Press statement by Christian leadership in Delhi

PRESS STATEMENT

New Delhi, 18^th December 2014

We meet you at a time when the entire world, every parent on earth, is grieving the loss of 132 innocent children shot dead in Peshawar in Pakistan. That such brutality is seen in the 21^st century is evidence of the dangers of fanaticism and extremism hate and violence acting in the name of faith is a challenge to society at large.  We extend to the people of Pakistan and specially its children our heartfelt condolences. We remain in solidarity with them as we pray for the souls of the dead students.

We are reminded again of the message of Jesus Christ to eschew hate, to work for peace, to forgive those who hurt us, and to love our neighbours.

This Christmas season, therefore, we come to you with a heavy heart and great concern of the sense of apprehension and fear in our community at the incidents of violence against our Churches and personnel in various parts of the country, and specially in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and now in the National Capital Territory of Delhi where  the St. Sebastian’s Church in Dlishad Garden, East Delhi was torched in what we think is an act of malicious arson on 1^st December 2014.

The gutting of the St. Sebastian’s Church, as well as the other incidents of targeted violence in other parts of the country, speak of extreme police and administrative impunity and disregard not only to the sentiments and religious feelings of our community but also the guarantees of the Constitution of India.

These acts of violence do not stand alone, nor are they isolated incidents. They are quite part of a series of interconnected actions by various non-State actors closely associated with the ruling dispensation. The official celebrations of a good governance day on Christmas day as detailed in government circulars sent to educational institutions throughout the country to organise compulsory events on a day that is holy to us, Members of the Union Council of Ministers have called for national laws against conversion, and a Common Civil Code, politically targeting the Christian and Muslim communities without saying it in so many words.

What is more dangerous, and threat to national peace and harmony, is the well thought out campaign in the name of Ghar Wapsi, which is organised  not just by fringe elements, but by senior members of Parliament belonging to the ruling party. Their pronouncements question the identity and patriotism of India’s several religious minorities. The fact that people are being offered  Below Poverty Line Cards and other privileges within the domain of government adds to our fear that these elements enjoy official patronage.

It is being made clear to the minorities that while the Government won its mandate on a platform of “development and good governance’, the radical groups see it is an endorsement of their programme of hate and religious nationalism which they call Hindu Rashtra. This is a blatant attempt to sabotage the Constitution of India that guarantees freedom of faith, adhering to the United Nations Bill of Rights. Article 25 (i) assures the freedom to every citizen of India to profess, practice and propagate one’s religion and beliefs. This was the result of a great debate that took place in the Constituent Assembly.

With its wonderful diversity and ancient cultural, linguistic and ethnic identity, the State maintains equal respect for all faiths, and for people who profess no faith. In a secular and democratic India, there is no place for a state religion. India is not a theocracy. Religion has no place in the national political discourse.

In the states where dubious and ironically named Freedom of Religion Acts have been used against minorities, their overwhelming powers have allowed the police and bureaucracy to harass, arrest and punish clergy, religious workers and institutions. If that was not enough, the non State actors and members of religious-political groups have felt empowered to coerce and terrorise the people, often settling personal scores or indulging in land grab.

The media may already be aware but, we would like to highlight some of the recent incidents of targeted violence and attacks on Christians in the country which we have already conveyed to the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister in our memorandum:

On Sunday, 30^th November 2014, two house churches in Annupur district of Madhya Pradesh were attacked. Chhattisgarh has particularly witnessed regular and repeated attacks on the fundamental rights of the minority Christian community. Most recently, according to the media and local sources, local Hindutva groups such as the VHP are pressurising local Catholic missionaries to put up pictures of Goddess Saraswati in their educational institutions. The Catholic schools are also under pressure to rename the principals in their schools, as “Pracharya”, or “Up-pracharya”, instead of the term “Father”, which is usually used.

Some of the other incidents briefly outlined below are representative of the hostility and discrimination being faced by Christians across India.

1.     Social Boycott

·       The entry of and propaganda by non-Hindu missionaries, especially Christians, is banned in more than 50 villages of Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region by the local gram panchayats since late May.

·       In Deggarh district, Odisha several tribal Christian families were excommunicated on 28 April allegedly at the behest of Hindu extremists. The three Christian families were excommunicated and deprived from enjoying common facilities of the village road, water and forest land because of their faith in Christ. The well commonly used by the Christians was polluted by adding filth to it. And the Christians have been forbidden to mix or talk to anybody, to take part in any social functions or walk on the main road.  The extremists also threatened to snatch away the Govt. land allotted to the Christians, to cancel their BPL Cards and demolish their houses if they do not renounce Christ.

2.     Physical Assaults

·       On 16 June, a mob of religious extremists brutally beat up Christians and 10 believers including two women who were later rushed to the hospital in Sirisguda, Bastar town, Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh. About 100 Christians who were denied rations for two months for their faith in Christ were beaten up by a mob.  At about 1 pm, Christians from 52 families came together before the district Food Inspector office when the mob rushed in and started to beat the Christians indiscriminately. The mob beat up the Christians with sticks, kicked and punched them and hurled stones at those who were trying to escape from the scene. Two women were pulled to the ground while the perpetrators stood on them and hit their genital organs.  No FIR was registered against members of the mob.

·       Religious-political extremists locked up a church on June 5 after they beat up a Christian family in Balwanazir, Kaliyanganj, Bihar. The mob comprising of Hindu extremists beat up Sadanandan Singh and his family for their faith in Christ in May and June and finally locked up the church of the Indian Evangelical Team.  Singh and his family were dragged on the road and the entire family including two minor girls were beaten up mercilessly. The extremists have locked up the church and told Singh that he is not allowed to pray in the future in the village.

3.     Desecration of and Restrictions on House Churches or Building Churches.

·       Local religious political groups threatened to harm Pastor Bhikanlal Dhurvey several times for conducting prayer meetings in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. However, the pastor continued to conduct worship services and later started to build a prayer hall in his land. Subsequently, the extremists filed a police complaint against the pastor of illegal construction. The construction has since been stopped and prayers are now being conducted in the homes of local Christians

·        On 18^th May in Kundupur, Karnataka the properties of two churches were allegedly damaged by unidentified miscreants.  An ornamental pot at the entrance of the Holy Rosary church was broken and a signpost leading to St. Antony Church in Koteshwar also was uprooted.

·       On 29 April, three chapels in Irinjalakuda diocese were damaged after allegedly police cleared the way for the "Way of the Cross' procession of the Saint Anthony's Catholic Church. Earlier, on 11 April, extremists had blocked the procession of St Antony's Catholic Church. The police intervened and cleared the passage for the procession as this was the traditional practise for several years and the local temple administration has given permission for the same.

India is a land where different religious faiths have long since flourished and our founding fathers made special efforts to ensure that the rights of all are safeguarded irrespective of our religious beliefs, gender or caste. India is committed to secularism and any attempt to weaken the socio-religious fabric of the nation must be dealt with swiftly and effectively.

We hope and pray that such discrimination and targeted violence will be ended by strong political will and administrative action. We the Christians who are a small religious community need assurance from the government that we are protected and secure and safe in our motherland.

We pray for our fellow citizens and wish them great joy as we greet them this Christmas.

God bless India.

