Church demolished by VHP goons as district officials watch in Chhattisgarh.

The Nagalpalika (city council) of Jagdalpur city in the state of Chhattisgarh, India demolished a Church allegedly under the sway of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) [World Council of Hindus] on March 13, 2013.

The move has been widely criticized by state Christian leaders and has caused turmoil in the small Christian community.

According to reports  the Church was built on a land belonging to the pastor Budhram Baghel after obtaining due permissions in 2006.

The Church building in 2006 was a temporary shed which was constructed after obtaining permission of the village head. The village council of village Gadia had even donated 10000 rupees towards the construction of the temporary Church building then. Later this temporary structure was made permanent after obtaining necessary clearances in January 2012.

The Church known as the Divya Jyoti Church, serves the spiritual needs of 100 plus tribal Christians who are now without a worship place.

According to reports Yogeshwar Kashyap, Lakhmuram and Shyamlal of Gadia village, allegedly VHP activists, filed a complaint with the Tesildar (Revenue administrative officer) of the area alleging that the construction of the Divya Jyoti church building took place in the government land.

They in their report demanded the demolition of the Church building. Local media was mobilized by the VHP people and local vernacular media covered the news on March 12, 2013.

On March 13, 2013 the local VHP Vice President Kailash Rathi and office bearer Yogendra Kaushik came with a bulldozer with a huge mob of Hindu fundamentalists, and started demolishing the Church Building.

While the demolition was being carried out the Tehsildar (Revenue officer), Local Police Station In charge  Mr. Shukla, Patwari (Officer incharge of the documentation of the land), Sarpanch (Village Head) Mr. Lakshman, and a posse of police personnel were watching the entire proceeding silently.

According to reports from local Christian leaders, the demolition started at about 01 PM on 13th March 2013. The Christian leaders alleged that the VHP office bearers were commanding all the administrative officials and Police, as if they were in charge of the whole district, the officials were meekly obeying them and taking orders.

The Christian leaders have said that the mob demolishing the Church constituted of Bhonjaram, Jatia, Dursai, Hungo, Budhram, Sakru, Gaita, Anant, Pilu, Ranu, Gutli, Boga, Samnath, Kuya, Yogesh, and Lakhu among others.

It is important to note that while the Construction of the church building was termed illegal by the office bearers of VHP, no measurement of land was ever carried out by the Revenue officials present. No notice of any kind was ever served to any of the aggrieved.

It was observed that the word of the VHP activists was the law which was meekly followed by all the administrative officials. A tractor- loader demolished walls and roof of the church building.

When local tribal protested and tried to stop the demolition they were beaten, verbally abused and pushed around. These included many women and children. The women were subjected to lewd gestures by the members of the VHP.

When Christian tribals  approached the police station to lodge an FIR they were threatened with dire consequences and were asked to leave the police station. They were warned that they could be charged as Naxals if they do not leave and could lose their lives. 

During the demolition objects of faith were desecrated. Offerings were looted and taken away by the fundamentalist.

Part of Pastor Budhram Baghel’s house which was standing there for the last 70 years on his own land, was also destroyed, his ration and other belongings were thrown out of his house.

While the local Christians have managed to register a complaint in the Lohandiguda police station, no case has been registered.

For God's Sake

The fire is spreading. First it was Orissa, then Madhya Pradesh. Now, Karnataka has emerged as the new battleground for the sangh parivar. Twelve Christian prayer halls in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Chikmagalur districts of Karnataka were targeted by mobs on Sunday.
These attacks could not have come at a worse time. The serial bomb blasts, first in Jaipur, then in Bangalore and Ahmedabad and now in Delhi, have created a climate of uncertainty and fear. We need to set aside our political differences and stand together to fight forces that threaten to weaken the secular fabric of this country.
A new arena of communal violence is the last thing this country needs now. State governments should realise the gravity of the situation and act accordingly.
The Orissa government was slow in reacting to the sangh parivar-led mobs that indulged in murder and arson after the murder of one of its senior leaders in the state. The minuscule Christian community in the tribal pockets of the state was blamed by the sangh parivar for the murder despite Maoists claiming responsibility for the killing.
Victims of the violence continue to live in a state of fear. As in Orissa, the sangh parivar has blamed religious conversion as the provocation for targeting the prayer halls. Religious conversion is legal in India. At the same time, legal measures are available to prevent forced conversion, or for that matter, forced reconversions. No religious group or political body can subvert the rights guaranteed under the Indian Constitution or the legal system and force its writ on the people.
It is time that the BJP reined in its affiliate outfits. Or, is it that these groups have now gathered a momentum of their own? The likes of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal operate outside parliamentary democracy, unlike the BJP that aspires to form the government at the Centre. The VHP and the Bajrang Dal have no faith in the liberal framework of the Indian Constitution. Does the BJP subscribe to the VHP-Bajrang Dal idea of India? Leaders like L K Advani, the BJP’s PM-in-waiting, ought to be worried about the actions of the party’s affiliate groups.
Communal violence is primarily a law and order problem. A strong response from the state government should bring the situation under control in Karnataka. Chauvinists could be under the impression that a BJP government in office is an opportunity to break the law. The state government should not allow such perceptions to linger and crack down immediately on troublemakers. The country can't afford any delay on that.

