Bible School Students beaten in Himachal Pradesh

Three Bible school students in the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh were beaten on the morning of Saturday, January 27, and their Bible school vandalized by a group of Hindu extremists who oppose the growth of Christianity in their nation.

The students had divided into groups and were witnessing in nearby villages when they were confronted and beaten by members of an extremist group. The group then took the students to the police station.

Shortly after the attack, a mob of about 60 members of this same group came to the home Bible school and vandalized the facility.

"They caused a lot of damage," reported a field correspondent, "breaking the windows and shelves and tearing apart the books before they left."

The extremist group is a branch of the VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad, or "World Hindu Council"), an organization dedicated to promoting an ultra-nationalistic philosophy that “to be Indian is to be Hindu." Groups such as these often oppose Christian work with violence.

Local police responded to the attack, locking up the Bible school and taking everyone—staff, students and a women's ministry team—into custody.

"It was first thought that the police were against us," said the correspondent.

"But then we came to know that the police took them in order to protect them."

By Saturday evening, police released the group and posted four officers to guard the Bible school overnight.

"It is not sure whether or not the fanatics will return," our correspondent stated.

Gospel for Asia currently trains thousands of students in Bible colleges throughout Asia. First-year students typically attend home Bible schools, which offer a more personal mentoring environment, and which then feed into the larger Bible colleges for the students' final two years of missionary training.

Gospel for Asia leaders are asking Christians to pray for this situation to be resolved, for the safety of everyone involved and for continued freedom to preach the Gospel in the state of Himachal Pradesh.

Himachal Pradesh recently became the eighth state in India to pass anti-conversion legislation. If the bill is signed into law by the governor, it would impose fines and prison time on both those who embrace Christianity and those who introduce them to Christ.

Christian beaten up in Karnataka, Pastor threatened

Please pray for Pastor Neil Armstrong of the Full Gospel Assembly, who has been threatened by fundamentalists today in Harpanahalli, Davangere district, Karnataka state. He has been asked to not hold the Sunday service on coming Sunday, 28th January 2007 of his house Church. He has been threatened with dire consequences if he disobeys the threat and goes against the directive.

He received news that on 22nd January 2007, the radical outfits operating in the area had meetings, whereby they decided to come down heavily upon the Christian community in Harpanahalli a big way. To get their point across, M. Subbarao - a Christian working as a crusher mechanic was badly beaten up today morning. The fundamentalists informed Pastor about this incident, and further told him to not try to assist the Christian Brother, now in the police lock up.

Pastor Armstrong who is also the president of the Harpanahalli chapter of the Karnataka Missions Network, is being watched carefully by the fundamentalists. He has been told not to step out of his home, or to try and network with other pastors for any help. Please pray for God’s hand of protection to be upon Pastor Armstrong at this time. Pray also for the Lord to guide Pastor with His wisdom at this crucial time. Pray that the police would be impartial as we seek their help in this matter. In the meanwhile we are trying to find out a way to get in touch with bro Subbarao. Please pray for his safety as well.

Christians beaten up in Badwani, Madhya Pradesh

Christians assembled for Sunday morning devotions at the Philadelphia Church in Nawapada, Badwani were targeted by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on January 28th 2006. The shouts and screams of a Christian woman, who was one of the first to be beaten up, drew the support of the Hindu neighbors who came to the rescue of the Christians. Assembling in large numbers to defend the Christians, the Hindus forced the RSS men to withdraw from the area. However, in the skirmish three Christians, namely Bablu, Guman and Sushil, went missing.

Initially it was feared that the three had been kidnapped. After searching at length, they were found at the Badwani Police station. The RSS had got them grounded at the police station on charges of forceful religious conversions. When asked to release the young men, the Thana Inspector insisted they would not release them till the investigations were not complete. To make matters worse, the RSS men brought in two more believers whom they insisted they had found involved in conversions. Pastor Hatey Singh and Pastor Raju contacted us to intervene on their behalf.

We got in touch with the Superintendent of Police (SP) looking after Badwani, who was helpful enough to hear out the details in an impartial manner. He addressed the situation in due time, and at night by 8.30 pm all five had been released. However the updates that we have received from the Christians who were in the police station is that the SP has "forbidden" them from baptizing people from now on and has given them an instruction to take people to Gayatri Mandir whenever they want to help people i.e. helping alcoholics or praying for them.

The situation in Badwani, and the adjoining areas - Jhabua and Nimad; is increasingly being communalised. The Hindutva forces are targeting these heavily populated Christian areas to enforce their majority status. Please pray for the safety of Christians residing in Badwani, Jhabua and Nimad, that the Lord’s special hand of protection would be upon his people even as large scale Hindu gatherings are being organized to ‘reawaken’ the Hindus of the area.

More than 80,000 people take to the streets to defend missionaries accused of stealing

The Chattisgarh state government, which accuses missionaries of stealing the land of Tribal people in order to convert, has filed 262 cases against the Church to force it to “give back” the land. Demonstrators defend the Church and want politicians to stop manipulating the law.

Jashpur (AsiaNews/Agencies) – More than 80,000 Tribals have taken to the streets in the eastern state of Chattisgarh in defence of the Church accused by the local government of stealing lands from locals in order to convert them.

The land on which Catholic missionaries have built mission institutions “was not stolen from us, but was regularly sold to the Church by our ancestors, which now uses it to help,” said one demonstrator. “We are happy for the schools and hospitals,” which now stand on the contested land, because they “educate us and provide us with medical care”,.

The demonstration, which took place last Monday, is a response to a local court decision requiring the Sisters of the Holy Cross return to Tribals 12 acres of land on which they built a monastery and a school.

The judge motivated his decision based on local legislation 170 (b) which bans land sales in Tribal areas to non Tribals.

The state government, which is controlled by the Hindu nationalist Bharatya Janata Party, filed 262 cases alleging unlawful occupation of tribal land by Catholic missions.

“We have never asked that the land be returned,” said Tarcitius Toppo, one of the demonstrators. “It was never stolen and is not used to convert us but only to help us. The government should stop manipulating the law for its own purposes.”

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VHP activists attacks Christian Meeting in UP

VHP stall alleged conversion proceedings by Christian missionaries in UP

Chakeri (UP), Jan 21 (ANI): Activists of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal today stalled what they called was an alleged conversion proceeding by Christian missionaries.

About 30 VHP and Bajrang Dal activists disrupted a meeting conducted by Christian missionaries accusing them of attempting religious conversion.

"We came to know that in Richa guesthouse, some Christian missionaries were holding discourses on religious conversion. We would not have allowed that to happen. If they try to conduct such meetings again in future, we will give them a fitting reply and will take to the streets," said Sunil Singh, a VHP activist.

About 100 attendants who were forced out of the hall however, said the discourses were on religious teachings and not on conversions.

"There was no attempt converting people's religion. You can ask anybody who attended the meeting," said Anita Joseph, one of the attendants of the meeting.

Hindu hardliners have repeatedly accused Christian missionaries of engineering conversions by incentives of jobs and education to the poor.

Christian activists deny the charge and say they are only involved in charity work.

Christians make up less than three percent of India's more than one billion population. (ANI)

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Pastor and Wife beaten in Karnataka

Pastor David and his wife were beaten up for preaching the Good news to the slum dwellers in Bangalore

Pastor Paul David 29 years and his wife Prasanna Kumari (25) were beaten up by fanatic mob on 15th January '07.Pastor David has been in the ministry for about 10 years in and around Bangalore. Prasanna Kumari his wife is a convert from a lower Hindu caste and has completed the graduation course in Law.

Pastor David lived in J.P Nagar, Bangalore and conducted church services at his house for the last 2 years. About 40 members attended, most from the slum near by. But David’s messages against sin caused misgivings among others in the slum. Anti-social elements in the slum warned the pastor not to preach such messages as people were turning away from activities such as prostitution, drunkenness, theft etc.They raised objections several times even as services were going on and warned him not continue.

On11th January'07 some people gathered around pastor's house intimidated him and forcibly vacated their belongings. He was also beaten up by the mob. Fearing further violence, he and his wife moved out of the house and were forced to spend the night on a terrace as they had no place to go. None of the church members came forward to help the couple fearing attack from antisocial elements. The couple managed to keep their belongings in some space offered by a church member and fled on an overnight bus, so that they passed the night. The next day they returned to Bangalore and managed to find a small room in the slum to keep their belongings, and stayed there for 2 days. At 6:30 pm on 15th Jan, a group of people gathered around their room and again started accusing them.

They physically attacked both the pastor and his wife, snatched their mobile phones and gold chain from them and beat them mercilessly. The pastor insisted that he had not done any wrong and demanded to be taken to the police station, but of course the antisocial were not comfortable to go to the police station. However after about one and half hour of beating them, the mob took the couple to the Mico layout police station at 8 pm and lodged false complaint. The police let the couple go at 10 in the night and asked them to return to the police station next day morning.

Fearing a fresh attack, the pastor and his wife ran out of the police station, reached a school compound, and stayed under a half constructed structure the whole night. Next day morning, they escaped from the place, and reached a friend's place and stayed there for a day.

During the mob attack, they lost their cell phones/money/ gold chain etc. All their belongings are kept in the slum and they are afraid to go there for fear of life.

Please keep Pastor David and his wife Prasanna Kumari in your prayers.

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Hindu radicals to protest against Christian orphanage in Himachal

Activists belonging to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and other Sangh Parivar outfits will hold a sit-in dharna in front of Pastor Behal orphanage at Kamgra town in Himachal Pradesh on 20 January 2007. The activists are demanding that Pastor Behal and his family along with other Christian workers leave the place and stop all their activities in the town.