Signed

1.     Archbishop Anil Couto, Archbishop of Delhi

2.     Archbishop Kuriakose Bharanikulangara, Bishop of the Faridabad Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy

3.     Bishop Jacob Barnabas, Syro-Malankara Catholic church

4.     Archbishop Youhanon Mar Demetros, Malankara Orthodox Church of India

5.     Bishop Abraham Mar Paulus, Bishop of Marthoma Church

6.     Bishop Subodh Mondal, Bishop of Methodist Church of India

7.     Bishop Samantroy, Moderator, CNI

8.     Bishop Simon John, Bishop of Believers Church

9.     Dr. John Dayal, former National President, all India catholic Union, Member, NIC

10.  Rev. Richard Howell, General Secretary, Evangelical Fellowship of India and secretary of National United Christian Forum

11.  Rev Vijayesh Lal, Director Religious Liberty Commission, EFI

Press Statement by the Delhi Archbishop over controversy regarding Christmas day

COMMUNICATION / INFORMATION BUREAU
DELHI CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE
9-10, BHAI VEER SINGH MARG
NEW DELHI-110001

PRESS RELEASE

DELHI ARCHBISHOP DEEPLY CONCERNED AND EXPRESSES HIS ANGUISH OVER GROWING CONTROVERSIES REGARDING CHRISTMAS DAY

NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 15, 2014

Delhi Archbishop Anil J.T. Couto has expressed his deep concern and anguish at reports of asking CBSE affiliated schools to organize events and competitions on Christmas Day as to mark it as ‘Good Governance Day’ and the surrounding controversies on the same.

The Archbishop also strongly condemns the conversion drives planned by the Hindu groups on Christmas Day and said “it is a violation of Constitutional rights and guarantees to citizens of India such as the Freedom of Faith and the freedom of movement, expression and association”.

Dharam Jagran Samiti plans to convert 5000 Christians into Hinduism on Christmas Day. This move by the above group who are now greatly encouraged, is a grave assault on the fundamental rights of individuals. It is nothing but hate campaign against the Christian community and the Christian faith, the Archbishop said. In the past, large scale violence against the Christian community had been preceded by such hate campaigns.
 
“Christmas Day is a day to celebrate and pray for peace and harmony in the country and world at large”, the Archbishop said.
 
Archbishop Anil Couto called for an immediate end to such malicious hate campaigns and intervention of both the State and Central government in the matter.
 
The community reserves its right to take legal action and approach the courts for stopping these conversion drives and hate campaigns as they violate the fundamental rights of every citizen of this country as enshrined in the Constitution of India.

Issued By:
Fr. Savarimuthu Sankar
Spokesperson Delhi Catholic Archdiocese
frsankar@gmail.com
9968006616/9717906441

India Christians Injured In Pre-Christmas Attacks

NEW DELHI, INDIA (BosNewsLife)-- Persecution of minority Christians in India is escalating ahead of Christmas with attacks reported in several areas including in southern regions and the capital New Delhi.
In one of the latest known incidents Saturday, December 13, evangelical Christians were attacked and beaten by Hindu militants for singing Christmas carols in India's southern city of Hyderabad, seriously injuring a pastor and four others, rights activists told BosNewsLife.
The violence occurred while Pastor Bhim Nayak of Banjara Baptist Church and fifteen church members sang Christmas carols and visited Christian families in the city's Singareny Colony. Local Christians said some thirty "Hindu radicals" attacked the Christians and a vehicle they had hired for the evening festivities.
The Hindu mob was seen surrounding the vehicle, with several shouting that believers were trying to "forcefully convert people to Christianity" by singing Christmas carols.
Angry Hindus soon smashed the vehicle's windows and dragged the Christians out into the street where they were beaten severely, witnesses said.
PASTOR, FAMILY INJURED
Pastor Nayak and four others, including his wife and son, were reportedly severely injured after being hit by sticks and clubs.
The pastor, who was said to be the focal point of the radicals' rage, collapsed, unconscious, covered in blood, Christians said. Nayak was reportedly rushed to a local clinic where he received first aid and was transferred to a Hyderabad hospital where he, his wife and son receive intensive care.
It was no isolated incident, with massive Hindu-led "reconversion campaigns" taking place all across the northern India and reports of forced conversions and violence against Christians, according to advocacy group International Christian Concern (ICC), which supports the pastor.
Violence has also been reported in New Delhi where Christians have demanded justice after a church was torched earlier this month.
Though no one was inside the targeted St. Sebastian’s Church in the capital's Dilshad Garden area, regional Archbishop Anil Couto said the entire interior was “reduced to ashes”.
The December 1 attack prompted Christians to demonstrate near police headquarters.
'ANTI-SOCIAL ELEMENTS'
In published renarks, the president of aid and advocacy group Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), Sajan K George, warned that “the holy season of Advent is always targeted by anti-social elements."
He said, "They want to breed suspicion, discord and disharmony between religious communities”.
Yet in an unprecedented move, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi apologized for a parliamentarian's insulting comments comments towards non-Hindu minorities, including Christians, saying that they were unacceptable.
He said however that Niranjan Jyoti has apologised for her remarks and that “she is a first-time member
and comes from a rural background”.
The opposition reportedly demanded a resolution to condemn her “revolting” remarks. Prime Minister Modi's Hindu nationalist BJP party enjoys a comfortable majority, after winning the May 2014 election.

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Christian event in Ratlam stopped on alleged charges of “conversion”

A Pentecostal convention in Ratlam came to an abrupt end Friday after a group of right-wing activists brought the administration and police to the venue after accusing the organisers of converting tribals by offering money and other allurements.

Hindu Jagran Manch (HJM) activists alleged that illiterate tribals from Bajna and Sailana were brought to a venue on Power House Road in Ratlam town with a promise to cure their ailments and promised jobs and money.

Called Changai Sabha’, the meet was organised by the local body and addressed by preachers from Kerala and Bhopal. The HJM said the organisers had arranged for food and accommodation of the tribals and told the potential converts that only Christianity can ensure salvation, not their old religion.

CSP P S Ranawat told The Indian Express that no evidence about the alleged conversions, forced or otherwise, was found in the initial probe by the police. He said the police had spoken to a few tribals but none confirmed the allegation. He said the police could not take statements of the organisers because there was tension in the air.

After the police assured them of action, the Manch said its activists would wait till Saturday for a case to be registered against the organisers or decide the next course of action after the deadline was over.

Ranawat said between 100 and 150 tribals participated in the convention addressed by five preachers. When told about the deadline given by the HJM, the CSP chose not to speak about it.

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Bearing the cross of insecurity

Rising incidents of violence and harassment have the Christian community anxious about its rights

