Nayak, 34, lives 136 miles from Khajuwala in Sri Ganganagar and was attending his church in Rai Singh Nagar at the time, the lawyer said. A third accused Christian, 32-year-old pastor Vijender Singh, was leading Sunday service at his church in a different area of Khajuwala at the time of the alleged fraudulent conversion attempt at Hindus’ homes, according to the attorney.

The three Christians came together in the Khajuwala area on May 22 to proclaim Christ to villagers, but the First Action Report (FIR) filed by area resident Rameshwar Lal alleges that on May 20 they offered him 100,000 rupees (US$1,450) and 50,000 rupees (US$730) to another area Hindu to convert, attorney Subodh Mathews told Morning Star News.

Having obtained bail for a previous false charge, the three Christians were devastated to be jailed again on May 24 under a statute against “outraging religious feelings.” Their plea for bail was denied.

“We wept before the Lord, but we never abandoned our faith,” Pastor Singh told Morning Star News. “We met many people inside the prison, including a few people who told us that they were in the habit of committing murders for money, and that they related to some extremist religious groups as well. They told us that they would have gladly killed us, had they seen us outside.”

Undaunted, the Christians told the convicts about Christ and held a Sunday worship service inside the prison on May 27, he said.

“We got the opportunity to share inside the jail to murderers,” he said.

With much difficulty they were able to obtain bail on May 29 and were released.

Entrapped

On May 22 they distributed Christian literature and New Testaments among families of village 16 BD and then went to the home of Kaku Singh in village 14 BD, near Khajuwala in Bikaner District, Rajasthan, Pastor Singh told Morning Star News. After inviting them in, Kaku Singh told them that his wife was suffering from cancer, he said.

“We shared the gospel with him and prayed for his wife and decided to leave,” but Kaku Singh insisted on offering them tea, Pastor Singh said. While the three evangelists were waiting, Rameshwar Lal called them out of the house on the pretext of asking questions about the literature they had given him earlier, the pastor said.

When they stepped out of the house, a man named Darshan Singh suddenly attacked them, he said.

“He caught me from my collar, slapped me and pushed me down,” Pastor Singh said. “He started to verbally abuse us using filthy language. They punched Sahiram too.”

Soon a mob of about 80 people surrounded them, carrying wooden sticks with intent to attack the Christians, he said.

Though Kaku Singh would file the first case against them, he objected to the mob dragging the three Christians towards the main road with the intention of killing them, the pastor said. He said that as the mob shouted, “We will kill you today,” Kaku Singh called police to keep them from being killed.

Police soon arrived and took the Christians into protective custody, or otherwise they would have been killed, Pastor Singh said. The three Christians were arrested under Section 151 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, “Arrest to prevent the commission of cognizable offenses.”

A police officer told the Christians that he immediately rushed to the site because he was aware of how Christians are being targeted in India, the pastor said.

Surrounding the police van carrying the three evangelists, the mob demanded that they be handed over to them or they would set fire to the police van, he said.

“The atmosphere got very tensed,” Pastor Singh said. “It was dangerous.”

Police managed to bring the Christians to the Khajuwala police station for questioning. Officers treated them with respect and consideration, the pastor said.

“While we were there, the sitting Member of Legislative Assembly [MLA], Dr. Vishwanath Meghwal, who belongs to the BJP [Hindu extremist Bharatiya Janata Party], kept calling the police inspector and kept pressuring him to question us thoroughly,” Pastor Singh said. “The policeman, exasperated by the frequent calls of the MLA, finally asked him to come to the police station and satisfy himself by interrogating us.”

Kaku Singh accused the three Christians, all members of the Brethren Assembly, of trying to lure him and Lal to convert to Christianity.

The next day, May 23, after the Christians had secured bail and were walking out of the police station, they were arrested again, this time based on a separate complaint dated May 20 and submitted by Lal, who had called the Christians out of Kaku Singh’s home. His FIR alleges that the Christians offered him 100,000 rupees (US$1,450) and 50,000 rupees (US$730) to Kaku Singh, and they were re-arrested under Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code for alleged “Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion.” 