Pastor Behal is a retired army captain serving the people in Kangra. He runs a children home looking after around 15 orphans. He also has a church and a Bible training centre where around 15 students are studying.

The fanatics have accused him of using the children to do various works for him. They are also not happy with the service offered by the Christian institution in the area.

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Evangelists attacked in NCR region

Four evangelists were attacked while they were preaching and distributing tracts near Indirapuram in Uttar Pradesh by a mob of orthodox Hindus on January 2, 2007. The evangelists were part of a group of seven who belong to the Brethren Assembly.

The evangelists were beaten up and their van was also damaged. They were accused by the Hindus of offering money so that people will convert.

After the evangelists went to the police station, they were asked by the police not to unnecessarily create disturbance in the area. They were further asked to take permission before preaching or distributing tracts in the future.

Rewriting of history to blot out Indian Christians

Rajasthan state government to "correct imbalances" in official history in an effort that professional historians and Catholic Church consider unscientific and an effort by the ruling party to impose Hindu nationalism

Rajasthan's state government in India plans to 'correct imbalances' in its official history, chronicled by colonial officials. It will do so by revisiting all 41,000 villages and 186 cities and towns in this western Indian state to collect fresh historical material and set the record straight.

The decision has however caused controversy and criticism. Professional historians but also the Catholic Church have said that the project is unscientific; instead, they view it as another attempt by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to impose its Hindutva-centred nationalism.

Under the plan, called Aapno Dharti, Aapno Log (our land, our people), starting January 4 school teachers are to talk to village leaders and elders to check for any errors in the histories of local villages, towns and cities.

For Rajasthan's Education Minister, Ghanshyam Tiwari, whilst the history written by British author Colonel James Todd during the days of the Raj was believed to be authentic, it was controversial in certain points and so should be reviewed.

The project, which should be completed by 2008, includes listing and recording the state's numerous monuments, historical and heritage sites, old idioms and phrases, folk dance, folk songs and all other culturally, socially, economically and politically relevant items.

Data collection will be done using pre-prepared standardised forms that will be distributed in all of the state's villages, towns and cities.

Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has slammed the decision to rewrite history books claiming that the operation is part of the BJP'S attempt to 'saffronise history'. Saffron is the BJP's colour.

For Fr Babu Joseph, spokesperson for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, "researching and writing history is a complex exercise and cannot be left to untrained citizens. Myths, legends and hear-say cannot be the basis of history as a scientific discipline. History cannot be arbitrarily written, especially when it has the potential of creating social cleavages".

Other sources, who preferred to remain anonymous, told AsiaNews that in its attempt at historical revisionism the BJP will likely try to belittle and distort the important work Christians have done in favour of the oppressed and the marginalised.

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'Christian bashing' disturbs Christmas in central Indian state

By Francis Maria Britto

1/3/2007

RAIPUR, India (UCAN) – Christmas 2006 brought a bundle of trouble for Christians in a central Indian state.

Newspapers in Chhattisgarh carried negative reports about missioners along with Christmas greetings and features. Some Catholics in Raipur Archdiocese stayed away from Christmas programs, fearing violence or harassment by right-wing Hindu groups.

The pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP, Indian people's party) has ruled the state for the past three years. Raipur city, the Chhattisgarh capital, is 1,745 kilometers (about 1,080 miles) southeast of New Delhi.

Monica Bagh, a village catechist, said members of her Baloda parish refused to hold traditional Christmas programs this year for fear of their village chief. The local official "was coming around to watch whether we were celebrating Christmas," the dalit Catholic told UCA News on Dec. 27. "So we did not even make the crib in our (village) chapel."

Most parishioners are Gada, one of the groups referred to as dalit, low-caste groups formerly considered "untouchable." They have a tradition of receiving an Infant Jesus statue in their home after Christmas. The family would sing carols and venerate the statue with incense, flowers and coconut.

In Singharpur, no dalit Catholic went to their parish church for Christmas celebrations, fearing Hindu neighbors, villager Rashid Bagh told UCA News.

Earlier, a rumor spread in the region that a witch would come begging for an onion and chapati (flat bread) at houses not marked with the phrase Om Namah Shivai, expressing homage to the Hindu god Shiva. A member of each family she visited would die, it was said. Most families, including Christians, scribbled the phrase with cow dung on their mud walls.

Christian students seemingly were targeted as well. Previously the state's educational institutions had observed a winter holiday the week after Christmas. The BJP government not only canceled the holiday but also conducted semiannual examinations before and after Christmas. "The exams have spoiled the Christmas mood," 10th-grader Padmini Sona told UCA News.

One BJP parliamentarian even led a "reconversion" ceremony on Christmas Eve. It made front-page news in a local daily.

Nav Bharat (new India) reported that about 110 Christians became Hindus at the ghar vapasi (homecoming) conducted by Dilip Singh Judeo in Basna, base of a Raipur Archdiocese parish. The paper also reproduced various allegations Judeo leveled against Christian missioners.

The Hindu activist accused Christian missioners of "secretly" converting Hindus through "fraud and allurement."

The paper said that initially 543 people had registered for the ceremony. Judeo later said his people would investigate the reasons why many had not turned up despite "voluntarily" registering their names.

Father Felix Fernandez, the Basna parish priest, dismissed the reconversion program as "a flop." No Catholic from his parish attended the program, he told UCA News.

However, Purendar Sagar, a catechist of nearby Baloda parish, told UCA News on Dec. 31 that some "nominal" Catholics from his Baelmundi village went in two jeeps to the Hindu program, "expecting to get something."

Chitranjan Tandi, a dalit Christian teacher in Navapara village, alleged that the Hindu organizers "pestered" him to attend the reconversion ceremony. Although he did not go to that ceremony, he also did not attend Christmas Mass, fearing harassment.

On Christmas Day, Hitavada, a local English-language daily, reported that police arrested Church of God Pastor Rajendra Prasad and 10 other Christians in Dhamtari town for "alluring and forcing" people to embrace Christianity. A state law bans conversion through fraud, allurement or by force.

Soon after the arrest, a mob gathered at the police station and shouted slogans against missioners. Police official Vijay Agrawal told media the police confiscated Christian literature from those arrested and registered a complaint against them.

Pastor James Ram told media the arrested Christians were going around singing carols and distributing literature to interested people, when some Hindu activists complained to the police and gathered a mob. Distributing Christian literature is not an offense, Pastor Ram insisted.

In another incident, police on Dec. 21 arrested a Christian schoolteacher and registered a case against her for distributing copies of the New Testament to 10th-grade students. They reportedly acted on a complaint from the principal. Members of Dharam Sena (religion army) demonstrated at the school and condemned the "conversion" of students.
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Another State in India Passes Anti-Conversion Bill

Christians term Congress Party's move in Himachal Pradesh a 'cruel joke.'

NEW DELHI, January 3 (Compass Direct News) - The Congress Party has passed an anti-conversion bill in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh, where only 8,000 of the more than 6 million people are Christian.

The Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Bill was passed on Saturday (December 30) during the four-day winter session of the state assembly. It remains to be signed into law.

Vijay Kumar, principal secretary of the state home department, told Compass that under the bill any person found forcibly converting another person could be imprisoned for up to two years and/or fined up to 25,000 rupees (US$565).

Kumar also said that any person wishing to convert to another religion must give prior notice of at least 30 days to the district government. "If he or she fails to do it, the penalty will be a fine up to 1,000 rupees (US$23)," he said.

Asked if the government had any official data on forcible conversions in the state to justify the bill, Kumar said no such data was available.

"It is not a reactionary measure, but a proactive one, to infuse confidence among the people of the state that the government is thoughtful of the issues," he said.

Dr. John Dayal, secretary general of the All India Christian Council, termed the move of the state government a "cruel joke."

"[Congress Party leader] Sonia Gandhi had written to me expressing her government's and party's opposition to such laws being passed by the BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] governments," he told Compass. "But now, her own party in Himachal Pradesh has brought about such a bill."

Dayal, who is also member of the National Integration Council, said the state chief minister, Vir Bhadra Singh, was playing into the hands of Hindu extremists.

"It is no honor to the Congress Party, and it must disown the bill and have it withdrawn," he added.

Ministry as 'Allurement'

Known as "Freedom of Religion" acts, anti-conversion laws are in force in the states of Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Arunachal Pradesh.

Christians point out that anti-conversion laws allow Hindus to term any social work among people of other faiths as "allurement," and any talk of eternal destiny as a consequence of sin as "force."

Anti-conversion laws recognize the sacrament of baptism as conversion and hence require churches to report all baptisms of non-Christian converts to government officials.

The opposition BJP, a Hindu nationalist party that had in September 2006 promised to enact an anti-conversion law if it came into power in the state assembly elections in 2008, welcomed the bill’s passage, reported Asia News International (ANI).

The leader of the opposition, Prem Kumar Dhumal, told national daily The Indian Express last September 22, "After coming to power in Himachal Pradesh, the BJP would bring legislation against religious conversion and slaughtering of cows [considered holy by Hindus], as the present government has completely failed to protect the rights of the Hindus."

On April 7, 2006 the BJP passed a similar bill in Rajasthan state. It also passed bills to amend the existing anti-conversion laws in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh on July 25 and August 3 respectively.

In addition, the party passed a bill to amend dormant anti-conversion legislation in Gujarat on September 19 of last year.