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Details of Sunday attacks outside Mangalore City

Source

We have now information regarding the incidents that took place on Sunday throughout DK. The excertpts are taken from persecution.in

1.SHIROOR: In one incident at Shiroor, Niragadh, Udupi district, at about 10.15 as the small congregation of believers had assembled for Sunday worship a gang of 50 plus VHP radicals armed with tridents, saffron flags barged into the hall and started praising the Orissa action against Christians. In the meantime a small group rushed to the pastor and unleashed savage attack with machetes on the right hand and right leg .Blood splashed all over and the blood smeared. bibles and hymn books were instantaneously consigned to attacked by the rabid terrorists. Pastor Abraham was admitted in a serious condition to Angeli hospital

Before they left they have also set fire to all the vehicles parked outside. The radicals also threatened Pastor Abraham’s wife Binsi with death and said that they will repeat the same kind of attacks what took place in Orissa.
Apart form this attack, there are reports of Six major attacks of churches with 7 believers seriously injured.

2. UDUPI: In an another attack in a place called udupi, a two and half year Samuel is said to be in serious condition in Udupi government hospital along with four persons from New life church Udupi. Pastor Gopinath is serving as pastor in New life church Udupi for the last twenty two years.

3. MUDUR: In an other attack on Immanuel church in Mudur, Kundapura, Udupi district. As Pastor Sunil Kumar was conducting the worship service in the church adjacent to his house, it happened at around 10.30 am a group of 20 Hindu radicals arrived on a jeep barged into the church and attacked the attendees. The church consisted of Orphan children and few others. No external injuries were reported. The goons after the attack on the church got into the Pastor Immanuel’s residence and broke furniture, television, Steel Cloth racks, and telephone.

4. BELTHANGADI: During a worship service in a place called kayarphaduka, in Belthangadi taluk, Mangalore district, a group of Hindu radicals face masked arrived on 2 jeeps and barged into the hall with swords and attacked pastor Christudas aged 40 yrs. It was reported from our sources that the radicals had come to hit and cut the neck of the pastor, but during the attack the Hindu radicals using the long sword left deep cuts on his both hands, legs and all over his body. The goons then got into the parsonage and completely destroyed all the furniture and household items. The pastor was rushed to the nearest Belthangadi taluk hospital and as they did not admit him there and was asked to take him immediately to Mangalore Medical College.
Pastor Christudas has been serving the Lord in this area since 10 years.

5. BELTHANGADI: At 10.15 am, during a Konkini worship service at a church called New Life Church at Modunpher, Mangalore District, a group of 20 Hindu radicals face masked entered into the church and attacked 5 believers leaving them injured. It was also reported from our sources that some property of the church was also damaged. The injured are admitted to the local hospital. Name of the pastor is not yet known.

6. MOODABIDRI: Hindu radicals entered the house of Pastor Gunasekaran, and attacked his house and as the attack took place Pastor’s wife and his children fearing ran for their lives. The radicals then destroyed all the furniture and household items leaving the house in disorder. Pastor’s daughter noticed the car number and informed the matter to the Police and based on the information Police arrested two people from the group of attackers.
During the attack, pastor Gunasekaran who pastors a church called Christ Glorious Ministry had gone to attend an English worship service. Pastor Gunasekaran is doing ministry in this place since 17 years.
No reports of any injuries. This place is 36 kms away from Mangalore district.

7.BANGALORE: There was report of an attack in a church at yeshwantpur.