Since being bailed out, two court hearings have passed, one on June 5 and another on June 30, though no formal charges have been filed. Church leaders believe the accusations are rooted only in the desire to harass the Christians.

T.J. Joseph, senior leader of the Brethren Mission, said legal proceedings could harass the evangelists for years.

“Though they have been bailed out, they have to travel long distances for every court date of theirs,” Joseph told Morning Star News.

The hostile tone of the National Democratic Alliance government, led by the Hindu nationalist BJP, against non-Hindus, has emboldened Hindu extremists in several parts of the country to attack Christians since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took power in May 2014, religious rights advocates say.

India ranked 11th on Christian support organization Open Doors’ 2018 World Watch List of countries where Christians experience the most persecution. 

Click here for source 

Pastors arrested in Rajasthan

Pratapgarh: Five Christians have been under police custody in Rajasthan for their alleged vandalisation of an idol of a temple nearby.

A Pastor belonging to Good Shepherd Community Church (GSCC), who has been running a worship group at Hamirpura village under Talamgarh Police Station in Arnod taluka of Pratapgarh district, Rajasthan, has been facing resistance from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), led by the local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sarpanch. The Hindu radicals wanted the Pastor to stop all his activities at the village.

It so happened that an idol of a nearby temple was found broken recently. Taking advantage of the situation, the activists filed an FIR at the police station alleging that the Pastor and his believers had damaged the idol. Since the police were aware of the truth, they refused to act. However when the radicals threatened to take law into their hands, the police kept the five Christians at the police station as a precautionary measure.

On 21 July 2008 morning, local Christian leaders arrived at the police station and held talks with the police. The police officers said they were convinced of the innocence of the Christians and promised to release them the same day.

GCIC

Christians arrested on false charges

Pratapgarh: Five Christians have been under police custody in Rajasthan for their alleged vandalisation of an idol of a temple nearby.

A Pastor belonging to Good Shepherd Community Church (GSCC), who has been running a worship group at Hamirpura village under Talamgarh Police Station in Arnod taluka of Pratapgarh district, Rajasthan, has been facing resistance from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), led by the local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sarpanch. The Hindu radicals wanted the Pastor to stop all his activities at the village.

It so happened that an idol of a nearby temple was found broken recently. Taking advantage of the situation, the activists filed an FIR at the police station alleging that the Pastor and his believers had damaged the idol. Since the police were aware of the truth, they refused to act. However when the radicals threatened to take law into their hands, the police kept the five Christians at the police station as a precautionary measure.

On 21 July 2008 morning, local Christian leaders arrived at the police station and held talks with the police. The police officers said they were convinced of the innocence of the Christians and promised to release them the same day.

Source: AICC

Sanction to prosecute VHP activists refused

JAIPUR: The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in Rajasthan has refused sanction to prosecute 14 Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists, accused of attacking a Christian priest here a year ago. It has ordered the closure of police investigation while asking the trial court to accept a previous charge sheet as valid.

A gang of 20 VHP activists, led by its Jaipur unit general secretary Virendra Singh Ravana, allegedly attacked Pastor Walter Masih in his prayer room – situated barely one km away from the Chief Minister’s official residence here – on April 29 last and ransacked his house. The priest was allegedly thrashed with lathis and rods and left profusely bleeding. Police arrested 14 accused and registered a case against them under six sections of the Indian Penal Code, relating to rioting, causing hurt, house trespass and causing damage.

The prosecution filed a charge sheet against the accused in the trial court in August 2007, but informed the court that the charge sheet was incomplete as the probe under some other charges was pending. Police added IPC Sections 153-A (hate speech), 295-A (insulting a religion or religious beliefs) and 505(3) (offensive statements made at a place of worship) to the charges against the accused during investigation and sought the State government’s sanction for prosecution as required by Section 196 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Meanwhile, the accused were released on bail by the Rajasthan High Court after its denial, first by the trial court and later by the Sessions Court, on the basis of prima facie evidence produced against them. The case in the court of Judicial Magistrate No. 16, Jaipur city, has since been pending for arguments on charges.