The chief minister of Tamil Nadu state, J. Jayalalithaa, had announced the repeal of that state's "anti-conversion" law (the Prohibition of Forcible Conversion of Religion Act) in May 2004, following the poor performance of her party in April 2004 general elections.

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More incidents of hitting out at Christians

2/1/2007

Today at 13:00 Hrs. 9 Christians are being beaten up by a group of 100 Hindu fundamentalists because their relatives were visiting and celebrating New Year festivities.

Mr. Nahum Das retired manager from NTPC and his family members were visiting Mr. Gulab Saket (also a Christian) in village Devra, Thana Waidhan, (Singroli) Dist. Sidhi, Madhya Pradesh. During their visit to their relative’s house a mob of 100 Hindu fundamentalists claiming to be from various 'Dals' and 'Senas' started beating them. The Police is not taking any action what so ever and giving these goons a freehand to vandalize.

Similar 45 incidents have happened in Dhamtari and Raipur, Chhattisgarh, during the Christmas week wherein two pastors have suffered fractured bones and multiple injuries. No preventive action or assistance from the state government machinery is being given.

Yuletide Carol-Singers Arrested, Church Burned in India

Christmas Eve services disrupted in several states.

NEW DELHI, December 27 (Compass Direct News) - Hindu extremists burned down a church in India on Saturday (December 23), arrested carol-singers on Christmas Eve and disrupted yuletide services in several states. One Christian suffered a fractured hand, and another lost his hearing.

Extremists burned down a thatched church in Boriguma area, Koraput district of Orissa state on Saturday night (December 23), preventing church members from celebrating Christmas there. The congregation had already decorated the building for Christmas festivities, but everything was destroyed in the fire.

Asit Kumar Mohanty, state representative of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), said GCIC was investigating the incident to determine who was responsible.

On Christmas Eve, about 45 jeeps full of Dharma Sena members circled through the streets of Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh state, announcing that they would close down all church services held on Christmas Day.

"Dharma Sena is a Hindu fundamentalist group supported by the VHP and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party state government," Arun Pannalal, general secretary of the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum, told Compass.

"They had already carried out several attacks in the week before Christmas," he added. "These public threats are just another step in their campaign to rid the state of Christians."

Carol-Singers Arrested

Later on Christmas Eve, Pastor James Ram and 10 other Christian missionaries were beaten and arrested after singing carols in Jalampur, a remote shanty town in Dhamtari, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Raipur in Chhattisgarh.

Members of the Hindu extremist Bajrang Dal attacked about 20 Christians who had gathered in a church in Jalampur; they stormed into the church, beat some of the Christians and destroyed hymnbooks and Bibles.
Five Christians were injured in the attack; one suffered a loss of hearing due to a blow to his head, while a Bible school student’s hand was fractured, according to a GCIC report.

"The missionaries were caught bribing poor Hindus in a slum colony to convert to Christianity," the Times of India reported, quoting Bharat Singh, superintendent of police in Dhamtari. "They were promising people economic help and jobs in exchange for conversion."

Pannalal told Compass that the charges of forced conversion were false: "The Bajrang Dal members were simply annoyed by the chanting of Christmas carols."

Ram was released by about 10:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve, and the other believers were released by 6:30 p.m. on Christmas Day.

The arrests have heightened communal tension in the Dhamtari area; in the past few days, Dharma Sena and Bajrang Dal members have been out patrolling the streets, according to Pannalal.

Prayer Service Disrupted

Hindu extremists also prevented tribal Christians in Tilonda village, Thane district of Maharashtra state, from celebrating a joint Christmas prayer service on Christmas Eve.

Over 400 Christians had gathered for the event.

Before the service could begin, however, a large mob from the local Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad barged into the assembly, shouting slogans against Christianity and driving the Christians away from the prayer hall.

Fearing further violence, church officials canceled the event.

According to Dr. Abraham Mathai, vice-chair of the Maharashtra State Minorities Commission, there were three other incidents of violence against tribal Christians in Thane district in the week before Christmas.

Mathai had written to local police asking for protection for the Christmas Eve prayer service.

"The police were present, but they did nothing when the extremists arrived," Mathai said.

'Reconverted' to Hinduism

The Hindu extremist group Dharam Jagran Samiti (DJS or Society for Religious Revival) yesterday (December 26) claimed it had "reconverted a large number of Christians" in Agra district of the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, Asian News International reported.

"Those Hindus who had converted to Christianity, or those who were lured into joining it by Christian missionaries, were called here to return back to the Hindu fold with respect and on equal terms," said Gajeshwar Singh, regional chief of the DJS.

On December 23, police asked the Good Shepherd Community Church (GSCC) in Agroha, Hisar district, Haryana state not to celebrate Christmas.

"Some people, seemingly belonging to the Bajrang Dal and VHP, lodged a complaint in the Agroha police station alleging that the curch was converting Hindus," the Rev. Reginald Howell of the GSCC told Compass.

He said the complaint was filed when the church members were singing Christmas carols in the church.

Following the compaint, the police summoned seven Christians, including the pastor of the church, identified only as Romi, and interrogated them. They were released after the village head requested the police.

"The Christians were called to the police station against on December 24 and ordered not to conduct any service on Christmas," Howell said. "However, after representatives of the Christian Legal Association of India intervened, the police allowed the church to celebrate Christmas," he added.

Police Prevention

In the only positive report, officials prevented an anti-Christian rally in Dangs, Gujarat, on Christmas Day, heading off further violence.

The All India Christian Council (AICC) has thanked the chief minister of Gujarat state, Narendra Modi, for preventing anti-Christian violence in Dangs district during Christmas.

AICC Joint Secretary Samson Christian said the heads of both Dangs and Bhavnagar districts refused permission to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to hold a massive rally in the region on Christmas day.

The rally was announced after eight statues of local gods were desecrated by unknown persons on December 14. Hindu extremists blamed Christians for the sacrilege and announced plans to hold a rally in the area on December 25.

Christians asked local authorities to ban the event, since previous rallies in the area at Christmas time have resulted in violent attacks. In a rally held during Christmas week 1998, Hindu extremists destroyed several Christian churches and institutions and attacked many individuals.

"Tight police security was maintained in the Christian-dominated areas, particularly the tribal district of the Dangs, which has a history of Hindu-Christian clashes during Christmas celebrations," The Hindu daily newspaper reported.

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Inter-religious marriage stalled in Madhya Pradesh by VHP

Submitted by kashif on Sun, 2006-12-24 15:56.

Bhopal, Dec 24 (IANS) A government official in Madhya Pradesh has allegedly refused to allow an inter-religious marriage between a Christian man and a tribal woman at the behest of a Hindu group, triggering a political controversy.

Meena Gond (36), a polio-afflicted tribal girl and Peter Abraham (38), a Christian rickshaw-puller, were not allowed to tie the nuptial knot by a marriage official following opposition by Dharam Sena, an offshoot of Vishwa Hindu Parishad. The Sena said such a marriage would boost "conversion" in the state.

The couple had applied for marriage in the Jabalpur district marriage office in October. The mandatory 40 days notice period - during which objections, if any, could be filed - expired on Nov 13 but the official, Deepak Singh, refused to solemnise their marriage because "the groom is a Christian while the bride is not".

"Peter is a Christian. And he lured the tribal girl by offering her money. Sooner or later, she will be forced to change her religion," maintained Sudhir Agrawal, convener of the Sena in Mahakaushal region.

"We have specific knowledge that some Christian missionaries are doling out money to people like Peter to influence tribal people to convert their religion," he said.

The opposition Congress party has threatened to launch an agitation if the poor couple was not allowed to marry by the year-end.

"We conveyed our protest plans to the district collector," said Jabalpur district Congress president Naresh Saraf.

Madhya Pradesh Christian Association president Indira Iyengar has condemned the Sena's attitude saying, "How does the Dharam Sena come into picture when both the bride and groom are adults?"

"Even the government provides incentives for marrying a tribal girl. The law enforcing agencies should deal with the matter strictly," she said.

Meanwhile, Meena's brother Radhey Gond has denied the Sena's allegation.

Radhey said: "How can a daily wage earner afford to entice any woman by providing money?"

Peter, on the other hand, is running from pillar to post to convince the officials that there was nothing fishy about his marriage.

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Atmosphere tense for Christians in Chhattisgarh as Christmas approaches

According to reports from the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum, the Christians of the state of Chhattisgarh are facing engineered communal attacks in a pre planed manner for the last seven days. Here are some of the incidents:

1. One Hindu teacher has been falsely implicated in distributing Bibles in her school; she was badly beaten up by Hindu extremists groups. She has been arrested by the police whereas the perpetrators of violence against this lady are still at large and scot-free because of protection by the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) Government and support by bureaucracy.

2. One pastor of a Church has been accused of distributing toffee (Candy) to Sunday school students and on this pretext was badly beaten up police is trying to frame false charges against him. Chhattisgarh Christian Forum (CCF) when tried to obtain bail as per legal procedures 'Dharam Sena' activists using violence threatened CCF members not to seek bail, and virtually took complete charge of the police station for three hours. Democratic rights of citizens, especially of Christians have been thrown to the winds.

Dharam Sena is a hindu fundamentalist group supported by the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangah (RSS) and the ruling BJP government, and is notorious for and perpetrating extreme violence especially on Christians.

3. Today on the Christmas Eve while we are preparing to celebrate, one Christian Pastor is being beaten up badly at 'Dhamtari' district headquarters 80 Km from the State Capital town 'Raipur' for the simple crime of distributing sweets and putting on a dress of Santa clause, the police has thrown him behind bars with the accusation of disturbing communal harmony.