8.KULOOR: Blessing Assemblies of God church was attacked by a group of Hindu radicals. Pastor Samraj who ministers this church, his wife and 2 believers has been attacked and Injured. They are admitted to Wenlock Government Hospital. Our sources have reported that there are 7-8 Injured during the attack. A gold chain of a lady attendee was snatched by Hindu radicals during the attack. Musical Instruments and other church furniture’s are damaged.

9. KODICAL: A church of South India (CSI) church was attacked and attackers broke all the window panes, PA system and furniture’s of the church.

10.HEMANAGATTA: Hindu radicals attacked a church called Miligrais Church and Major statue of Mother Mary was destroyed and also other statues of the church. Also the radicals broke the window panes and furniture’s of the church.
No reports of any injuries.

11. JAYAPURA: A church in Jayapura, in chickmangalur district was attacked by Hindu radicals at 10.30 am. The name of the church is End Time Full gospel Church and Pastor Anthony ministers this church. It happened that, as the worship service was going on a group of 30 members of a radical group barged into the church with wooden clubs, Cycle chains and long swords and attacked the Pastor and the believers of the church. Our sources have reported that 8 ladies were Injured including a pregnant lady. The Pastor, a church believer and an Old man also was reported injured during the attack. They were admitted to the nearest hospital for first aid. The goons even broke window panes, furnitures and other valuable things of the church.

12. KADUR: Pastor Dhanraj who ministers a House church (Name not known) in a place called Shingettikere, Kadoor was attacked by a group of Hindu radicals after the worship service. No major injuries was reported. The radicals have damaged property, furnitures and Musical Instruments of the House church.The following believers were arrested. 1.Kalleshappa(52), Savgithramma(42)Nalini (40)Rajanna (45)
Kadoor is 30 kms away from Chickmangalur district. Pastor Dhanraj is serving the Lord in this place since 3 years.

13.PUTTUR: Mount Zion Assemblies of God church was attacked at around 10.30 am. Pastor P.I Joy (42 yrs) ministers this church. It happened that as the worship service got started a group of 100 members from a Hindu radical group arrived to the Premises of the church with wooden clubs and stones. Among the 100 members, 30 members barged into the church and without any conversation with the church members or Pastor the Hindu radicals started to beat the Pastor and Assistant pastor Babu John (30 Yrs). During the attack Pastor P.I Joy’s left hand was broken and one finger cut down.
The radicals then destroyed the roof, musical instruments and other church related things. The goons also got into the Pastor’s house and destroyed all his household things. Pastor’s car was destroyed too.
Both Pastors have been admitted to Mahaveer Hospital at Puttur for treatment. Pastor P.I Joy had to undergo an operation tomorrow to have steel rod plates to be placed where he had his broken bones.
Police arrived to the spot and took details of the incident.
Pastor P.I Joy is ministering in this place since 11 years.

Nine churches attacked in Karnataka

Bangalore, Sept 14 (PTI) Suspected Bajrang Dal activists today attacked nine churches in parts of coastal and Malnad districts of Karnataka, protesting alleged conversion of Hindus into Christianity by missionaries.
The attacks, believed to have been planned and executed in the morning, left at least eight persons, including two pastors, injured, police said.
The pastors were injured in Sirur and Jayapura.
Churches in Singtagere, Magodu, Jayapura in Chikmagalur district of Malnad region, prayers halls in Udupi, Sirur and Mudur in Udupi district, Kodikkal, Falnir and Afla Centre in Mangalore were the target of the attacks, they said.
Motorcycle-borne miscreants barged into prayer halls and ransacked them, they said, adding additional reinforcements have been sent in view of the violence.
Five persons have been arrested in Udupi in connection with the attacks, they said.
In Mangalore, the authorities have clamped prohibitory orders for three days from today, police said.

PTI

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Prayer halls attacked in Karnataka

Karnataka Bureau

Bangalore: Twelve Christian prayer halls were attacked allegedly by pro-Hindu groups in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Chikmagalur districts of Karnataka on Sunday. In Dakshina Kannada district alone, at least eight prayer halls were targeted and one person was stabbed.

Three halls were attacked in Mangalore (at Hampanakatta, Kulur and Kodical), and Nettana in Puttur taluk, Madantyar in Belthangady taluk, Moodbidri, Puttur and Permannur near Thokkottu.

In Kankanady, police prevented an attack and arrested three persons.

Thousands of Christians took to the streets to protest against the attacks.

Eighteen persons, including 10 policemen and three women, were injured in three incidents of stone throwing — two in Mangalore and one at Madantyar in Belthangady. The demonstrators pelted stones at the policemen when they tried to disperse them.