The in-charge of Sodala police station has now informed the trial court that the State government has refused sanction for prosecution of the accused under the new IPC sections and the investigation in the case has been closed in compliance with an order of the Superintendent of Police. Police have requested the court to treat the previous charge sheet as final and valid even though the government’s order has not specified any ground for denial of sanction. Interestingly, the District Magistrate is empowered to give sanction under Sec. 505(3) without referring it to the government, while the latter’s sanction is needed for prosecution under Sec. 153-A and 295-A.

Civil rights groups here on Sunday registered a strong protest against the government’s decision, saying it was “patently illegal” and aimed at protecting the criminal elements of the VHP by ensuring that they faced trial under mild sections of IPC. They accused the BJP-led government of pursuing a policy to intimidate religious minorities. People’s Union for Civil Liberties State president Prem Krishna Sharma told journalists that this “fascist approach” of the ruling BJP was dangerous in view of the Assembly elections due this year. “With the elections coming nearer, there are clear indications that the BJP will openly threaten the minorities and give a free hand to its rank and file to attack them.”

While Pastor Walter Masih demanded justice, the activist groups pointed out that the government had followed a “communal pattern” by giving prompt sanction in a case against Father Thomas of Emmanuel Mission in 2006 and withdrawing the case against VHP leader Praveen Togadia in 2007. The government also withdrew in 2004 more than 250 criminal cases, in which several Ministers were involved.

PUCL lawyer A.K. Jain said the activists would take recourse to the Right to Information Act to demand that the government spell out reasons for denying sanction to prosecute the VHP activists and lodge a complaint with the Governor S.K. Singh. The civil rights activists will also organise a rally on the issue before the case comes up in the court for the next hearing on April 25.

(The Hindu 21/4/08)

Freedom of Religion Bill passed in Rajasthan

The government in India’s Rajasthan state sanctioned an anti-religious conversion bill Friday in a bid to scrutinize Christian activities, including allegations of conversions by force and allurement.
The bill, introduced in the House last week, received strong resistance from the opposition Congress and religious leaders in the country. It prohibits conversions by use of force, allurement or fraudulent means, and punishes offenders with up to five years imprisonment as well fines of up to 50,000 Indian rupees (US$1,200).
"Some religious and other institutions, bodies and individuals are found to the involved in unlawful conversion from one religion to another by allurement or by fraudulent means or forcibly which at times has caused annoyance in the community belonging to the other religion," states the bill.
"In order to curb such illegal activities and to maintain harmony amongst persons of various religions, it has been considered expedient to enact a special law for the purpose."
Christian leaders in the state, however, feel that the bill will be misused to torture and imprison Christian missionaries on fabricated charges. Cases related to this have been reported in the past.
"It appears that the BJP (Indian People's Party) government is working on the hidden Hindu agenda to appease RSS (National Volunteers' Organization) in the Vidhan Sabha elections slated later this year in the state," commented Congress Chief Whip Juber Khan.
With a similar bill awaiting the approval of Indian President Prathiba Patil, Khan questioned how the BJP government could re-introduce another bill.
The 2006 Rajasthan Dharma Swatantraya Bill was passed by the House earlier but was returned by then-Governor Pratibha Patil.
Patil had returned the bill to the state government asking to get it cleared from the then-President A.P.J Abdul Kalam.
Despite opposition from Congress members, BJP MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly) were unwilling to wait.
”Problems of fanaticism, terrorism and secessionism have always arisen in the areas where Hindus were reduced to minority by large-scale conversions,” claimed BJP MLA Nand Kishore Garg.
Rajasthan is the sixth Indian state to pass an anti-conversion bill into law after Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Gujarat, Arunachal Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh.