'DHARM SENA' ACTIVISTS ARE ROAMING IN THE STREETS OF RAIPUR IN 40 TO 50 JEEPS, AND PUBLICALLY ANNOUNCING TO CLOSE DOWN ALL CHURCH SERVICES TOMORROW THE 25TH OF DECEMBER 2006.

THEIR GAME PLAN IS TO SOME HOW PUSH CHHATTISGARH INTO COMMUNAL VIOLENCE. ON CHRISTMAS DAY IT IS OBVIOUS THAT EVERY CHURCH WILL HAVE A LARGE ATTENDANCE, WHEN 'DHARM SENA' ENTERS THE CHURCHES, IN ALL LIKELYHOOD THEY MAY BE BEATEN UP BY THE LARGE NUMBER OF THE CHRISTIANS PRESENT. ON THIS PRETEXT A WELL PLANNED PURGING AND ATTACK ON CHRISTIANS WOULD BE CARRIED OUT IN CHHATTISGARH IN THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS.

Hindu Extremists in India Beat Christian Couple, Pastor

Church leader accused of 'forced conversions,' held in police custody.

NEW DELHI, December 21 (Compass Direct News) - Hindu extremists launched two known attacks against Christians this week, beating a couple in the northern state of Haryana yesterday and assaulting pastor in the central state of Chhattisgarh on Sunday (December 17).

About 50 Bajrang Dal extremists attacked the Christian couple, Rakesh Sen and Suman Sen, at about 8 a.m. yesterday at their home in Lakarpur, Faridabad district, Haryana. The attackers were upset at the couple for regularly allowing their New Life Fellowship church to meet in their home for Sunday worship.

The extremists warned them against holding church services at their home and said they would organize a program on Saturday (December 24) in which all the church members would have to chant the names of Hindu gods.

Police accepted and registered a complaint against the Bajrang Dal, and the village head of Lakarpur has apologized for the attack, according to Cinderella Lal, the pastor of New Life Fellowship.

"The village head gave us an assurance in writing that no one will trouble us in the future," Lal said. "So it seems we have reached a compromise with the attackers."

A representative of the Christian Legal Association of India said the Bajrang Dal extremists had cancelled the program planned for December 24.

Haryana state has one of the lowest percentages of Christians in India. According to the 2001 government census, only about 27,000 of the 21 million residents of Haryana are Christians.

Pastor Assaulted

In Raipur, the capital of Chhattisgarh, a group of about 50 extremists from the Dharam Raksha Sena (DRS or Army for Religious Protection) beat an independent pastor on Sunday (December 17) and accused him of forced conversions.

They attacked Philip Jagdalla as he returned to his home after teaching Sunday school at his church, according to a statement released by the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum (CCF).

The mob then dragged Jagdalla to the police station in Pandri and accused him of forced conversions. The police lodged a complaint against Jagdalla under Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code for "hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus." Jagdalla was then held in police custody.

When representatives of the CCF reached the police station on Sunday afternoon, they found a mob of DRS extremists surrounding the station and shouting slogans against Christians.

"They knew we were going to the police station to bail out Pastor Jagdalla, and they did not want the police to release him," the CCF said in a statement.

Police sent the pastor to a hospital for medical examination - which the CCF lauded, as police in India rarely do that for Christian victims - and registered a counter complaint against the attackers. The CCF criticized local newspapers for publishing false allegations against Jagdalla.

Chhattisgarh also has a population of about 21 million, out of which only 401,000 are Christians.

www.compassdirect.org

Pastor beaten mercilessly in Raipur, Chhattisgarh

December 17' 2006

Pastor Philip Jagdalla resides and works in Bilaspur (CG). Bur for last one month he was working with Jehova Pentecostal Church, Mova, Raipur (CG), for assisting the local pastor, Jebastin. His wife is in Bilaspur with 2 weeks baby girl. Jehova Pentecostal Church has been conducting regular Sunday worship in a rented house of a Christian family in Dubey Colony of Mova area, Raipur since last one and a half years.

Two Christian children, who are relatives of Pastor Philip Jagdalla regularly attends Sunday school run by this church. Six children from non-Christian background also started attending Sunday school with these two Christian children, with the consent of their families, since last two weeks. After closing Sunday school at 10:30 AM, Pastor Philip Jagdalla went with these eight children to drop them to their houses in an auto. All of them reside in the same place in Pandari, about 3 kilometers from the place of Sunday school and worship. After dropping the children to their houses, the moment he reached Mandi Gate, Pandri, to take an auto to go back to he worship place, not far from the houses of these children, about 20 youths belonging to Dharm Sena led by Keshore (Mahendra) Kothari started beating the pastor mercilessly accusing him of conversion. Kishore Kothari is the president of Raipur unit of Dharm Sena, an extremist outfit affiliated with RSS. Dharm Sena has been primarily responsible for atrocities against the Christians in and around Raipur for more than a year.

They produced the pastor to Mova police station while beating him along the way. Pastor Jebastin came to know about the incident at 11:00 AM through some residents of the colony, while he was conducting regular Sunday worship. He immediately contacted Chhattisgarh Christian Forum. About 40 pastors and leaders of the Christian community immediately reached the police station to express their solidarity and concern. Dharm Sena people in more number also reached the police station and started abusing and threatening the Christians and forced them to go from the police station. By this time Pastor Philip Jagdalla had already been taken to the hospital for medical checkup by the police. When Pastor Philip Jagdalla was taken back to the police station, about ten pastors and leaders of the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum also reached the police station to stand with this humble, innocent pastor. Chhattisgarh Christian Forum insisted for fair conduct by the police. The police registered an FIR against Kishore (Mahendra) Kothari and his aids under IPC Sections 506, 323, 341 and 294. Dharm Sena people again started abusing and severely threatening the Christians, in spite of huge police presence and forced the Christians to leave the police station.

Later Pastor Jagdalla was released from the police custody at about 8 PM. Two leaders of the Forum went to the police station to bring back the pastor safely.

As per reports of local news papers an FIR has been registered against Pastor Jagdalla under IPC Section 295A and Section 4 (Freedom of Religion Act of Chhattisgarh). This is because of a false complaint of conversion by force and allurement against Pastor Jagdalla, presented to the police, maneuvered by the Dharm Sena.

Mr Arun Pannalal, General Secretary of Chhattisgarh Christian Forum has demanded an immediate action against the accused ones otherwise Forum would go for statewide protest.

Pastor Jagdalla has incurred injuries on many parts of the body , and it is suspected that his his left hand or shoulder has got fractured. Please uphold Pastor Philip Jagdalla & family along with pastor and other believers of the church.

Reported by,
A. Edgar
19 December, 2006

Furore over Rajasthan's 'saffron' syllabus

NDTV Correspondent

Tuesday, December 12, 2006 (Jaipur):

Politics over the school curriculum is once again creating a huge controversy in Rajasthan.

The recently revised social studies and political science textbooks for class 10 and 12 students in the Rajasthan board read more like the manifesto of the RSS and the BJP.

A chapter on terrorism states:

The Jammu and Kashmir government works under the pressure of terrorists, many of the political leaders in the state are hand and glove with terrorists
Article 370 should be abolished to prevent terrorism and the armed forces be given sweeping powers to wipe out terrorism

On Rajasthan, the textbook says that certain minority groups living in the border districts of Barmer and Jaislamer, who have relatives in Pakistan are engaged in anti national activities, should be monitored carefully.

On Mahatma Gandhi, the political science textbook says that at first he was a supporter of the British. It was only later that he turned against the empire.

Educationists, quite clearly, are not amused by the controversial syllabus.

"It ignores the complexity of an average Rajasthani classroom, it does not address Muslim and Christian children," said Apoorva Nand, Reader, Delhi University.

Caught on the backfoot, the BJP government has now promised to look into the matter.

Click here for source

Pastors beaten up by RSS activists in Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh

By Vijayesh Lal

30th November 2006:

Jhabua: Pastor Hatey Singh Gundiya and Pastor Gokul Gundiya were attacked and beaten up by a mob of RSS activists at about 10:00 in the morning.

This took place at Bus stand Khardu near Umria village where the Pastors had come to take a bus to Jhabua. They were going to Jhabua to sell peanuts in the market as part of their family responsibility. Jhabua is about 15 kilometers from this place.

When the pastors were waiting for the bus to arrive, suddenly Karmu Damor and Mukesh Nath from that area and active RSS members arrived at the scene along with 6 – 7 more people and started abusing the Pastors for they knew that Hatey Singh and Gokul had been Christians for about 10 years now.

They questioned them as to what the pastors were doing in their area. When the pastors said that they are not here to preach but to go to Jhabua to sell peanuts, suddenly Karmu Damor and Mukesh Nath attacked them without provocation with big bamboo sticks. They beat them while around 10 of their friends around surrounded the Pastors.

Hatey Singh has been badly hurt on his hands and feet as a result of the stick wounds, while Gokul has been hurt on his eyes. His eyes have swollen as a result of the beatings, but he is still able to see.

Only when the people in the bus stand who also knew the pastors objected to the beatings did the RSS activists stop. But they were still threatening them when the Bus arrived. As soon as that happened Gokul and Hatey Singh climbed on to the bus to escape but the RSS activists not only pursued the bus but also made it stop in order to beat them again. But they were unable to enter the bus because of the fear of passengers and the staff.

Local pastor friends took Hatey Singh and Gokul to the police station in Jhabua where an FIR has been lodged against the attackers under sections 323 and 504 of the Indian Penal Code. The police also sent them for medical examination.