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Cr. PC have been imposed for three days in Mangalore taluk.

The stone-throwing incident at Milagres in Mangalore occurred minutes before Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Oscar Fernandes visited it..

All the attacks reportedly took place when people were offering prayers around 10.30 a.m. The miscreants claimed the attacks were in protest against religious conversion.

Dakshina Kannada district president of Bajrang Dal Sudarshan Moodbidri said the attacks were carried out by the Hindu community.

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AFTERMATH OF SWAMI'S KILLING : THE CHRISTIAN VICTIMS LIST

EFI NEWS

1) NUN BURNT ALIVE: A nun was burnt to death on 25th, Monday, after an orphanage was torched in at Phutpali in Bargarh district in Orissa during a bandh called by Hindu nationalist parties.Twenty children, who were at the orphanage, managed to escape but a priest suffered serious burn injuries in the attack.
2) RASANANDA PRADHAN TORCHED ALIVE: Another person, Rasananda Pradhan, was burnt to death when his house was set ablaze at Rupa village in Kandhamal district.
3) INFLAMMATORY SPEECHES TARGET CHRISTIANS: During the bandh inflammatory speeches spreading hatred against the Christian workers and the community were given by the VHP leaders. To gain the mass support,the activists have also carried the body of Swamiji throughout the town.
4) CHURCHES BURNT ALL ACROSS ORISSA STATE: Churches were attacked in Khurda, Bargarh, Sundergarh, Sambalpur, Koraput, Boudh, Mayurbhanj, Jagatsinghpur and Kandhamal districts as also in the state capital, police sources said, adding 40 houses were set ablaze in Phulbani town.
5) BUSES AND VEHICLES TORCHED: Mr. Mishra Digal was beaten up, while the motorcycles of Mr. R. K. Digal and Jitendra were burnt. Several buses at Gee Udaigiri in Baliguda were burnt.
6) PULBANI CHURCH RANSACKED: The Church at Phulbani,and several other churches at Phiringia were attacked and ransacked. Pastor D. Tatson's house was vandalized and his property burnt.
7) KAKRIGUMA CHURCHES VANDALISED: Churches in Kakriguma have been targeted by the mob that reportedly damaged the Assembly Of God Church and the Philadelphia Church.
8) WORLD VISION STAFF FLED FOR SAFETY: World Vision India office ransacked and the Staff has also fled to jungle for protection.
9) CHRISTIANS TAKE SHELTER IN FOREST FOR PROTECTION: A police camp at Barakhama was also attacked by the Hindu fundamentalists. With several houses being burnt down and people being made homeless, many Christians,particularly from Nua Sahi, Munda Sahi and Suna Tonga have fled into forests for their lives.
10) NUN RAPED: A young Catholic Nun of the Cuttack Bhubaneswar diocese working Jan Vikas Kendra, the Social Service Centre at Nuagaon in Kandhamal was reportedly gang raped on 24th August 2008 by groups of Hindutva extremists before the building itself was destroyed.
11) SENIOR PRIEST AND NUN INJURED: Fr Thomas, director of the Diocesan Pastoral Centre in Kanjimendi, less than a kilometer away from the Social Service Centre, and another Nun were injured when the centre was attacked. They were taken to the police station in a disheveled state as the armed mob bayed for their blood. The Pastoral centre was then set afire.
12) BALLIGUDA CHURCH BUILDINGS DESTROYED AGAIN: On 24th August 2008 evening lynch mobs at the block headquarters of Balliguda, in the very heart of Kandhamal district, which had seen much violence between 24th and 26th December 2007, attacked and destroyed a Presbytery, convent and hostel damaging the properties.
13) CHRISTIAN BOYS HEADS TONSURED: The mobs in Balliguda caught hold of two boys of the Catholic hostel and tonsured their heads.
14) PHULBANI CHURCH DAMAGED: On 25th august 2008 morning followers of the late Lakshmanananda Saraswati damaged the Catholic Church in Phulbani, the district headquarter town.
15) MOTHER TERESA BROTHERS ASHRAM ATTACKED: Mobs attacked the Mother Teresa Brothers' residence and hospital in Srasanada, destroyed once before and rebuilt two months ago, and beat up the patients.
16) BHUBANESWAR BISHOP'S HOUSE ATTACKED: On the morning of 25th August 2008, violent mobs made several attempts to enter the compounds of Catholic Church and Archbishop's house in the heart of the Capital of the State of Orissa. They could not enter because of the police presence. They threw stones at the guesthouse of Archbishop's House, damaging windows.
17) DUBURI PARISH: Another group of fundamentalists entered presbytery in Duburi parish, managed by the SVDs and destroyed and damaged property. Two priests of the parish are missing.
18) Mr. Jamaj Pariccha, Director of Gramya Pragati, is attacked and his property damaged, vehicle looted and burnt.
19) A Baptist Church in Akamra Jila in Bhubaneswar is also damaged.
20) Christian institutions like St. Arnold's School (Kalinga Bihar) and NISWASS report some damage.
21) BOUDH DISTRICT [Adjoining Kandhamal]: Fundamentalists enter the Catholic parish church and destroy property. People are fleeing to safer places. But nothing seems safe.
22) MUNIGUDA: Muniguda Catholic Fathers and Nuns' residence have been damaged.
23) SAMBALPUR: HM Sister's residence (Ainthapalli) has suffered damage.
24) PADANPUR: One priest is attacked and admitted to a hospital. Hostel boys and the in charge have moved away from the place.
25) MADHUPUR: Madhupur Catholic Church currently under attack.
26) SMALL CHURCHES: Attempted violence on small churches in various districts, including Padampur, Sambalpur near GM College, Talsera, Dangsoroda, Narayanipatara, Muniguda, Tummiibandh, Tangrapada, Phulbani, Balliguda, Kalingia, Chakapad, Srasanranda.
27) VILLAGE CHRISTIAN HOUSES ATTACKED: Houses attacked on forest hamlets of Balliguda, Kanjamandi Nuaguam (K.Nuaguam), Tiangia (G.Udayagiri), Padangiri, Tikabali.
28) KALAHANDI DISTRICT: Houses burnt even though the district is more than 300 kilometers from the place where Swami Lakshmanananda was killed.
29) PASTORS' HOUSE BURNT: Pastor Sikandar Singh of the Pentecostal Mission beaten up and his house burnt in Bhawanipatna.
30) KHARIHAR: 3 Christian shops were looted and burnt. Pastor Alok Das and Pastor I M Senapati beaten up.
31) AAMPANI: Pastor David Diamond Pahar, Pastor Pravin Ship, Pastor Pradhan and Pastor Barik beaten up and chased away with their families.
32) NAKTIKANI: Mob surrounds village to attack Christians.
The government has sent forces, it is reported. A delegation of Christian leaders under the leadership of Archbishop Vincent Concessao, the President of National United Christian Forum of CBCI, NCCI and EFI, met the Home Minister Shri Shiv Raj Patil and submitted a memorandum. The Home Minister assured the delegation all necessary steps have been taken to maintain peace and harmony and protect the innocent. He also expressed his helplessness by stating that police protection cannot be given in all villages.
EFI request prayers at this time so that peace and harmony may prevail.
[This list is compiled with assistance from Archbishop's House, Bhubaneswar, John Dayal, Light Foundation and EFI News reporters and other sources]