Rajasthan 'anti-religious conversion bill' likely to be discussed

Rajasthan 'anti-religious conversion bill' likely to be discussed

Jaipur (PTI): The BJP government in Rajasthan is all set to take up
an anti-religious conversion bill in the ongoing assembly session
for discussion and passage on March 20 despite strong reservations
on it by Opposition Congress.

The Congress has warned that it would protest inside the House and
on the streets as the bill, reintroduced by the government, was
a "hidden Hindu agenda to appease RSS in the state assembly
elections slated later this year".

The Raje government has introduced a fresh bill, the Rajasthan
Dharma Swatantrya Bill, 2008, last week with some changes as the
earlier measure, passed by the Assembly through a voice vote on
April 7, 2006, was still pending with President Pratibha Patil for
assent.

Patil, who was the then Governor of Rajasthan, had returned it with
objections in certain clauses to the assembly. Later in 2007, the
Raje cabinet had "re-submitted" the bill to the Governor for
approval, but Patil had referred it to the then President A P J
Abdul Kalama with her remarks.

"The 2006 bill is still pending with the President. Let that be
decided or returned. It was only after that the BJP government
should have thought of reintroducing the bill on the same matter,"
Congress Chief Whip Juber Khan told PTI.

"It appears that the BJP government is working on the hidden Hindu
agenda to appease RSS in the Vidhan Sabha elections slated later
this year in the state," Khan said.

http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200803181322.htm

Pastor Walter Massey

Christian preacher attacked in Jaipur

Special Correspondent

Masked intruders go on rampage in house in the vicinity of Chief Minister's official residence

— Photo: PTI

BEFORE AND AFTER: Getting ready for the attack on preacher Walter Massey are some men who are covering their faces.

JAIPUR: Masked youth attacked and seriously injured a Christian preacher and went on the rampage in his house in the neighbourhood of the official residence of the Rajasthan Chief Minister here on Sunday afternoon. Walter Massey has been admitted to the emergency ward of the Sawai Man Singh Medical College Hospital here. Authorities there termed his condition stable. No arrest has been made so far.

Mr. Massey runs a small congregation, `Masihi Sanghti,' from his middleclass residence at Nandpuri Bazar. The intruders, numbering 15-20, used sticks and whatever came in handy to attack Mr. Masseyin the presence of his wife and child.

His wife Joyce told this correspondent that initially three persons came seeking to meet her husband. When the door was opened, they engaged the preacher in a conversation and in no time started assaulting him. And more men, covering their faces, joined in the attack.

As the attackers dragged a profusely bleeding Massey out of the house, a neighbour Samuel Roberts, who was passing by, rushed to the Sodala police station, half km away.

Ms. Joyce and the child were not hurt though the intruders broke plastic chairs, utensils and furniture.

— Photo: PTI

The image of the bleeding missionary.

Mr. Roberts said there were around 25 men, who covered their faces and were wielding sticks, outside Mr. Massey's residence.

Assailants on video

Additional Superintendent of Police (South) Subhash Vishnoi said the police were trying to identify the persons spotted on a video on the incident telecast by some TV channels. A case has been registered.

The Congress, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind condemned the attack.

Congress general secretary Ashok Gehlot termed it a "very serious matter" and demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits.

"Vishwa Hindu Parishad workers have once again taken law into their own hands in the name of stopping religious conversions in the State and this is condemnable." CPI (M) State secretary Vasudev said, "The Chief Minister and the Home Minister should take the responsibility for the attack," which occurred in the Civil Lines locality."Hardly four days ago did workers of the BJP-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarti Parishad attempt to attack the CPI (M) State headquarters on Hatwara Road, he alleged.

Engineer Mohammed Saleem, new president of the State Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, said the attack put a question mark on the very existence of a government in the State.