Christian leader killed by militants in J&K

Christian campaigner shot dead in J&K

Rashid Ahmad

Mamoosa (Pattan), November 21, 2006

A prominent Christian campaigner Bashir Ahmad Tantray was shot dead by unknown gunmen in full public view at Mamoosa village in northern Barmullah district on Tuesday.

Local residents said that the gunmen fired three pistol shots at Tantray from a close range at 10:30 am, killing him on spot. The villagers made no attempt to capture or chase the assailants, who escaped from the scene with quite ease and comfort.

Engineer by profession, Tantray had reneged from the Islamic faith and adopted Christianity in 2000. Since then he had emerged as a great evangelist, working for the spread of Christianity across the valley. He had reportedly influenced a large section of his village population with his new faith.

The village hit the newspaper headlines in March 2003 with the reports of mass conversion to Christianity by the residents. The villagers however denied the conversion to the new faith but some village elders privately admitted that several families had converted to Christianity. They said that monetary benefit was the main motivation for them to take to new religion.

With the outrage from various quarters over the conversions, Tantray, a resident said, ran away from the village and settled in Srinagar. Sources said that he continued to remain the part of Christian machinery, and shifted his area of activity to southern Pulwama district. Tantray had come to the village on Monday evening to see his ailing father.

"We were just outside our house. Two young boys passed by us. One of them asked about the timing of the bus. Another took out a pistol from his jacket and fired three rounds on Bashir Ahmad," said Ghulam Rasool Tantray, a cousin of the slain Christian campaigner. He died on spot.

Kashmir has been witnessing a discreet spurt in conversion from Islam to Christianity over the past 15 years. Sources say that some 15000 Muslims across the valley have converted to Christianity during this period. Around a dozen Christian missions and churches based in the US, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland have sent evangelists to the Valley and are pumping in money through intermediaries based in New Delhi, sources.

Parts of Pulwama, Uri, Karnah, Baramullah and outer areas of Srinagar and Kangan are reported to be main centers of Christian missions.

Observers say that the missionaries are getting immediate attention because they reach out to the poor, needy and those affected by continued violence, offering them a lot of money.

Though conversions have not encountered any major resistance from Muslim organisations, it has led to tensions among common people, who are increasingly getting vocal against the Christian missionaries. Hundreds of residents gathered outside a missionary school - Good Shepherded School - in Pulwama, holding demonstration against the school management and staff for "converting Muslim students to Christianity". The protestors attacked the school building causing damage to the building.

Government had to order temporary closure of a missionary school in September this year and ordered probe into the allegations. The school was also target of a grenade attack by militants.

The role of Christian machineries had come under scanner in earthquake-affected areas of Uri also when allegations of luring the quake-affected people to Christianity by offering monetary incentives surfaced. The missionaries, claiming to be members of the Bible Society of India, had to shut their relief business in the area after the government took note of these allegations.

Click here for source



Christian convert killed in J&K

Ishfaq-ul-Hassan
Tuesday, November 21, 2006 23:50 IST

SRINAGAR: Unidentified militants on Tuesday killed a junior engineer of J&K Power Development Department, (PDD) Bashir Ahmad Tantray, who had converted to Christianity ignoring threats from Islamic radical groups.

Tantray was shot dead in his village Mamoosa in Pattan tehsil of Baramulla district. "Two militants enquired about the public transport system. After that they fired at my cousin," said Ghulam Rasool Tantray, cousin of the slain.

Bashir Tantray had migrated from his village, years back after he received threats from militant groups. He was staying in Sonawar but he returned to his village on Monday to visit his ailing father.

Deputy Inspector General of Police, north Kashmir range, Mohammad Subhan Lone said they had received reports that Bashir had converted to Christianity in 1995 or 1996. "As far as the motive is concerned, it is being investigated," he said. Lone said Bashir was buried in his village with Islamic rites. "People offered Nimaz Jinaza. There was no problem," he said.

This is the first time that a Christian convert has been killed in Kashmir, though there have been attacks on Christian missionary schools in the past. Militants had attacked a Christian missionary school with grenades at Pulwama a few years ago.

Militants triggered a car bomb explosion outside the Burn Hall School in July last year. It was followed by a grenade attack outside the Biscoe School at Lal Chowk in which two women died and several students suffered injuries.

Click here for source

Militants Kill Prominent Christian Worker in India

Convert from Islam shot dead on busy road in terrorized state of Jammu and Kashmir.

NEW DELHI, November 21 (Compass Direct News) - Two unidentified militants today killed a Christian convert from Islam on a busy road in Mamoosa village, Barmullah district, in the terror-stricken state of Jammu and Kashmir .

"Bashir Ahmed Tantray, a 50-year-old engineer working with the power department of the state government in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, was shot dead seemingly by Islamist militants while he was standing at a busy bus stand near his parents' house in Mamoosa," a local Christian source told Compass.

According to eye-witness accounts, two young men came to the bus stand on their motorbike at about 10:30 a.m. today and started inquiring about the timing of the buses. One of the militants took a pistol from his jacket and fired three rounds at Tantray.

Shot at point-blank range, Tantray died as the militants fled the scene.

Tantray, who had received Christ about a decade ago and had been an active Christian worker ever since, is survived by his wife, two daughters and two sons.

Tantray, who worked as a volunteer with various Christian organizations including the Global Council of Indian Christians, was one of the most prominent Christians in the Kashmir valley, he said.

"There is no doubt among the people, both Christian and Muslim, here that he was killed because of his identity of a Christian worker," the source said. "We fear that we will be killed one by one. However, if we are to be killed, we would like to be killed together at one go."

The slain Christian had come to Barmullah yesterday to visit his extremely ill father.

The people of the village arranged for a funeral according to Muslim rites, fearing further tensions if they buried him according to the Christian tradition, said the source, who added that they respected Tantray.

"There were very few Christians [at the funeral], as an atmosphere of fear gripped the miniscule Christian community of the area after they heard about the killing," he said.

Outrage over Conversions

The source added that The Indian Express daily and a few local newspapers had mentioned Tantray's name in "false and exaggerated reports" relating to "conversion activities" by Christian organizations in 2003.

National daily The Hindustan Times also attributed Tantray's killing to his "Christian activities."

Tantray was "a great evangelist, working for the spread of Christianity across the valley," the daily reported. "He had reportedly influenced a large section of his village population with his new faith."

It added that the village made headlines in March 2003 with reports of mass conversions to Christianity by local residents. The villagers denied conversion to the new faith, the newspaper reported, adding that some village elders privately admitted that several families had converted to Christianity.

The elders claimed that monetary benefit was the main motivation for them to take to new religion, the newspaper reported.

"With the outrage from various quarters over the conversions, Tantray, a resident said, ran away from the village and settled in Srinagar ," the newspaper reported. "Sources said that he continued to remain part of the Christian machinery, and shifted his area of activity to southern Pulwama district."

According to the 2001 Census, there are only 20,299 Christians in the state, which has a total population of more than 10 million.

Jammu and Kashmir has long been hit by the confrontation between militant separatists and Indian Armed Forces, which has resulted in the deaths of thousands of people since 1990s. The Indian army maintains a significant deployment of troops to maintain law and order in the state.

The northern-most state lies at the heart of a bitter territorial dispute between India, Pakistan and China . India has fought three wars with Pakistan in 1947, 1965 and 1999, and one with China over Kashmir. India, which considers the entire state as its sovereign territory, has control of about half the area of Jammu and Kashmir.

Attack against Carmelite sisters in Bangalore, statue of Our Lady desecrated

The church condemns in no uncertain terms the incident, the latest in a string of violent episodes that is sweeping the whole of Karnataka.

Belgaum (AsiaNews) - The attack against Carmelite sisters and the desecration of the statue of Our Lady in Karnataka are acts of violence that "the Church firmly condemns"; they are "new signs of anti-Christian hatred that must be stopped," said Mgr Bernard Moras, archbishop of Belgaum, who spoke to AsiaNews about the violent aggression perpetrated last Sunday against the women religious from the Carmelite Seminary Campus, in Carmelaram, a suburb of Bangalore.

A group of Hindu fundamentalists attacked the seminary run by the sisters. After smashing their way into the premises through a window, they reached a small grotto dedicated to the veneration of Our Lady. Here they desecrated and then destroyed the statue of Our Lady, eventually fleeing after a student sounded the alarm.

For the bishop the attack and the desecration "are very serious deeds and show the hatred against out faith. I have sought out state authorities, explaining to them that the spiral of violence is getting worse and must be stopped."

"Violence," Mgr Moras said, "is taking place in every corner of the state. Attacking our images is a way of attacking us and our faith".

Click here for source

Karnataka Church leaders appeal for police protection after sectarian attacks

Representatives from several Christian organisations last week urged Deputy Commissioner of Police, MS Srikar to provide urgent security to Christians, in the wake of rising attacks on them in Hubli-Dharwad in Karnataka State in Southern India.

In a memorandum submitted to the DC, Christian leaders listed several incidents that had occurred in the last few days.

Nirmal Nagar Catholic Church at Kalyan Nagar was set on fire at night, parish priest Father Fidelino Araujo reported.

A church in Hubli shut down its Sunday worship service within the city limits after receiving threats.

The Rashtriya Hindu Sena activists threatened a pastor not to visit the Christians at Revadihal Village in Hubli Taluk.

Militants attacked a person and a prayer hall, and desecrated Bibles, at Sangolli Rayanna Nagar in Dharwad.Witnesses allege that the police were present but did nothing.