Vikram Verma, a Class XII student of a convent school in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, is worried about a 'whip' that has been issued instructing students to stop addressing the school principal as "father". Instead, they are supposed to call the Christian priest "sir", "pracharya" (Hindi for principal) or "up-pracharya". "I have always addressed the principal as 'father', how can I suddenly start calling him pracharya?" asks Verma (name changed). The instruction came after a written agreement between the Jagdalpur Catholic Diocese and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). Following the agreement, believed to be the first of its kind in the country, the over two dozen Catholic schools that the diocese manages in the region will also have to put up photographs of Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge.
Barely a week after this news, which was received by the Christian community with concern, St Sebastian's Church in East Delhi's Dilshad Garden was gutted in a fire. A special investigation team is now probing what the church alleges was arson. Already apprehensive, the community has been further alarmed by recent reports that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, or RSS, plans to convert at least 4,000 Christian families, on Christmas no less, as part of what it terms as the ghar wapsi (returning home) programme to be held in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Yogi Adityanath will reportedly participate in the event that will be followed by similar events in Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Mathura, Ferozabad, Etah, Meerut, Mainpuri and Uttarakhand.
"After the attack on the church in Delhi particularly, people feel very alarmed," says P K Samantaroy, moderator of the Church of North India and bishop of the church's Diocese of Amritsar. The Church of North India is the biggest Protestant organisation with churches across India except in the southern states. "If this can happen in Delhi, it can happen anywhere." Incidents of attacks and coercion, the community believes, have been on the increase. Praveen Davar, a member of the National Commission for Minorities, says while he would not like to comment on the politics of it all, "We are equally concerned. A lot of incidents have come to our notice in the last few months." The commission has sought a "factual report" from the Uttar Pradesh government about the conversions that took place in Agra recently. "If we are not convinced with the report, we will send our fact-finding team," says Davar. He adds that more incidents are being reported from western Uttar Pradesh, "but that is also because western Uttar Pradesh borders Delhi and hence, the incidents come to our notice. Cases happening in remote areas of the country often go unreported." Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh have been other vulnerable areas. In September, for example, a church was set ablaze by some unidentified people in Madhya Pradesh's Mandla district.
Denying that VHP or any Hindu organisation had a role in this, Surendra Singh, VHP's man in charge of Madhya Bharat, says, "We do not buy the idea of damaging even an unattended property, let alone a religious place. VHP believes in 'rashtra', that is 'country first'." He alleges that certain forces are trying to stonewall a "rashtrawadi" (nationalist) government through such propaganda. "I can firmly say that VHP and Bajrang Dal cannot undertake any task that will tarnish their image."
Intimidation tactics
Christians, meanwhile, say they are also being harassed with false cases. "In my own diocese, cases have been fabricated against church officials," says Samantaroy. Adds Anand Muttungal, spokesperson of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh: "In the last 100 days, as many as 500 cases have been registered against members of the Christian community for one reason or the other, particularly in the tribal belt of Barwani and Sendhwa in western Madhya Pradesh."
Such cases, says Makarand Deuskar, deputy inspector general of police, Jabalpur, are investigated under Section 295 (A) of the Indian Penal Code, which pertains to hurting religious sentiments, and Section 153 (A), which deals with creating tension between communities. "We always try to allay the fears in the minority communities," he claims.
In Gujarat, there is anxiety that 'intelligence groups' are on the prowl gathering information about the activities of Christian organisations, some of which have also been directly asked to furnish details about their activities. "This is a well thought-out strategy to intimidate us," says Cedric Prakash, Ahmedabad-based Jesuit priest and human rights activist. "It is no coincidence that the incidents (in Uttar Pradesh) are taking place in December, close to Christmas," adds Samson Christian, national executive member and general secretary of the All India Christian Council. "We are being vigilant in Gujarat too."
If the need arises, the community will appeal to the state or the central government or even file a petition in the Supreme Court against actions that violate its right to practise and profess its beliefs. "We have faith that the judiciary will ensure miscreants do not disrupt law and order," says Christian.
A society polarised
In Uttar Pradesh, after the Delhi church was burnt, Christians held a silent protest march under the banner of UP Masihi Association (UPMA). The association has also sought appointments with the governor and the chief minister to seek security, says Rakesh Chattree, UPMA secretary and principal of Christ Church College, Lucknow. "Sporadic incidents of vandalism have also been occurring in the churches of some backward districts of Gonda, Basti and Bahraich," he says, adding that they are being targeted for alleged induced conversions. "We are against forced conversions," he says. As another member of the community wonders, if churches in India have been engaging in forced conversions, how is it that the Christian population has remained a low 2 per cent for so many years? (According to the 2011 Census of India, Christians account for 2.3 per cent of India's population). Chattree says while he is confident that the BJP leadership and RSS believed in peaceful coexistence, the local small-time leaders needed to be reined in.
The 4,000 Christian families identified for conversion in Aligarh belong to the Valmiki samaj, a Dalit sect of Hinduism. "The Valmiki samaj is the feet of the Hindu society. We are incomplete without them," said RSS regional pracharak Rajeshwar Singh in an interview to The Economic Times. And that is where the Hindu bodies intend to bring these poor people - back to the lowest strata of society, fumes P L Punia, chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes. "Through these conversions, they will once again be reduced to a life of indignity where they won't even be allowed to enter the temples of the higher castes," he says.
By raising such hate issues, an attempt is being made to divide people, create an identity crisis and get every Hindu to start thinking like the Hindutva brigade, says Roop Rekha Verma, former vice-chancellor of Lucknow University who runs Saajhi Duniya that works for communal harmony in Uttar Pradesh.
Back in Bastar, a section of the Christian community feels that the agreement between the Catholic schools and VHP was made under duress. Arun Pannalal, general secretary of Chhattisgarh Christian Forum, fears the agreement will set a precedent and VHP will raise the same demands elsewhere. But, says VHP leader Suresh Yadav, "We raised some issues and the Christian community agreed without any reservation." The state authorities have decided not to interfere. "It is between VHP and the diocese. We have no role to play in it," says Brajesh Vajpayee, an education department official.
Meanwhile, there is a sense of insecurity in Odisha too. Conversion is a sticky issue in the state, says the pastor of a church in Bhubaneswar, requesting anonymity. The Odisha Freedom of Religion Act, which has existed for decades, lays down rules and procedures for a person to change his or her faith. "So no one can be converted forcibly or through allurement," reasons the pastor. But this argument is strongly contested. Says Ramakant Rath, state coordinator, Bajrang Dal, "While few have been officially converted under the Act, lakhs have been lured illegally into Christianity, particularly in the tribals areas through the offer of money, education or health services." He says in many cases, they have stopped such "conversion programmes, but in remote areas, where our organisation cannot reach, people sometimes take the law into their own hands, leading to violence, to vent their anger against conversion".
The Christians are looking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to send out a strong message that will allay their fears. "Look at how the administrative machinery swung into action when the Prime Minister launched the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan," says Samantaroy. "The administration is bound to act on the Prime Minister's directive. But so far there has been no strong statement from him."

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RSS reconversion project

The late Dilip Singh Judeo, poster boy of the Bharatiya Janata Party for re-conversion of Christian tribals to Hinduism became the subject of a TV sting in 2003. He was shown taking a bribe, touching the wad of notes offered to his forehead saying, “Paisa khuda to nahin par khuda ki kasam khuda se kam bhi nahin (Money isn’t God. But by God, it’s no less than God).” Mr Judeo had spoken an essential truth for people suffering from acute economic deprivation, money indeed is no less than God.

The Hindutva activists, who so brazenly converted 57 families of poor migrant Muslims of Agra with the promise of Below the Poverty Line (BPL) ration cards and water supply to “return home” (ghar vapsi) to Hinduism are unlikely to be deterred by debates in Parliament.

The Dharam Jagran Samiti, an RSS body, is seeking donations for conversion Rs 5 lakh to convert a Muslim and Rs 1 lakh to convert a Christian to Hinduism. Its letter soliciting cash contributions claims that Christians and Muslims have become a “problem” for the country and says, “Bandhuwar (Friends), lots of money will be required in the ‘ghar vapsi’ because the work of conversion is increasing more workers and more people need to be covered.” In offering allurements for conversion how is it any different from the Christian proselytisers the RSS criticises?

Moreover, foreign funds for conversion are used just as Christian missionaries are said to do. The activities of the RSS in tribal areas have been funded by a US-based body, International Development Relief Fund (IDRF). According to the Campaign to Stop Funding Hate, also based in the US, 82 per cent of all IDRF funding goes to the RSS in India and 70 per cent of the monies are used for “Hinduisation/tribal/ education” work, aimed at spreading Hindutva ideology among tribals.

The main focus of the RSS had been the reconversion of Christians. Its prominent organisations which work among the tribals are: Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, Ekal Vidyalaya, Sewa Bharati, Vivekananda Kendra, Bharat Kalyan Parishad and Friends of Tribal Society. Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, Ekal Vidyalaya and Sewa Bharati have been implicated in the past in anti-Christian violence in Madhya Pradesh.