Click here for source

VHP, Bajrang Dal goons beat Pastor in Jaipur

VHP, Bajrang Dal goons beat Pastor in Jaipur

Event is captured by news channels

By Vijayesh Lal

29^th April 2007: Jaipur, Rajasthan

Walter Massey, a Christian pastor was attacked by VHP and Bajrang Dal goons without any provocation. At about 12:30 – 1:00 pm, all of a sudden 20 – 25 VHP and Bajrang Dal people stormed inside Pastor Walter’s home and started beating him.

The attackers were carrying weapons, iron rods, sticks etc. They mercilessly beat Pastor Massey in front of his family and ransacked his home. They broke furniture and destroyed property.

While this was going on a TV camera crew happened to notice the armed brigade with weapons and followed them as they entered Pastor Massey’s home and beat him up mercilessly. This is the version of the camera crew as told to Jaipur Christian Fellowship. There are several questions however. For example how did the camera crew manage to film the attackers while they were getting ready to attack Pastor Massey? How did the camera crew manage to get the tape to so many channels at such a short period of time etc?

A shocked India watched as the 4:00 pm news showed Pastor Massey bleeding from the beatings and being roughed up by the goons, while the family was scared because of the whole ordeal and was unable to help him.

All through the beating Pastor Massey was calling aloud the name of Jesus while people slapped him, beat him with sticks and with metal chairs. Pastor Walter Massey had enough courage to step out of his home and proclaim the love of Jesus Christ to the curious but unhelpful bystanders. He also later on spoke to the camera crew about the love of Jesus Christ and how as Christians we pray for our nation. After this he was carried away to the hospital.

The police initially refused to admit an FIR in this case. It was only when Jaipur Christian Fellowship and other organizations exerted pressure that they admitted the FIR. But even after most attackers can be plainly identified as shown on television for some hours at a stretch now, the police still claim that they are yet to identify the attackers and so have admitted an FIR which says that Pastor Massey had been attacked by unidentified men. The FIR does not mention the VHP or the Bajrang Dal in spite of the attackers themselves claiming on TV that they belonged to the VHP.

Right now Pastor Massey is in the hospital where he is on IV’s. He has difficulty in walking and his eye has been hurt badly. He was beaten up with iron rods so most of his injuries are internal, but he is unfazed. His family however is finding it difficult to cope with the situation. His wife Joyce saw him getting beaten up and his 6 year old daughter is terrified.

Pastor Massey has been in Rajasthan for a long time. He is an ex-worker of the India Every Home Crusade and right now runs his own house Church by the name of Masihi Sangati Kendra. He lives in Nandpuri, near Hawa Sadak, Jaipur, Rajasthan. He had been threatened for a long time by the Hindutva brigade and had even appealed to the police for protection but was given none.

We managed to get his phone number but he was not available so we spoke to the members of the Jaipur Christian Fellowship (JCF). Rev. Jagdish Chandra Sharma, the secretary of the JCF told us that they had spoken to the Home Minister, Mr. Gulab Chand Kataria and that he had assured them of firm action in the case. However on television Mr. Kataria denied any knowledge of the incident. Mr. Kataria is famous for his anti-Christian stance and played a major role in the persecution of the Thomases from Kota, Rajasthan.

Meanwhile the mud-slinging and politicization of the incident continues. The Congress came out openly against the BJP led government and criticized them of practicing communalism to gain electoral mileage. The TV channels also blamed the BJP led government for its failure to curb the Hindutva brigade.

Please pray for the situation in Rajasthan and especially for Pastor Walter Massey. Please also send letters of concern, and faxes to the following:

	Name	Phone Number
	Smt. Vasundhara Raje, Chief Minister	(Off) 0141-2227351, 2227462 (Fax) 0141-2227687 (Res) 0141-2228712, 2228713, 2228705
	Smt. Pratibha Patil, Governor of Rajasthan	(O) 0141-2228768 (Fax) (R) 2228737
	Shri Umrao Salodia Prin. Secretary to Governor	(O) 2228792 (R) 2275132
Dr. Manmohan Singh Prime Minister of India			Office Address Room No. 152, South Block, New Delhi, 110001 Office Tel 23012312 23016857 (Fax) Residence Address 7, Race Course Road, New Delhi Residence Tel 23011166, 23018939 23015603(Fax) Parliament House Address Room No. 10, Parliament House, New Delhi 110001 Parliament House Tel 23017660, 23019817 23014255 (Fax)

My religion, your religion!