The leaders have called for an enquiry into the police conduct. They have also demanded that police provide security for all the churches in the twin cities at night.

Mr Srikar assured them that an inquiry would be conducted into the incidents.

Father Fidilino Araujo, Rabort Dadapuri, Father Diric Fernandes, Father Moris Muskaranas, Father Philip Kutti, Father Pramod Dhalabhanjan, Sister Irin and others led the delegation.

Rev Paul Ciniraj,
Salem Voice Ministries

Himachal to introduce anti conversion law soon

Shimla: Chief Minister, said that the State Government would be exploring the possibilities of bringing about a legislation, after examining all related aspects and in consultation with the legal experts, aimed at banning the forcible conversion of the people in the State. He was discussing the issues relating to the welfare of minorities in the State with Shri Harcharan Singh Josh and Lama Chosphel Zotpa, Members of the National Commission for Minorities, who called on him here today.

Chief Minister said that the Constitution of India provides freedom to its citizens to follow any faith or religion of their choice to uphold the secular character of the nation and it had followers of almost every religion, faith and sect followed in different countries of the world which speak of the religious freedom to the people of the country. He said that people who convert to other faiths willingly and of their own choice were free to do so but no person should be forced to follow one or the other religion by force and through unfair practices which was contrary to the Constitutional Rights of the people. He said that the country was religiously harmonious and every citizen was required to honour the secularity of the nation in right perspective. He said that the religion should not be the means of obtaining benefits and incentives.

Shri Virbhadra Singh said that Himachal Pradesh was known as the land of Gods and Godesses and people had immense faith in the devotional powers and any hindrance by any mean in performance of their devotional duties required to be checked for which the government would be initiating effective steps. He said that the State had devotees of all religions, faiths and sects coexisting harmoniously. He said that the peace and communal harmony of the State would not be permitted to be disturbed at any cost and the State shall continue to remain the land of Gods and Godesses by extending full protection to the religious freedom of the people.

Chief Minister reiterated the resolve of his Government to safeguard the interests of the minorities and provide them equal opportunities to progress and prosper. He said that his Government had constituted the Minorities and Other Backward Classes Development and Finance Corporations which were helping the minorities and deserving sections of the society liberal financial assistance to start their self-employment avocations besides organizing training and awareness camps for their benefit from time to time.

Shri Virbhadra Singh said that Himachal Pradesh was the perfect example of religious and communal harmony and people of every faith had regard for the faith of other people which had made the state most peaceful. He said that however strict vigilance was being kept over the people attempting to disturb the religious harmony and peace of the state and strict action taken against all the anti-social elements.

Shri Harcharan Singh and Lama Zotpa thanked the Chief Minister for the best policies and programmes aimed at safeguarding the interests and upliftment of the minorities in the state and hoped that the other states would get inspiration from the State in this regard.

Click here for source

NCM sending team to Himachal

New Delhi, Nov 14: The National Commission of Minorities (NCM) is sending a delegation to Himachal Pradesh to discuss various issues including harassment of Christian community and implementation of Punjabi and Urdu languages.

"H S Joshi and Ven Lama Chosphel Zotpa, honorable members of the commission, will be on an official tour to Shimla from November 15 to 18 to discuss the issues with the government," an NCM release said.

"The issues include implementation of Punjabi, Urdu and Bhodi language, harassment of Christian community, allotment of land to Gurudwara Singh Sabha, issue of domicile certificate to minorities and the formation of State Minorities Commission ," the release added.

PTI

Local Politician Incites Attack on Christians in India

Pregnant woman in Chhattisgarh state among six beaten for their faith.

MUMBAI, India, November 13 (Compass Direct News) - During a panchayat or village council meeting convened last Thursday (November 9) to address threats against Christians in a village in Chhattisgarh state, a local politician and his associates attacked six believers, including a pregnant woman.

The incident took place in Bamhni village, in Bastar district. Puran Patel, who has strong connections with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state, has subjected Christians in the village to harassment and humiliation for more than a year, according to local sources.

"The believers in Bamhni have been terrorized by Patel for the past year," Pastor Pramod Paul of the local Brethren Assembly said. "He has threatened me, too, and warned me to keep away from the village."

The council meeting was convened after Christian residents appealed to panchayat members for protection.

A week earlier, on November 3, Patel and a few other Hindu associates had confronted 27-year-old Ashok Baghel, an evangelist from neighboring Mardapal village, as he waited at the bus stop. Baghel was returning home from a prayer meeting in Bamhni.

"They had rods in their hands," Baghel explained. "One of them raised his hand clutching a bicycle pump. He was ready to strike me, saying 'Stop coming here to spread your faith among these villagers!'"

Baghel's bus arrived at that moment, and he was able to jump on and escape harm.

On November 5, Patel and his associates gathered around the prayer hall in Bamhni village as the Christians assembled for Sunday worship and verbally abused them. The frightened Christians appealed to the village council for protection, with little response.

On November 8 (Wednesday), the Christians wrote a letter to the village council, asking members to address the threatening situation.

Attacked Instead of Protected

The village council called both parties to a meeting at 3 p.m. on Thursday (November 9). When all had gathered, the council chief read out the complaint letter submitted by the believers.

Witnesses said Patel then stood up and shouted at the Christians, using abusive and derogatory language.

He then walked over to them and began slapping them. His associates joined in, hitting both men and women in the group.

The village council remained mute as they watched the attack.

Patel and his friends severely beat Anup Mandavi, Mani Korram, Jaisingh Patel and Krishna Patel. They also pushed Havan Patel, the wife of Krishna Patel, against a wall - and kicked Sukbati Mandavi, the pregnant wife of Anup Mandavi, in the stomach.

When the Christians fled to nearby Kondagaon police station, the policemen refused to help them. "Even though the marks of the beatings were clearly visible, the police would not file a complaint," Arun Pannalal, general secretary of the Chhattisgarh Christian Forum, told Compass.

On Friday (November 10), Pannalal called the police station and asked why the police had refused to listen to the Christians’ complaint. He also said the Christian Forum would hold demonstrations throughout the district if the complaint was not treated seriously.

In response, officer-in-charge G. S. Johar filed a formal complaint against Patel. Johar also told Compass that investigations were underway and said the Christians had been sent for a medical examination.

At press time, however, no arrests had been made.

www.compassdirect.org

Villagers in India Forced to Bow to Hindu Deities

Christians terrorized in same Karnataka state district where recent incident took place.

MUMBAI, India, November 7 (Compass Direct News) – Hindu extremists yesterday forced Christians in the remote village of Bevainahalli, in the southern state of Karnataka, to bow down before Hindu deities and applied the vermilion mark to their foreheads. It was the second such incident in Chitradurga district in a little over a week.

At about 5 p.m. on November 6, two Hindu priests accompanied by a group of 20 to 25 Hindu extremists from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its youth wing, the Bajrang Dal, entered Chitradurga district’s Bevainahalli village and knocked on every home’s door.

Leaving Hindu residents untouched, the extremists shouted threats at those in Christian homes, ordering them from their houses to a site near the village temple. Christians who questioned why were slapped and ordered to start walking.

When the Christians were gathered together, one of the Hindu priests, or Swami, began speaking against Christianity and told them to “reconvert” to Hinduism.

The extremists then marched the Christians off to the village temple, forcing them to bow down before the Hindu gods and goddesses. As a mark of acceptance of the Hindu faith, the Hindu priests applied the kumkum or vermilion mark on the foreheads of the men and women and compelled them to eat the Hindu offering called prasad.

Police Spectator

Police Inspector K.L. Krishna only watched as the Hindu extremists violated the Christians’ constitutional right to freedom of religion with this “initiation rite.”

“I ensured the safety of the Christians and personally made certain no violence took place,” Krishna told Compass.

The Rev. Samuel Jacob, a pastor of Harvest India who ministers in Bevainahalli, told Compass that this was the second time Hindu extremists had targeted Christians in the village.

“Last month, the Bajrang Dal held a huge meeting in this village, where the fundamentalists berated Christianity as western and alien to the Indian people and its rich culture,” Rev. Jacob said. “These right-wing fundamentalist also told the villagers that Christianity was corrupting the Hindu faith. Later, they had played a CD denouncing Christianity.”

Rev. Jacob said the poor and illiterate Christian villagers were terrified by the aggression and threats of the Hindu extremists.

Also in Chitradurga district on October 29, Lambini tribal villagers in Kurumaradikere prohibited Pastor Revanna Naik and his congregation from worshiping and forced them to worship Hindu deities (see Compass Direct News, “Christian Villagers Forced to Worship Hindu Deities in India,” November 1).

In that case, three of 11 Christian families at a church in the village refused to bow before the idols or partake of the prasad offering, and the local council chief ordered the community to ostracize them.

www.compassdirect.org

Arrests of Christians Continue in Karnataka, India

Hindu extremists get four youths detained for 'forcible conversion.'

NEW DELHI, November 3 – Police in the southern state of Karnataka have arrested four more Christians on charges leveled by Hindu extremists.

Police in Udupi district on October 27 arrested four Christian youths, including three girls, for forcibly converting Hindus.

According to Dajiworld News Network, the Christians, identified only as Robin, Karen, Asha and Flavin, are from the Mabukal area near Brahmavar.

Police made the arrests after Girish Kundapur, the leader of a Hindu extremist organization, filed a complaint with police alleging they were "visiting the houses of Hindus and misleading the people."

Kundapur also accused the Christians of forcibly converting people to Christianity. The youths refuted the allegation, saying they were not encouraging conversion but only preaching their beliefs.