It might be recalled that the saffron terror accused Swami Aseemanand, currently inexplicably on bail, was associated with Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad (different from the Ashram), an affiliate of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, He organised forced conversion of Christian tribals in Gujarat besides plotting the Mecca Masjid bombing in Hyderabad. His organisation also received IDRF funds.

The re-conversion project of the RSS is not new. It believes that re-conversion would lead to, “national integration”. It also secures electoral gains to the BJP by increasing its influence in the tribal areas and by communally polarising the voters.

Conversion activities among Muslims have been around as well, especially in Rajasthan, but more low key and less publicised. Hindutva ideologues see Indian Muslims as fifth columnists and therefore the need to bring them back into the Hindutva fold.

The RSS formulation that India must be both “pitra-bhumi” (ancestral land) and “punya-bhumi” (holy land) makes Christians and Muslims special targets for conversion. They can never be truly Indian or “Hindu” for the RSS because the Christians have their Holy Land in Jerusalem and a large number looks to the Vatican for guidance, while the Muslims look towards Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Hence the re-conversion requires them to “confess” that their ancestors were Hindus and enables their return to the Hindu fold.

The new-found aggression of the RSS organisations in re-conversion is their understanding that under the Narendra Modi dispensation, their time for expansion has begun, which they refer to as “Vistaar ka samay” an expansion which is not only political but also social and cultural.

The political expansion of the BJP seems for the moment unstoppable. It has made deep inroads in some of the states where it was virtually non-existent. In West Bengal, the BJP is giving Mamata Banerjee sleepless nights. In Jammu and Kashmir, the party is set to make major electoral gains. It has also found toe-hold in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. In Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the BJP, having done exceptionally well in the Lok Sabha elections, is set to expand its electoral base further.

Those who make a distinction between the so-called “moderate” face of the BJP identified with its current undisputed leader Mr Modi and the frothing fringes in the Hindutva family, need to understand that the RSS deploys horses for courses. While elections are won by moderate voices, more extreme elements have also been rewarded with ministries in the government. They include Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, who referred to all non-BJP supporters as “illegitimate”, Giriraj Singh, who asked all opponents of Mr Modi to go to Pakistan and Sanjeev Baliyaan, who stands accused of communal riots in Muzaffarnagar. Only Yogi Adityanath with his allegations of a “love jihad” has not been accommodated as yet.

A flotilla of RSS organisations protects the mother ship the RSS and its Hindutva ideology. They are autonomous yet linked by a command structure of RSS functionaries, sent to keep them to the straight and narrow.

This structure allows some to indulge in re-conversion, some to foment communal violence, some to rewrite history and tinker with the education system and yet others to claim to provide good and inclusive governance.

It is part of the ideological expansion of Hindutva politics that we are witnessing in the banning of German from school curricula and making Sanskrit compulsory in some states and schools, providing a historical “date” for the Mahabharat war and demanding that the Bhagavad Gita be declared a national scripture.

The response to the RSS expansion has been tremendous, with everybody and his uncle trying to project some real or imaginary family connection to the RSS. Spearheading this expansion of Hindutva ideology are men who wear non-Vedic khaki short-pants and broad military style belts, borrowing their militaristic ideology from the Brown Shirts of Mussolini, clearly a product of Kalyug.

The writer is a journalist based in New Delhi

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Will go ahead with its homecoming reconversion program on Christmas Day: Dharam Jagaran Samiti

Notwithstanding the warning by the district administration, the Dharam Jagaran Samiti — a western UP-based Hindutva group, has said it will go ahead with its reconversion programme on December 25.

“This is not conversion programme but a ceremony to welcome those who had left the Hindu fold in the past and are ready to return because of dissatisfaction which they experienced after conversion.

“We are ready to fight a legal battle if the district administration tries to prevent our ceremony,” Organisation Secretary of the Samiti, Vidyaram Pandey said here.

The Aligarh district administration has denied receiving any application from Samiti for permission to organise the programme.

Meanwhile, BJP has now adopted a cautious approach on this impending face off between the district authorities and the other saffron organisations.

“We are not organising this ceremony but if the organisers including the Bajrang Dal seek our help on this score, we will certainly do whatever we can to help them,” BJP’s district president Devraj Singh told reporters.

On the other hand, organisations of minority community and leaders have voiced their concern over the possibility of communal strife as a fall out of the proposed Christmas Day reconversion ceremony.

The AMU Students’ Union, in a letter today to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, pointed out that forced conversions by some Hindu organisations in Uttar Pradesh under the garb of “homecoming ceremony” were a dangerous signal for the entire country.

“This matter has nothing to do with Hinduism, as Hinduism never preaches religious exploitation. This is entirely the work of some extremist Hindu organisations who are indulging in such activities not because of an interest in their religion but for purely polarising society for political gains,” the letter said.

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BJP Lawmaker From Chhattisgarh Attends 'Conversion' Ceremony

Bastar, Chhattisgarh: Yogi Adityanath is not the only BJP parliamentarian to take a keen interest in conversion of Muslims and Christians to Hinduism. In October, BJP Lok Sabha MP Dinesh Kashyap presided over a ceremony that saw 33 Christian families being converted.

A cellphone video NDTV has accessed, shows Mr Kashyap not only attending the event - organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad - in Madhota village of Chhattisgarh's Bastar district, but also performing rituals. And he is unapologetic about it.

"Yes I attended and it was not a conversion ceremony but a reconversion ceremony. Those people were lured by Christians to convert and we welcomed them back. The ceremony that I attended was not like what happened in Agra. Here people voluntarily reconverted," said Mr Kashyap.

"In face of the vociferous Opposition attack in Parliament, the BJP has distanced itself from the conversions in Agra earlier this week. We are also committed to secularism. Law and order is a state subject and the state should act," BJP parliamentarian Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi had said. But Yogi Adityanath has warned about a bigger programme in Aligarh to be held on December 25.

Mr Kashyap said religious conversions are still big problem in Bastar, his constituency, where tribals are either lured or forcefully converted to other religions. To check forceful conversions in state an anti-conversion law bill was passed. The Centre is considering a stricter law to stop forceful conversion and the Chhattisgarh government has welcomed it.

"If there are more provisions added to the anti-conversion bill it is good. I feel all parties in Lok Sabha will accept this. The stricter the law the better," chief minister Raman Singh had said on Saturday.

The central government, earlier this week, tried to turn the tables on the Opposition, reiterating a long-held Sangh Parivar view of a nation-wide law to stop conversions. The BJP now has put the ball in the court of other parties to decide the future path of the anti-conversion bill.

In Raipur, BJP president Amit Shah yesterday said, "Our parliamentary affairs minister put up the issue in Parliament and have appealed to all parties to come forward and discuss how to take the anti-conversion bill forward. Now it is for political parties to decide whether they want to do something about forceful conversions or not."

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Shiv Sena gets involved in Church property dispute, claims conversion

The ongoing land dispute between the Kalvari church management and one Rajan T Singh took another turn on Thursday as the Shiv Sena along with other Hindu organisations protested in front of division number 2 police station.

The protesters alleged religious conversions and said that Christians were forcing them to change their religion. To maintain law and order, heavy police security was deployed around the church and police station.

The allegation came two days after Rajan T Singh, a police constable, along with Shiv Sena activists tried to attack the church and pastor Darbara Singh alleged that the church management had grabbed his piece of land.

An FIR was registered against 15-18 members of the Shiv Sena on the complaint of Daniel, the present caretaker of the land in question.

On Thursday, pastor Darbara Singh met Police Commissioner Pramod Ban and demanded a fair inquiry into the case. The inquiry was marked to ACP (central) and division number 2 SHO Gurpreet Singh said that no arrests had been made in the case so far.

