By Stoyan Zaimov
September 8, 2014|10:14 am
International Christian Concern has warned that
Sangh Parivar, an umbrella Hindu nationalist group, is inflicting
suffering and looking to cleanse the minority Christian population in
India, much like terror group ISIS is doing in Iraq and Syria.
The watchdog group said in a press release that the nationalist group
and its associate organizations have been directing hate speech toward
Christians and leading attacks on pastors and churches in the northern
state of Uttar Pradesh. Believers are reportedly worried that radical
Hindu nationalism and persecution of minorities will escalate.
John Dayal, a member of the Indian government's National Integration
Council, said: "There has been a sharp rise in hate campaigns against
Christians by political organizations. This threat of purging Christians
from villages extends from Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh to now Uttar
Pradesh, and to the borders of the national capital of New Delhi."
There have been reports of churches being turned into Hindu temples,
and entire mobs attacking Christian houses — ICC shared of one incident
in July where a church in Sahakarinagar village was rampaged by a group
of 25 Hindu radicals, led by Hemanth Singh, a leader in the local
Bajrangdal group. Rev. R. C. Paul, who was leading a Bible study at the
church at the time, was beaten along with several other members.
"We were shaken and are very scared of the situation in the area. We
are concerned of our safety, even going alone outside looks very
dangerous at the moment," Paul said.
ICC noted in its press release that news headlines will continue to
focus on Christian persecution at the hands of terror group ISIS in
Iraq, but argued that the international community "must take notice of
the issues of Christian persecution globally."
"Like Christians facing ISIS in Iraq, millions of Christians across
India are facing persecution at the hands of radical Hindu nationalist
groups," the watchdog group added.
"Without drastic change, this difficult situation will likely only
get worse, as radical Hindu nationalist groups popping up across India
have been given almost complete impunity under the new Hindu nationalist
government led by BJP and Narendra Modi."
Following May's election of
the nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, several Indian church leaders
had said that they were not concerned that extremist groups would rise
up against minorities.
"Minorities, such as Christians and Muslims, are an integral part of
the nation and of the social fabric of Indian society. Minorities are
protected by the Constitution, I believe that the new government cannot
and will not want to go against the Constitution. As Christians we are
confident," His Exc. Mgr. Stanley Roman, bishop of Quilon, in the state
of Kerala, had said at the time.
His Exc. Mgr. Albert D'Souza, archbishop of Agra, in the state of
Uttar Pradesh, and general secretary of the Indian Bishops' Conference,
added that sometimes "small groups of fanatics can give us concern," but
argued that the Church "will continue in its mission to pray for the
new government and contribute to the common good of the nation,
supporting democracy, respect for pluralism, the rights of all and a
secular concept in the political agenda."
New
Delhi Archbishop Anil J. Couto has now also raised concern, however, at
the rising attacks on Christians and churches in India in recent
months.
"It is very disturbing, and we request local authorities to take
adequate measures to book the miscreants threatening to weaken the
social fabric of this great nation," Couto said.
"The Sangh Parivar plan [is] to carry out shuddhikaran — attempts to
re-convert Christians to Hinduism," the Archbishop continued."This move
by fundamentalist groups is a grave assault on the fundamental rights of
individuals and people and groups."
Other persecution watchdog ministries, like Open Doors, have also noted a
rise in Hindu extremism targeting Christians. The group ranks India as
number 28 on its list of countries where Christians face the most
persecution.
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