"We have not forced anyone to get converted - we do not believe in forceful conversion," Dajiworld quoted one of the arrested as saying.

Police are investigating the conversion charges against the accused.

Udupi district has a strong presence of Hindu extremists. The September 2006 issue of a monthly journal, Communalism Combat, said that anti-Christian incidents had occurred in several places across the Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts.

"At some places, huts belonging to Dalits have been destroyed, photographs of Christ have been burnt and Hindutva activists have attacked prayer meetings, all on the pretext of stopping forcible conversions," it stated.

Karnataka police had earlier, on October 14, arrested eight Christian workers at a home for the destitute in Thyagarathi village, near Sagar, on charges of wrongful confinement and abduction after 500 villagers stormed the facility following false television news reports. (See Compass Direct News, "Police in India Arrest Workers at Home for Destitute," October 17.)

After the arrest, the workers at the Lourd Matha Seva Ashram home for the destitute were remanded to judicial custody by the Shimoga district court for "unlawful assembly, wrongful confinement, abduction and cheating."

On August 4, 15 Hindu extremists of the Bajrang Dal entered a district jail in Mardala and attacked Chetraven Rajan, a Christian businessman who had been falsely accused of compelling his wife to commit suicide. Prison authorities made no attempt to protect Rajan, nor did they file a case against the attackers. (See Compass Direct News, "Hindu Extremists Attack Jailed Christian," August 14.)

Many Christians say anti-Christian attacks and arrests have increased in Karnataka since the government of the Janata Dal-Secular party, in coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Party, took power from the Congress Party in February.

Most recently, Lambani tribal villagers in Karnataka's Chitradurga district prohibited Pastor Revanna Naik and his congregation from worshiping on Sunday (October 29), instead forcing them to bow down and worship Hindu deities. (See Compass Direct News, "Christian Villagers Forced to Worship Hindu Deities in India," November 1.)

Three of the 11 Christian families at the church in the remote Kurumaradikere village refused to bow before the idols or partake of the prasad offering that would indicate allegiance to the Hindu deities. The local council chief ordered the village to ostracize those families.

On September 3, extremists attacked a 60-year-old evangelist in Guttigar village in Subramanaya district, Varghese Thomas, and his wife. (See Compass Direct News, "Hindu Extremists Trap, Beat 60-Year-Old Evangelist," September 8.) On his way to a meeting, the couple saw the apparent victim of a motorcycle accident lying in the middle of the road, and Thomas left his car to assist the victim.

As soon as Thomas bent over the victim, however, the man threw red chili powder into his eyes, temporarily blinding him. A group of around 15 extremists hiding in the bushes nearby then jumped out and assaulted Thomas, accusing him of tricking people into coming to prayer meetings.

On August 20, about 10 extremists of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh disrupted a Sunday service of the Good Shepherd Community Church in Kolar district. On August 15, a police inspector and a large crowd of Hindu extremists disrupted a prayer meeting in Ambedkar Beedhi, Malur town, in the same district. Inspector Shiva Kumar stormed the house of David Narayanaswamy, where the prayer meeting was going on, along with extremists.

They dragged guest speaker Rev. Peter Muniappa, Narayanaswamy and a few others outside and punched them in the face. The officers and Hindu extremists then took the Christians to the police station, where they severely beat Rev. Muniappa. (See Compass Direct News, "Extremist Attacks Against Christians Mount," August 28.)

Amit Kumar Released

Amit Kumar Roul of Kandhamal, Orissa, who was arrested on the 26th October on charges of selling religious books, was released on bail by the Sessions court on the 3rd November 2006, GCIC reported.

He was selling the books in order to save up some money for the upcoming marriage of his sister.

His bail application was initially rejected by the Judicial Magistrate (First Class) - Trial Court on 1st November 2006. However he was able to secure a bail and be released on the 3rd November 2006 at about 6:30 in the morning. According to GCIC, their people accompanied him to his home and while they were on their way the Sangh Parivar also tried to kidnap him.

Please keep him in your prayers.

Village Leader in India Seeks to Demolish House Church

Gujarat High Court to hear tribal Christians' complaint on Monday.

NEW DELHI, November 2 (Compass Direct News) – The high court of the western state of Gujarat on Monday (November 6) will hear a complaint by tribal Christians of Surat district that their village head has ordered them to demolish their house church.

Vasantbhai Somabhai Chaudhary, head of Hindoliya village in Surat district's Bardoli Taluka area, on October 4 sent a notice to Rameshbhai Chaudhary accusing him of forcible conversion and ordering him to demolish his house where Christians meet for prayer, Bible study and worship. Along with the complaint against the village chief, Rameshbhai Chaudhary also accuses local police of harassing him.

At a hearing on October 12, Justice S.R. Brahmbhatt asked the police department to inform the court should the Christian complainants be subjected to further harassment from local police and villagers in Hindoliya village.

Rameshbhai Chaudhary and a guest, Bipin Joseph Mehta, a non-resident Indian from the United Kingdom, on October 6 filed a complaint in the high court against the Bardoli police station and the village head of Hindoliya after the police refused to file their complaint, according to Samson Christian, joint secretary of the All India Christian Council (AICC).

The AICC leader explained that the trouble started on September 28, when two officers of the Bardoli police station barged into Rameshbhai Chaudhary's house during a Christian meeting. The police arbitrarily searched the house to see if any "conversion activity" was taking place, Christian told Compass.

Those attending the four-day meeting, which started on September 26, were Rameshbhai Chaudhary, Mehta, another guest from Italy (a Catholic identified only as Luigi), and 28 local tribal Christians. After the meeting was over, the policemen took Mehta and Luigi to the police station; there Hindu extremists and some media representatives also arrived.

A police inspector identified only as Chavda accused the two visiting Christians of coming to India to convert Hindus. He also threatened that he would stop them from leaving the country, Christian said, and confiscated their passports.

The extremists and reporters interrogated the Christians and took their pictures before allowing them to leave the police station, he added.

Conversion ‘Deplorable'

The following day (September 29), local newspapers repeated the accusation of forcible conversion against the two visiting Christians, but Mehta and Luigi attended a meeting at Rameshbhai Chaudhary's house as scheduled. At about noon, inspector Chavda and other officers stormed the meeting – ordering Mehta and Luigi to stand on a table – and searched through all literature in the house, said Christian.

"Soon after this, about 15 people, including extremists and reporters, also arrived and told the tribal Christians that their conversion out of Hinduism was deplorable," Christian said. "They also threatened them."

Police again took the two Christians to the police station, where they told them that they should not leave the village without permission. The extremists also followed them to the station and again threatened them, Christian said.

The inspector called the 28 tribal Christians to the police station and took their statements, "which created a sense of insecurity among them," he said.

After the intervention of the AICC, the inspector returned the passports to Mehta and Luigi on October 2.

"AICC demands legal action against the police officials who harassed the Christians of Hindoliya village and the village head who ordered demolition of the house church," Christian said.

He added that apparently the minority Christian community has become the target of the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Gujarat, which is preparing to incite Hindu sentiment against Christians before state assembly elections in November 2007.

Fabricating of conversion cases rampant in Gujarat

In a significant development, the High Court of Gujarat has issued notices to the Government of Gujarat, Director General of Police, District Superintendent of Police in Dahod, Inspector of Police of Devgarhbaria Police Station and others in the case of allegedly fabricating a firing case against a Christian priest in Divya village of Dahod district.

According to sources, the Gujarat Government has become active in fabricating cases of conversion by force and threat with the help of the police. In fact a First Information Report (FIR) was filed by the police in Dahod against the Christian priest for allegedly opening fire at the Inspector of Police of Devgarhbaria Police Station and eight other people.

In a press release issued in Ahmedabad on 31 October 2006, National Executive Member and Joint Secretary of All India Christian Council (aicc) Samson C Christian said Pastor A Arul Daniel, the manager of a hostel for poor children and priest of a local church run by the Indian Mission Society at Vankadi village of Limkheda taluka in Dahod district, was a victim of police duplicity.

According to him, Gujiben, the widow of Lulabhai, had arranged the inauguration of her new house in Divya village on 20 September 2006 with a prayer service, followed by lunch. The priests of the Indian Mission Society and their family members from the neighbouring villages were among the invitees. Soon after the ceremony and lunch, Pastor Arul Daniel, his wife and their daughter started off on their motorbike, along with other Christian leaders in toe, for Vankadi village.

A little ahead they found the road blocked with branches of trees and stones. As they slowed down their vehicles, around 10 people rushed towards them, carrying sticks and lethal weapons. Pastor Madhubhai of IMS Church was the first one to be attacked. They took away his mobile and other personal belongings. Then they attacked Pastor Arul Daniel. They put a sharp knife on Pastor Arul Daniel's neck and threatened to kill him if he resisted. They took away his mobile and cash worth Rs 3500. They also took away his wife's gold chain worth Rs 6000. Another worker Valabhai, a tribal Christian missionary, was also beaten up and looted.

The attackers collected the addresses of the IMS leaders. Then they led them to the main road, abusing and manhandling them all the way. By the time the pastors reached Vankadi village, it was very late and they preferred to file a complaint the following morning.

As they were preparing to go to police station in the morning, Police Sub-inspector Patel of Limkheda taluka arrived in the village with other policemen and inquired about the IMS Pastors. He took all of them to Devgarhbaria police Station. The Pastors pleaded with him to register their complaint and also give them medical treatment. Inspector of Police Devgarhbaria Police Station RS Sharma said since the Pastors were the accused, their complaint could not be entertained. Ignoring him, the Pastors prepared a complaint and handed it over to him. This time he asked them to delete the mention about the looting of money and mobiles. When they insisted on getting the complaint registered, the police officer threatened them with dire consequences.