Rev. Dr. Richard Howell
General Secretary
Evangelical Fellowship of India
New Delhi, India

Christian team attacked in Warangal, Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad: Hindutva activists have attacked a Pastor and a Christian media team representing The Book of Hope at Jangaon in Warangal district of Andhra Pradesh. The attackers have also destroyed the media kit, including the film and the screen.

A team from The Book of Hope was screening a film on Jesus under the supervision of Pastor Devadanam of Telugu Baptist Church at Jangaon on 27 July 2008. Around 8 pm, more than 30 members belonging to Bharatiya Janata Party, Viswa Hindu Parishad and Bajarang Dal arrived at the venue and ransacked the place. They also beat up the Pastor and the team members and then destroyed the screen, the film and the furniture.

Thereafter the attackers sat in dharna in front of the Pastors’ residence, protesting against conversion activities in the area. They damaged the gate and doors of the house. The Pastor’s plea to spare them fell on deaf ears. They then went back to the spot where the film was screened and destroyed all the books and pamphlets and set fire to them. Upon this, the Pastor rang up the police, informing them about the continued attack by the Hindutva men. Just before the police arrived, they escaped into the dark.

On 28 July 2008, a group of Christian leaders took out a procession to the office of the District Superintendent of Police, wearing black badges. In the meantime the Circle Inspector of Jangaon approached them, assuring that similar incidents would not happen again.

By evening, the police official got all the attackers together and brought about a compromise between them. The Christian leaders thereafter withdrew the police complaint.

Source: AICC