Meanwhile, a woman called Rani Pal, who protested along with the Shiv Sena, got an FIR registered against priest Afzal Chaudhary and Sri Nath, alleging that they forced her to change her religion from Hindu to Christianity.

“The woman alleged that on December 9, she was forced to undergo religion conversion and both the accused tried to lure her with money, a new home and free treatment at Christian Medical College and Hospital,” said SHO Gurpreet Singh.

Police registered the FIR against Chaudhary and Sri Nath under Section 295 of the IPC. The SHO said that they were yet to make any arrest in the case.

Asgar Masih, legal advisor of the church, said, “Afzal Chaudhary had some old dispute with the church management but later he entered a compromise. Now Shiv Sena is deliberately getting him into the picture to defame the church management.”

Pastor Darbara Singh said that “police commissioner has assured him of a free and fair inquiry into the case”.

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RSS body seeks donations to fund Christmas ‘conversions’ in Aligarh

ALIGARH: Dharam Jagran Samiti, an RSS offshoot, has distributed pamphlets in Aligarh seeking donations for converting Christians and Muslims to Hinduism. The pamphlet says it costs Rs 2 lakh to convert a Christian and Rs 5 lakh to convert a Muslim. It has set December 25 as the date for a major conversion ceremony and put down an annual target of 2 lakh conversions — 1 lakh Muslims and 1 lakh Christians.
The pamphlets, carrying the letter head of the Dharam Jagran Samiti, pashchim chhetra (western UP, Braj prant, Meerut and Uttarakhand), have found their way to many houses in Aligarh. It proposes a fund for a grand "ghar vapsi" (homecoming) of Christians and Muslims, who are a "samasya" (problem) in the country.
The letter addresses recipients as "bandhuvar" (friends) and says: "Lots of money will be required in the 'ghar vapsi' because the work of conversion is increasing — more workers and more people to be covered. Please contribute money so that all arrangements are in place."

Asked why are Muslims and Christians a "samasya", Kanshinath Bansal, a key member of the Samiti, said, "Because Christianity is a samasya. Muslim (sic) is also a samasya. One worker needs that much money to work on a samasya every year."

This came even as Yogi Adityanath, the firebrand BJP MP from Gorakhpur, confirmed his visit on December 25 to Aligarh for an event that aims to convert 5,000 Muslims and 1,000 Christians at the local Maheshwari College.
Adityanath told TOI, "The administration and media have given it an exaggerated look. People are willingly converting themselves in 'ghar vapsi'. The event will happen as scheduled and I will be there."
He added, "When Hindus convert to Islam or to Christianity, nobody comes in for a check. Why is this being done when they want to convert back to Hinduism? There are many other issues that the administration and media should concentrate on rather than this. Muslims in Agra had also written a letter asking for a mandir. The situation went out of control because of the interference of media, administration and sundry religious leaders."

The district administration, already anxious, said it is not taking any chances. J Ravinder Goud, SSP Aligarh, said, "There is no question of giving permission for the 'ghar vapsi' that is being planned in Maheshwari College. The issue has already flared up. We are not allowing it and if in case there is a violation, we will deal with the situation accordingly."
Not long ago, the Hindu outfit had taken over a small church on the outskirts of Aligarh, replacing the cross with a Shiva picture. Then, too, it had conducted a 'ghar vapsi' for 72 Valmikis, all of them Christians.
Christian and Muslim groups reacted with anger and caution. Community leader Vincent Joel said, "Ever since the church incident in Asroi, Christians have been praying for the dawn of achche din, where the country is not divided on the basis of religion or caste. We are praying to the Lord to grant the perpetrators of such mischief some wisdom."

Members of the Muslim community hold a protest meeting in Agra against the "forceful conversions" of some families of the community into Hinduism in the city.
Muslim organizations Millat Bedari Muhim Committee and Forum for Muslim Studies and Analysis condemned the "open and public call for conversion". Professor Razaullah Khan, president of both the outfits, said, "It is very disturbing to see how publicly they call for ghar vapsi. (UP) elections are slated for 2017 and now this gathering is being done to polarize society and divide votes. We should not let it happen."

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Despite claims of conversions, data show that Hindus face no danger of losing overwhelming majority – Scroll.in

The controversy over the conversion to Hinduism of 200 slum-dwelling Muslims in Agra this week has brought a familiar Indian debate back in the limelight.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh – which organised the contentious Agra conversions and has now planned a similar ceremony in Aligarh on Christmas – has often peddled the theory that Hindus in India are in danger of being outnumbered by Muslims. The fundamentalist group claims that the ancestors of members of all minority groups were Hindu, and so that if Indian Muslims and Christians are not brought back to their original faith, Hindus will become a minority.
By way of evidence for this theory, Hindutva organisations cite census data: over the past four decades, there has been a slow increase in the population of Muslims and a slow decline in that of Hindus.
Numerically, the population of Hindus grew from 336 million in 1961 to 827 million in 2001. The Muslim population, meanwhile, grew from nearly 47 million to 138 million during the same time period. (The religious data from the 2011 census has not yet been released).

The percentage of Hindus and Muslims in relation to the total population has seen a very gradual change: in four decades, the proportion of Hindus declined by three percentage points, and that of Muslims has risen by 2.7 percentage points.

It’s just natural
To proponents of Hindutva, this three percentage point slip is reason enough to blame the minority community for producing too many children, to claim that Muslim men are waging a "love jihad" to woo Hindu women in order to convert them to Islam, and to announce the need for "homecoming" rituals. Muslims (and Christians), they claim, have been making concerted attempts to convert Hindus to Islam, so a ghar wapasi is a means to restore the balance.
But demographers say that this negligible change in the composition of India's population is unconnected to the politics of conversion.
“Conversions take place in very small numbers in comparison with the huge population of this country,” said Faujdar Ram, director of the International Institute for Population Sciences in Mumbai, and co-author of a paper on religious demographics [PDF].
“The slight increase in the Muslim population over four decades is just natural, and can perhaps be attributed to more fertility in that group,” he said.
Mortality, not fertility
The image of the fertile, lower-class Muslim woman who has too many children has become almost a stereotype, but a study by Bristol University reveals that there is another, oft-overlooked aspect that probably explains the gradual increase in Muslim population.
The study points out that even though “Muslims have, on average, lower socio-economic status, higher fertility and shorter birth intervals,” Muslim children face lower mortality risk than Hindu children.
Researchers have attributed this puzzling trend to a range of different factors: Muslim mothers are less likely to work compared with Hindu mothers, which has a positive impact on children’s health; Muslims tend to live in urban areas or large villages, where there is better access to healthcare; Muslims are less likely to practice female infanticide.
No fixed figures
Five Indian states already have anti-conversion laws to prevent forced conversions – Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. In these states, all conversions have to be reported to district authorities, except the ones that take place within "indigenous religions" such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism or Jainism.
But even in the states where conversions are supposed to be made official, faith cannot be completely regulated. As this report indicates, religious faith is fluid, and in areas caught in the politics of conversion, individuals often practice a mix of different religious traditions and rituals.
“We cannot really be sure of how many people are being converted into which religion,” said civil rights activist John Dayal.

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Don't Favour SC Quota to Christian and Muslim Dalits: Government

The Government today said it is not in favour of bringing Dalits of Christian and Muslim communities under the ambit of reservation for the Scheduled Castes.

Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawar Chand Gehlot said this during a discussion on a Bill to include more castes under SC category in four states and exclude one from it in Sikkim which was passed by the Parliament today.