Aicc leaders also contacted the police urging them to register the complaint but they refused to do so. They also did not allow them to have medical treatment. They were detained in the police station till late in the evening. Kanji Budha Nayak, a resident of Divya village filed false complaints against Pastor Arul Daniel and other workers alleging that Arul Daniel and other workers were indulging in forcible conversions. When he resisted, the Pastor opened fire at him.

On 22 September 2006, when Pastor Arul Daniel went to Godhra Civil Hospital for treatment, Resident Medical Officer Dr Anil Parmar said without the police list he would not give him any treatment. Then Pastor Arun Daniel proceeded to Ahmedabad on the same day and with aicc leaders’ help, got treatment from Vadilal Sarabhai Hospital, Ahmedabad under medico-legal case.

Since the police refused to file the complaint, the Pastor filed a Special Criminal Application (No 1628/2006) in the High Court on 28 September 2006. Justice SR Bramhbhatt issued notices to the Gujarat Government, Senior Police Sub-Inspector RS Sharma of Devgarhbaria Police Station, the Home Secretary of Gujarat, Director General of Police of Gujarat, District Superintendent of Police of Dahod district and others and ordered them to file their reply on 6 November 2006.

Earlier Devgarhbaria Police Station registered FIR No 142/2006 against Pastor Arul Daniel and other local Christian workers. In the said case, the Indian Penal Code Section 143, 307, 323, 504, 298 Arms Act had been applied wrongly against Pastor Arul Daniel and his people. They were arrested on 24 October 2006 and produced before the Judicial First Class First Magistrate of Devgarhbaria Court. The police sought five days of remand for them, which the court refused to grant. They were later released on bail on producing a security of Rs 5000 each. When they were in police custody, the police threatened them and took their signatures on blank papers.

Condemning the incident, All India Christian Council appealed to the Gujarat Government to follow raj dharma “as such incidents are taking place with the blessing” of the Government. “If the Government tries to get the Anti-Conversion Bill (Amendment – 2006) by registering baseless and fabricated cases against the minority community, the Christians would not sit quietly. We will organize mass agitations at the national level to draw the attention of the Central Government and the global community.”

Source: www.aiccindia.org

Christian Arrested at Healing Festival in India

Hindu extremists harass 25-year-old before he is detained for 'causing disharmony.'

MUMBAI, India, October 31 (Compass Direct News) - Police last Friday (October 27) arrested a 25-year-old believer for "causing communal disharmony" after Hindu extremists harassed him for selling Christian literature at an evangelistic event in the eastern state of Orissa.

Baliguda Police showed up to arrest Amit Kumar Raul of Sutahat, Cuttack, after a group of Hindu extremists harassed him at the booth where he was selling literature at the "Peace Festival and Healing Crusade" in Gudripadri village, near Udayagiri town, in Kandhamal district. More than 10,000 people attended the four-day festival.

As a healing service was taking place on Friday, the last day of the event, at about 3 p.m. a group of men from the extremist Hindu Jagaran Samukhya came to Raul's stall and looked through several books, paying particular attention to a book entitled, Oh, You Hindu, Awake.

The Hindu extremists began shouting and waving the book in the air. Using foul language, they hurled curses at Raul and repeatedly slapped him.

Soon after this attack, members of the Hindu extremist Sangh Parivar, who had filed a First Information Report, came to the book stall along with police. Officers arrested Raul under the Indian Penal Code, section 153(A), for "causing communal disharmony."

Asit Mohanty, state coordinator of Global Council of Indian Christians in Orissa, told Compass that Raul's bail plea was rejected by the Judicial Magistrate First Class Court at Baliguda court on Saturday (October 28)..

"The complainants are backed by strong political influences of the state," Mohanty told Compass. "The area is currently very tense. The local Christians are terrified, anticipating an attack from the Sangh Parivar radicals."

Baliguda Superintendent of Police Satish Gojvie told Compass, "We arrested Amit Kumar Raul because an offensive book was being sold. The local Hindu leaders had lodged a complaint, and they had even demanded the arrest of the Christian leaders, but we arrested only him to prevent communal violence."

Two senior attorneys have been appointed to secure Raul's release from the Session's Judge Court of Kandhamal district headquarters, according to Mohanty, but at press time he was still in jail as the judge went on leave today for an unknown period.

Prior to the evangelistic rally, local Hindu extremists had issued threats to organizers of the festival, led by Christian Jana Kalyan Samaj. The organizers, however, had obtained permission from the state administration for the event.

Raul's was just one of many book stalls up selling Christian literature at the festival, where healings and decisions to receive Christ were described as "many." The rally featured as main speakers S.R. Manohar and his wife, Madhu, of Rays of Love Trust, along with Sam Taylor of Eternal Light Ministries.

www.compassdirect.org

Hindu leaders call for arrest and deportation of Christian missionaries

30th October 2006

Andhra Pradesh

The vice-president of the BJP - composed of nationalist Hindus - has accused 68 foreigners in the area of converting 6,000 tribals through fraud. He urged police to intervene instead of just looking on.

Hyderabad (AsiaNews) - The ruling party in the southern State of Andhra Pradesh, made up of nationalist Hindus, has accused missionaries coming from Canada and the United States of organizing conversions to Christianity through fraud among local outcastes, and has called for their arrest and deportation.

S.V. Seshagiri Rao, vice-president of the Bharatia Janata Party [BJP, India's biggest political party of nationalist-Hindu inspiration] made this allegation last week during a press conference in the capital. He said: "Teams of Christian missionaries have fanned out in various tribal areas of Nalgonda district and are forcibly converting tribals to Christianity."

The politician, who addressed the press conference together with the party's secretary and legal consultant, said the missionaries "promised those who converted free medical treatment, homes, education and 100 rupees per day".

The nationalists said that "according to information in their possession", already about 4,000 persons had converted to Christianity in 30 villages in Nalgonda and Guntur districts and a further 2,000 in Nidamanooru, Anumola and Gurrampodu.

Rao continued: "The 68 foreigners in the area divided into several teams that are visiting villages with the help of locals for their conversion work. The matter was reported to the Nalgonda police but no action was initiated."

Some experts say this last phrase is very dangerous because it often marks the prelude to attacks by fanatical Hindus who "feel duty-bound to intervene personally given the indifference of the armed forces".

The three leaders ended by urging "official action by the government who should arrest and deport the missionaries instead of remaining indifferent to the problem".

Click here for source

Christians in India Beaten for Refusing to 'Reconvert'

Attackers remain at large despite being named in police complaint.

NEW DELHI, October 27 (Compass Direct News) - Ostracized by their village for the past year, two converts of a church in Madhya Pradesh state's Shahdol district have been beaten for their refusal to return to the Hindu fold.

Santu Prasad Barmaia and Kunjan Prasad Barmaia, both farmers and members of a Gospel for Asia church in Paralia village, were attacked by a group of 12 villagers on October 19.

The attack took place in the morning, when the two were on their way to their fields, a local Christian requesting anonymity told Compass. Both men suffered internal injuries.

Police have not arrested the culprits, the source said, in spite of the fact that the victims named them in a complaint filed at the Amarkantak police station.

Police officials could not be reached for comment.

The source explained that villagers were angry with the Christians for declining to participate in Hindu rituals since receiving Christ four years ago. "The villagers had been persistently putting pressure on them to 'reconvert' to Hinduism," he said.

He added that in the past year villagers have refused to allow the two men, the only Christians in the village, to take water from the hamlet's common well to pressure them to return to Hinduism. In spite of their limited resources, the Christians dug their own well.

"Earlier, some miscreants vandalized a Hindu temple in the village and the blame fell on the Christians," the source said. "Later, however, police investigation revealed that they had not done it. Yet the villagers continued to treat them with contempt."

Beaten Pastor Jailed

In Barghat village in Madhya Pradesh's Seoni district, Pastor Haroon Jonathan continues to languish in jail after police officials failed to fulfill a promise to release him on bail.

Jonathan faced charges of "hurting religious sentiments" and "forced conversion" after he was attacked by Hindu extremists in September. Still recovering from his injuries, he turned himself in to police on October 15 after officers promised that he would be bailed out the following day.

But submission of formal charges is a prerequisite for obtaining bail, and police did not file them before courts shut down for Diwali (Hindu festival) from October 18 to October 26, said another local source. At press time it was not clear when the charges would be formally filed.

Jonathan and several other Christian family members were arrested on September 10 after some 70 Hindu extremists allegedly belonging to the Jagran Dharma Seva ("Service to Awaken Faith") burst into the house church and attacked the congregation. (See Compass Direct News, "More Christians Attacked in Madhya Pradesh, India," September 15).

They dragged Jonathan and his wife Anita out of the house, along with in-laws Sunil Prem and his wife Sunita.

The four were detained for hurting religious sentiments, promoting religious animosity and forced conversion under the Indian Penal Code and Sections 3 and 4 of the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, or "anti-conversion law." Police claimed to have a tape recording of Jonathan urging people to get rid of any idols or pictures of Hindu deities.

The Christians were released on bail, but two more cases were filed against Jonathan, and he was declared as "absconding."

On October 18, about 600 local Christians held a rally in Seoni district to protest the increasing attacks in Madhya Pradesh. Jonathan was supposed to have been one of the leaders of the rally.

www.compassdirect.org