The RSS is working out on a strategy with the help of its frontal organization to counter conversion drive of the Christian missionaries in the state

S Santosh.

Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and its frontal organizations like Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad and Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram are working on a well-planned strategy to counter conversion activities of Christian missionaries in Rajasthan.

These organisations also sought the help of the BJP government in their efforts to check missionaries’ activities and the government is expected to help them in every possible manner.

The tribal belt of Rajasthan comprising Udaipur and adjoining districts, which are close to Gujarat, are the main target of missionaries to spread Christianity among tribals. The other area of activity is Kota division, which also has sizable tribal population.

Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad has opened its branches in Udaipur, Dungarpur, Chittorgarh, Rajassmand, Banswara and Pratapgarh. It organized a Rashtra Shakti Sammelan of adivasies at Udaipur in the last week of February. The organisers claimed that over one lakh adivasies had participated in the sammelan. The number of adivasies gathered at Maharana Bhoopal Stadium was far less than the claim but it was an impressive show of strength by the Parisahad.

RSS chief K S Sudarshan, a dozen of sadhus and saffron leaders addressed the gathering. The focus of the sammelan was to send a message to the adivasies that they are part of Hinduism.

Sudarshan held a meeting with some mahantas of the area a day before the sammelan at Sanwaliaji temple near Chittorgarh. A resolution was passed in the meeting that non-Hindu should not be allowed to enter the temple.

The government has started Golwalkar Welfare Scheme for the benefit of adivasies in view of the birth centenary celebration of the former RSS chief M S Golwalkar.

State Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram chief Laxaminarayan Chatak announced to contact 70,000 people during Ramanvami and Hanuman Jayayti to collect funds for the constructions of hostels, opening of schools, Sanskar Kendras and to carry out activities for the welfare of adivasies. He said that the total tribal population of the state is around 85 Lakhs and as per the Christian missionaries' plans they would convert around ten percent of the tribals into the Christianity in the next couple of years.

About a year ago, Emmanual Mission International (EMI), which used to run about five-dozen schools, orphanage and such other institutions in and around Kota, was banned by the government after it’s head M A Thomas and other people were allegedly found engaged in conversion activities. The institutions run by the organization have been taken over by the government.

Rajasthan minister for cooperative Madan Dilawar launched a campaign against the EMI and virtually forced the district administration and the police to register cases against Thomas and others.

Thomas challenged the government order in the Rajasthan high court, but the single judge bench of the court rejected his plea saying that the government decision was very much in order. But the government lost the case, when it went to the two-judge bench.

Around this time, the Vasundhara Raje government passed an Anti Conversion Act in the assembly. But when it was sent to governor Pratibha Patil for her ascent, she declined to approve it. She sent it back to the government saying that this king of act could be made only by the central government.

She said that if government is not satisfied with her decision it could directly sent the bill to the President and since than the matter is lying with her. The government has taken the stand that similar kinds of bills were passed by MP, Orissa and some other states and were approved by the governor of those states.

The police had registered a case against Thomas before taking over institutions run by the EMI for publication and distribution of a book Hakeequat, which allegedly carries derogatory remarks against Hindu gods. The government banned the book immediately. The police issued arrest warrant against Thomas. The case is still before the court and the Supreme Court recently gave a directive to the state government not to arrest Thomas till any further order.