"We are not agreeable to it," Gehlot said referring to a demand by some members in the Upper House to include Dalit Christians and Dalit Muslims in reservation for SCs.

Citing a case in the Supreme Court in this regard, the Minister said that discussions can happen based on its outcome.

Responding to demands from several parties on extending reservation in the private sector, Gehlot said this demand has been there for the last 15 years and it would be looked into.

Gehlot was replying to matters raised by members during the discussion on the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2014 which has been passed by the Lok Sabha earlier. Rajya Sabha also passed the Bill by a voice vote with most parties supporting it.

The Bill was first tabled in 2012 but lapsed after the previous Lok Sabha was dissolved and the BJP government introduced it August in Lok Sabha.

Gehlot sought to address members' concerns, saying that diversion of funds from Scheduled Castes Special Component Plan is an important issue and such a practice is not desirable.

Earlier, in the discussion over the Bill, P L Punia (Congress) supported the legislation and said that the population of those in the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) has increased and the percentage of reservation should also be increased in the same proportion.

Punia advocated extending reservations for these sections in private sector as well as the judiciary.

AIADMK member K Arjunan sought to highlight the demand to include Dalit Christians in the list of Scheduled Castes. Husain Dalwai (Congress) sought reservation benefits for Dalit-Muslims saying discrimination on the basis of caste is not confined to only one religion.

Tarun Vijay (BJP) and D Bandyopadhyay (TMC) supported the Bill. Bandyopadhyay said that the Centre should bring out a comprehensive plan for the development of weaker sections adding that at present efforts only constitute disjointed schemes. Vishambhar Prasad Nishad (SP) and Anil Kumar Sahani (JD-U) also participated in the debate.

BJP member Nanda Kumar Sai demanded strict regulations to eliminate fake community certificates and recording the names of communities in officials records in Hindi and regional languages as well to avoid spelling mistakes.

Dilip Kumar Tirkey (BJD), D Raja (CPI), Ambeth Rajan (BSP), Chaudhary Munavvar Saleem (SP) were among those who shared their views.

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J&K polls: Invisible native Christians, least talked about and most neglected

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir's summer capital Srinagar has two churches - Holy Family Catholic Church on Maulana Azad road and the Protestant's All Saints Church near Sher-E-Kashmir cricket stadium. These churches look almost invisible most part of the year and come alive during the Christmas in December.

But, this time there is no Christmas party in both the churches as the devastating flood has caused a huge damage to them. The Catholic church has been closed for the repair. The Protestant church which was also under 10 feet deep water has been reopened recently. However, there is no sign of any celebration. Both of them wear a deserted look and want to be unnoticed.

The recent conversions of local Muslims to Christianity has led to tensions between the native Kashmiri Christians and the new age missionaries.

Kashmir valley has less than half a dozen old Churches. The most important and century old churches are Srinagar's Holy Family Catholic Church, All Saints Protestant Church, St. Joseph's Church in Baramulla and St. Mary's Church in Gulmarg.

According to unofficial records, the population of Jammu and Kashmir has 67 per cent Muslims, 29.6 per cent Hindus and 0.2 per cent Christians, but the Kashmir Valley region is 97 per cent Muslim. There are just 650 native Christians living in Kashmir valley. They are almost invisible and the least talked about community. They want to stay away from trouble and maintain a very low profile. They don't even want to talk to the media on condition of anonymity.

Such a small community of a few hundred people runs schools where many state leaders and other known personalities from the state have studied. Burn Hall School for the boys on Gupkar road was founded in 1943 and the Presentation Convent for girls on the banks of Jhelum River was founded in 1936. Both are Catholic run institutions and the most sought after educational institutions in Srinagar.

Kashmir's 'who is who' send their children to these schools. Even Chief Minister Omar Abdullah went to Burn Hall School.

But, the recent conversions of local Muslims to Christianity by the enthusiastic foreign funded evangelists has led to tensions between the native Kashmiri Christians and the new age missionaries. In a hushed voice, the native Christians complain that these evangelists are putting them at risk. A local Christian, who spoke to IBNLive over phone, confirmed that there are over 650 native Christians in Kashmir. But, he asked us not to bother them. They are the least talked about community in Kashmir, like an almost forgotten religion. He said, "We want to lead a very quiet life. Times are not good. We don't need any attention. New age missionaries are creating tension in Kashmir."

When IBNLive visited the Holy Family Catholic Church, then except a Nepalese caretaker, there was nobody. He told that the priest was away and the church had been closed after the flood destroyed its interiors. He refused to share the details of native Kashmiri Christians with the media. He even maintained that local Christians rarely visit the Church and most of the visitors are outsiders working or living in Kashmir.

In a hushed tone, he said that local Christians want to stay away from the limelight and requested the media not to bother them.

The same story was repeated at the Protestant run All Saints Church. A Nepalese woman caretaker said that she did not know anything about the local Kashmiri Christians and almost all visitors are outsiders.

Both the Christian run schools in Srinagar have a Christian faculty and almost all of them are outsiders. They also refused to share the details of local Christians. Keeping a very low profile is not an easy job for a liberal community like Christians. But, militancy has taught them some tough lessons in life. Unlike, two other religious minorities, Hindus and Sikhs, Christians don't want any attention.

They lead a very reclusive life and interact mostly among themselves. They want to be unnoticed when they venture out. The recent floods have also destroyed the century old Christian cemeteries in Srinagar.

Churches at Baramulla and Gulmarg

St. Mary Church at Gulmarg was built during the British rule. The 110-year-old Church was given a new look in 2003 with a renovated façade and the first Christmas mass was held in 14 years. It was attended by the then chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. This is a Catholic church located in the valley of shepherds in Gulmarg and known for its multi-coloured lightings.

After the rise of militancy, the church stopped functioning in 1989. However, Christian missionaries and institutions are still associated with the Church. It will be buried under snow for half of the year.

St. Joseph's Church at Baramulla is also a British era church. It also runs a full pledged hospital. Most of the local Muslims go to this hospital for treatment. When IBNLive visited this church, it was closed. The local church run hospital's staff maintained that there are no local Christians and all the people who come here for the Sunday Mass are outsiders.

A Sister who works there told IBNLive over phone that increasing missionary activities by the new age evangelists are causing a tension for the local Christians, who have nothing to do with it.

The church and hospital were attacked by Pakistani raiders in 1947 after Independence. Noted journalist and Editor, BBC World Service News at BBC News Andrew Whitehead's book 'A Mission in Kashmir' talks about it in detail.

Allegations of conversion and activities of evangelists

According to a local journalist, new age evangelists are secretly converting the local poor Muslims by baptizing them after offering money and jobs. He said, "These neo-converts don't admit in the public that they are Christians. They secretly follow Christianity at home. It is very difficult to estimate their exact numbers. We are aware of the fact that the local Kashmiri Christians have nothing to do with this."

Another Kashmiri Muslim dismisses the fear of local Christians that they won't come out fearing reprisals. He says that no Christian was ever attacked in Kashmir except only once. He said, "It is a part of the propaganda. They (referring to intelligence agencies) want to turn the Christian dominated Western countries against the Kashmir issue by creating fear psychosis among the local Christians."

"Christians are free to follow their religion and lead a good life like all others. If the Hindus and Sikhs can live openly, why can't the Christians do the same?" he says.

According to a report published in 'Christian Post' the Reverend Chander Mani Khanna, pastor of All Saints Church in Srinagar, was arrested on November 19, 2011 on charges of hurting religious sentiments of Muslims after several youths were allegedly baptized. He was released on bail on December 1, 2011. This incident led to a huge tension and even a fact finding commission was sent to Kashmir valley to ascertain the claims.

