Malkangiri, June 17, 2020: A peaceful rally of Christians in Odisha’s Malkangiri on June 16 demanded justice for a teenage boy hacked to death two weeks ago.
Suspected religious fundamentalists on June 4 killed Samaru Madkami in Kenduguda, a village in Malkangiri district.
More than 350 people attended the rally and submitted a memorandum to Ramprasad Nag, Inspector In-Charge of Malkangiri. ‘I assure you to fulfil the demands made by you,” he assured the Christians.
Anti-Christian groups used to harass three families who had become Christians three years ago. They had complained to the police.
At midnight on June 4 , miscreants kidnapped Samaru and brutally murdered him.
The memorandum pointed out that people from Dalit and Tribal communities accept Christian religion on their free will, but face threats and harassment from radical groups.
“We demand justice for Samaru and for the us the Christians who feel threat in life,” the memorandum said.
“We want safety and security for the family of Madkami and Christians,” it further demands.
The memorandum bemoans that the murders now roam freely in society. “They should be brought to justice” asserts the letter.
It also said Christians in Odisha face persecution just because of their religion.
The memorandum bemoans that Christians are ostracised from the village and their children face bias and discrimination in schools.
“The Christians are deprived of government’s benefits, and other privileges. Tribal people are harassed in the name of caste despite their caste certificate. Christians are denied for burial in the village cemetery,” it says further.
The memorandum also bemoans that Christians are denied drinking water in villages.
“There is persecution, threat and injustice to the Christians,” Pastor Bijay Pusuru. the vice-president of the union, told Matters India.
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