Christians in Punjab Victimized for Exercising Their Civil Rights inState Election & Pastor Beaten in Rajasthan

New Delhi, March 12, 2007 (All India Christian Council)

Three pastors have been arrested and charged with attempts on thelives of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists in Bathinda, Punjab.They were sentenced by a district magistrate to 24 days policecustody under section 307 of Indian Penal Code. Sources told the AllIndia Christian Council the allegations are false and the factscontradict reports by local media which carried fabrications from VHPand Bajrang Dal activists. Another pastor was beaten in Rajasthan andpolice refused to take his complaint.

Fifteen women were having prayer in Pastor Amit Sidhu's home inBathinda, Punjab on March 10, 2007, when a group of VHP and BajrangDal leaders came and asked them to stop. The matter was brought tothe attention of other local Christians and there was a clash betweenthem and VHP and Bajrang Dal activists.

One source told the All India Christian Council that a VHP activistwas severely injured and later Pastor Kulwan Raj, Chootta Singh andHarfool Singh were booked with an attempt on the lives of VHPactivists.

On the following day, Vijay Bhardwaj, the general secretary of theVHP, and Sumit Kumar, co-coordinator of the Bajrang Dal, led a group50 Hindutva activists and attempted to attack the occupants of PastorAmit Sidhu's house. Police forces had to disperse the crowd withlathi charges and it has been reported that some of them sufferedinjuries.

Gurjit Romana, Station House Officer of city police station, whoprotected the Christians from VHP and Bajrang Dal attack has beensuspended.

The three accused pastors were produced before magistrate today andthey have been put in police custody for 24 days.

"Christians were targeted because they exercised their rights offranchise, and the VHP and Bajrang Dal activists were angry thatChristians voted against their political alliances," one victimizedChristian said.

Christian women have given a complaint to local police against VHPand Bajrang Dal leaders for abusing them.

This incident took place less then a month after Akali Dal and itsBJP alliance won the state Assembly election. The Christian communityof the state live in fear of religious fanatics' attack might occuredas it happens in BJP and its allience Government rule states.

Another Pastor Brutally Beaten in Rajasthan

In another incident, Pastor Reginald Howell of Good ShepherdCommunity Churches was brutally beaten by a fanatic group inHanumangarh, Rajasthan, on March 7, 2007. Pastor Howell went there topray for sick people along with other Christians. He was beaten withan iron rod and suffered severe injuries on his back.

He told the All India Christian Council that police refused to takehis complaint against the culprits and forced him to leave the place.He sought medial attention as he was bleeding and doctors refused togive him First Aid in fear of attack from religious fanatics. Hehired a taxi and managed to reach his hometown in Punjab.

The All India Christian Council (www.aiccindia.org), birthed in 1998,exists to protect and serve the Christian community, minorities, andthe oppressed castes. The aicc is a coalition of thousands of Indiandenominations, organizations, and lay leaders.

Source: AICC

Christian pastor assaulted by Hindu extremists in Rajasthan

Pastor Reginald Howell was beaten with iron rods by Hindu militants in Rajasthan. Local police refused to follow up with report against his assailants and instead forced Howell to leave the state. Local law allows use of force to prevent conversions.

A pastor who was praying with a group of sick people was brutally beaten with iron rods by nationalist militants in the western state of Rajasthan.

Pastor Reginald Howell of Good Shepherd Community Church was holding a prayer meeting March 7th with a group of disabled people from Hanumangarh: other Christians from his community volunteers within the community were with him at the time.

Shortly after opening the meeting, a group of armed activists erupted into the prayer hall, beating the pastor on his back with iron rods. Following the attack the pastor made his way to the local hospital where he was refused treatment by doctors for fear of reprisal attacks by fanatics.

Police also refused to file his report against the aggressors and moreover forced him to leave the State and return to his home city in bordering Punjab.

Rajasthan is one of the most intolerant states towards non-Hindus. The Rajasthan Dharma Swatantrik Vidhayak [anti conversion law approved in 2006] permits “all use of force to prevent conversions” and foresees penalties of up to five years imprisonment for those found guilty.

In Rajasthan Christians represent 0.11 % of the population, Muslims 8% and Hindus 89%.
Source: Asia News