According to a report in 'The Sunday Express' journalist Tariq Mir writes that Kashmir is witnessing a discreet spurt in conversion - from Islam to Christianity. Christian groups are putting the number of neo-converts at over 10,000 and a Sunday Express investigation confirms that conversions have been taking place regularly across the Valley. At least a dozen Christian missions and churches based in the US, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland have sent evengelists to the valley and are pumping in money through intermediaries based in New Delhi.

In the valley where death and trauma are a way of life, the missionaries are getting immediate attention because they reach out to the poor, needy and those affected by violence. Also, they bring in a lot of money. Though conversions have not encountered any resistance from Muslim organisations, it has led to tensions between Kashmir's native Christians - a miniscule community of 650 - and the enthusiastic evangelists, he explains in his article.

He also claims that the native Christians are increasingly getting vocal against the outsiders. "This type of conversions isn't good for local Christians who had shared a cordial relationship with Muslims here for centuries. The conversions they are doing are Bibilically wrong. There are umpteen cases in which one person has been baptised thrice within a few months. These so-called evangelists have set up businesses in the garb of Church and social work," says Pastor Leslie Richards, a native protestant living in Braen, Srinagar. "The converts here do it for monetary reasons and the people who convert them too do it for the same reasons," he adds.

Missions based in US, Germany, Switzerland and some other European countries are active across the Kashmir valley. There are more than 200 missionaries from different branches of Christianity who are active in Kashmir. Most of these missionaries blame the Roman Catholic Church and the native Kashmiri Christians for running a negative campaign against the Christians who work among the poor.

According to some researchers of religion Jesus Christ died in Kashmir at the age of over 100 years. Some link him to tourist place Pahalgam in South Kashmir. Some argue that he was buried in Srinagar.

But, these theories have been dismissed by the Vatican and other Christian organizations as a mere imagination.

Election and Christians

According to Jagmohan Singh Raina, Chairman of All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) in Kashmir, native Christians are in touch with the Sikhs and the Hindu Pandits over getting minorities status for them in Kashmir. "There are a few hundred Christians. But, they prefer to stay away from publicity. Since their number is too small and the new evangelists are creating trouble for them, local Christians normally don't come out," he said.

Since their number is around just 650 and they are almost invisible, nobody is talking about the Christian voters in Kashmir. "No political party is interested in us. Nobody comes to us for votes. Nobody gives us any political posting. We don't exist for them. We are nobody's children," says a local Kashmiri Christian with a tinge of sadness.

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PM urged to protect Christian minorities

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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In Jharkhand, tribes bear the cross of conversion politics

Every spring, just before the forests of Jharkhand become heavy with the sweet smell of sal and mahua trees, Kunu Oraon gathers the villagers for a special ritual: A few grains of rice are put on the head of a hen. If it eats the rice when it falls to the ground then a bumper crop is predicted. If it doesn’t, it is believed, disaster awaits the community.

Tribals take part in the ancient festival Sarhul in Ranchi. (Diwakar Prasad/HT Photo)

It is part of an ancient tribal festival that is neither Hindu nor Christian. Yet, Sarhul is celebrated by Christian missionaries and Hindu preachers alike, turning the ritual into a pawn in a wider contest for the hearts and minds of the indigenous, animistic tribes of the Chota Nagpur plateau.

“The pastor says come to the church to celebrate Sarhul. At the same time, the local Hindu temple throws a feast on the occasion,” says 42-year-old Oraon, a marginal farmer who has refused to become either a Christian or Hindu.

“It’s our tribal ritual, not theirs.”

In Jharkhand, where focus on religious conversions has revived over the ongoing assembly elections, such apportioning of the tribal way of life masks a deeper political strategy, one that shows the work of both Hindu and Christian groups to be more than just a religious and cultural project.

And in this unrelenting battle for influence, the state’s indigenous forest-dwellers are forced to take sides, gradually obliterating what is a distinct identity far more ancient than either faith.

“Behind the religio-cultural struggle lies a wider political battle for votes in which the Church, Hindu groups, tribal entities, all are involved,” says Harishwar dayal, director of Institute for Human Development, a Ranchi-based think tank.

To understand how that works, the headquarters of Vikas Bharti is a good place to look.

From inside its sprawling compound of cobbled roads and shady trees right in the bustle of capital city Ranchi, Ashok Bhagat runs hundreds of free schools, hospitals and community kitchens, hoping to endear the tribespeople to a Hindu way of life and, as an ancillary benefit, amplify the number of votes for his political masters.

How far he will succeed could determine if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will win a strong mandate in the mineral-rich state, where indigenous forest-dwellers, or adivasis, hold the balance of power. Twenty eight of the state’s 81 seats are reserved for tribes.

In the April-May Lok Sabha elections, the BJP led in only nine assembly segments of the tribal seats, a tally Bhagat is desperate to improve.

“We are sure all the sincere hard work we have put in will pay off,” says Bhagat, whose social organisation, backed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), is replicating the work of Christian missionaries across the region.

A short distance from Vikas Bharti is the Cardinal House, a sprawling high-walled compound that Hindu groups say is the nerve centre of church politics in eastern India. Every election, politicians visit the office to seek the “blessings” of the influential Cardinal Telesphor Toppo.  

Traditionally, the Church has supported the Congress, and more recently the regional, tribal-focused party, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).

“The Cardinal does decide which candidates to support, so he does influence the politics,” says a local Christian lawmaker on condition of anonymity because officially the Church says it doesn’t back any political party.

But caught in the cleft stick of Hinduism and Christianity are tribespeople like Laldev Bhagat.

“I am Sarna and I am proud of my religion,” he says.

“Our religion gives us ample freedom to practice what we like.”

Some 26% of Jharkhand’s population today is tribal. For most part of the 19th century Christian missionaries converted many of them, both by inducement and coercion. But the region became riven by conversion politics after the RSS started its counter campaign in the 1970s.

Now, Hindu groups say all indigenous people, many of whom practice animism, are really Hindus, whether or not they realise it.

Such claims make people like Oraon angry.

“We pray to the soil, the trees, the river, the sun. Our gods are different,” says Oraon, his large brown eyes misty, voice choking.
“We have our unique identity. We will not lose it to the politics of conversion.”

(Additional reporting by B Vijay Murty)

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Press statement by Evangelical Fellowship of India on Church burning in Delhi

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY COMMISSION
 

Evangelical Fellowship of India
805/ 92, Deepali Building, Nehru Place, New Delhi, India

PRESS STATEMENT

EFI Condemns the burning of St. Sebastian's Church in Dilshad Garden, New Delhi

The Evangelical Fellowship of India condemns the burning of St. Sebastian's Church in Dilshad Garden, in the national Capital, New Delhi early this morning. The entire interior of the Church building, including the Altar, the Holy Bible and Cross were reduced to ashes. The church was constructed in 2001 in East Delhi.

Delhi Archbishop Most Rev. Anil Couto said "The arson in St. Sebastian's church was condemnable not just because it was an act of sacrilege and hate against the community and its faith, but that it could happen in the national Capital which is just recovering from a series of communal incidents."

The act of sacrilege and hate against the Christian community is carried with impunity with very often law agencies remaining silent spectators. This will dent the image of the present government within India and abroad and leave the minorities vulnerable and targets of hatred.

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

Evangelical Fellowship of India (established 1951) is a charter member of World Evangelical Alliance, an accredited NGO with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations

Press statement by Archbishop of Delhi on the Church burning in Delhi

PRESS STATEMENT
 

ARCHBISHOP OF DELHI ASKS PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI T0 ORDER JUDICIAL ENQUIRY INTO BURNING OF CATHOLIC CHURCH IN EAST DELHI, PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS IN CENTRAL INDIAN STATES
 

St. Sebastian’s Church in Dilshad Garden gutted in arson; Community plans demonstration at Police Commissioner’s Office on Tuesday morning
 

NEW DELHI, 1 December 2014
 

Delhi Archbishop Most Rev. Anil Couto, has in a memorandum to Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Mr. Rajnath Singh, called on them to urgently order a judicial enquiry into the burning of the St. Sebastian’s Church in Dilshad Garden in the national Capital, New Delhi early this morning. The entire interior, including the Altar, the Holy Bible and Cross were reduced to ashes.
On the complaint of Church priest Fr. Anthony Francis, the police have registered an FIR against unknown outsiders for causing the fire with malicious intent. Senior officers of Delhi police, the Special Branch and the Forensic Crime unit came to the spot after many hours, and once the agitated members of the Catholic community blocked the roads in the area. Samples were retrieved from the inside of the church, which was still smelling of fuel oil.
Till late in the evening, police could not say they had made any progress in their investigations.
Addressing the media, Archbishop Couto said apart from the judicial enquiry, the government must repair the building before Christmas, ensure that policemen guilty of dereliction of duty are punished, and special police investigation teams are set up to trace the guilty.
Te Christian community cutting across denominations, and civil society have decided to protest at the offices of the Police Commissioner of Delhi on Tuesday morning to focus attention on the attempts to polarise the people in Delhi state which goes to the polls soon, and the continued persecution of Christians in Madhya Pradesh, Chhatishgarh and other tribal and rural areas.
On Sunday, 30th November 21014, two house churches in Annupur district of Madhya Pradesh were attacked. Earlier in November, catholic priests in the Bastar region in Chhatisgarh were told all their schools were to install statues of Goddess Saraswati and they would not be allowed to be called “Father”, the usual honorific, by the students, but would be called “Acharya”. In other districts of Chhartisgarh, village panchayats under political influence have passed regulations banning non-Hindu religious persons from organising prayers or opening places of worship in their territory.
Archbishop Couto said the arson in St. Sebastian’s church was condemnable not just because it was an act of sacrilege and hate against the community and its faith, but that it could happen in the national Capital which is just recovering from a series of communal incidents. Also distressing is the sense of police impunity. Long hours were lost, and possible evidence destroyed, before the police finally came.
St. Sebastian’s church was constructed in 2001 and is among the biggest churches in East Delhi. The church was active till Sunday night because of religious ceremonies for catholic children receiving their first Holy Communion.
The night watchman had handed over charge to the day watchman at 5 am. The Parish Priest, Fr. Francis, was informed by the day watchman of the fire. The fire was still raging when Fr. Francis informed the Fire brigade and the police.
The community soon collected at the police station to impress on the officers to call in forensic experts. When the police failed to come, roads were blocked for some time. Those who visited the church included archbishops Anil Couto, Kuriakose Bharanikulangara, Bishop Jacob Mar Barnabas , several Members of Parliament, Mr. Arvind Kejriwal and former MLAs of the area.
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Released to the media for publication, telecast and broadcast by Fr. Savarimuthu on behalf of the Archdiocese of Delhi. For further details, please contact Fr. Savarimuthu, 09968006616, frsankar@gmail.com, Dr. John Dayal, 09811021072, john.dayal@gmail.com and Fr. Stanley 09910504011, frstanley@gmail.com

Church Burnt in East Delhi

A Catholic church in East Delhi's Dilshad Garden area, St Sebastian's Church, was completely gutted in a fire this morning. Preliminary investigations pointed to a deliberate attack, police sources confirmed to NDTV.

 

The forensic team found traces of kerosene inside the church premises, which led the police to conclude that the attack was pre-meditated.

A case of "mischief by fire" has been lodged and the police are questioning several persons, among them the watchman of the church.

The police will come out with a final report after the forensic team finalises its findings.

The authorities found out about the fire around 6.30 am after the watchman, who came in for work around that time, informed them. There was no security guard at the church between 5 and 6 am, which was when the authorities thought the fire started.

There was no casualty since the church was empty at the time.

The locals, who held a candlelight vigil today, plan to march to the police headquarters tomorrow. They demand compensation and an independent inquiry.

"It seems to be a deliberate act as we could smell kerosene on the spot. It has been a very emotional day for us," Father Stanley Kozhichira, of the Delhi archdiocese told NDTV.

"We are not blaming any particular group for the act. It has been done by anti-social elements. We want swift action by police", Chancellor of Delhi Catholic Church archdiocese, Father Mathew, told NDTV.

The church was built in 2001. Almost 3000 people attend the Sunday mass. 

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Christians in India Beaten Nearly Unconscious in Latest of Several Attacks

Family in Odisha state driven from village after Hindu extremists burn down their home.

Irma Markami and his sons with bloodied and torn clothing.

(Morning Star News).NEW DELHI,

November 30, 2014 (Morning Star News) – Hindu extremists in Odisha state on Oct. 25 summoned a Christian family to a public meeting for a “compromise” on religious conflict but instead beat them nearly unconscious, sources said.

Irma Markami and four members of his family received hospital treatment for eight days after the attack, which came 10 days after nearly all the villagers from Gumkaguda, Malkangiri beat them for refusing to renounce Christ.

The Hindu extremists who summoned the Christian family to the “compromise” meeting told them that they were “not to talk and to promise to do whatever they were asked to do.” Soon after the meeting started at noon, with Christian leaders and village officials present, the Hindu extremists attacked Markami, his wife and three sons, said area pastor Vijay Purusu, who attended the meeting.

“In front of our eyes, they mercilessly beat up the Christians – kicking them, they pushed them down to the ground, stomped on them and beat them up with clubs and their hands,” Purusu told Morning Star News.

As they assaulted the family, which belongs to the Calvary Gospel Mission Moment Church, the Hindu villagers shouted that there was no place for Christians in the village and that they were going to wipe them out.

“The attack lasted for about one and a half hours, and by the time they were rushed to the hospital, the Christians were barely conscious,” another area church leader, Narendra Gachha, told Morning Star News.

About 10 area Christian leaders at the meeting managed to escape and ran to the Potteru police station. Officers arrived at the site followed by two ambulances. The five severely injured Christians were rushed to the district hospital.

They sustained injuries on their heads, faces and hands and abrasions and bruises all over their bodies, church leaders said.

The meeting in which the ambush took place had been called after a previous attack drove the Christian family and other relatives out of the village in Odisha, formerly called Orissa state. At about midnight on Oct. 15, a large mob of Hindu extremists beat Markami and his family, told them to renounce Christ and later burned their house when the Christian refused to deny Christ, Gachha said.

“Almost all the villagers, including women, turned up, verbally abused them for their faith in Christ, pushed, kicked, beat them with their hands and clubs, and hurled stones at them and then burned up their house” he said.

That night, Markami, his wife, three sons, their wives and six grandchildren fled the area and took shelter with relatives in another village. Their house, along with household goods, were destroyed, Gaccha said.

Markami and his family began following Christ in 2004. Since then, the extremists have socially boycotted them, threatened to harm them if they do not renounce Christ and beat them occasionally, reported the Evangelical Fellowship of India.

Police registered a First Information Report against the attackers, but at press time no arrests had been made.

“The whole family at present is staying in one small room,” Gaccha said. “It is a difficult time for them, but their faith in Jesus remains still strong.”

In 2008, Gachha also was beaten and chased out from Gumkaguda village as he was conducting a prayer meeting at Markami’s house.

Markami and his family worshipped at their own house in the village, where other residents began to join them.

Source: Morning Star

Video on minorities under attack