Villagers Brutally Beat Christians in Orissa State, India

Eruption of Hindu violence linked to anti-Christian propaganda.

NEW DELHI, February 3 (Compass) - Extremists encouraged Hindu residents of a village in Malkangiri district, Orissa state, to attack Christian residents on January 24. At least 10 Christians were injured and two were hospitalized.

The attack took place at about 8 a.m. while 14 Christian families and four missionaries from the Indian Evangelical Team (IET) were at a believer's house in Koikonda village, said Satya Das Benya, IET’s district coordinator.

Only 15 of approximately 300 families in the village are Christian.

A number of Christians had gathered at the home of Salvam Gangi on January 23 for a worship meeting and stayed overnight. Members of the Hindu extremist group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) apparently heard the sound of singing and called for a village meeting on the morning of January 24.

Immediately after the RSS meeting, a group of about 50 villagers surrounded Gangi’s home and demanded that the four missionaries - Vijay Kumar, Baldas Gopal, Ramesh Sulah and Gideon Challan – come out of the house.

As soon as the missionaries complied, the mob started beating them and then attacked other Christians who were in the house.

Kumar fell unconscious after the beatings and did not regain consciousness until three days later. He and Gopal were both hospitalized with serious internal injuries, although doctors have now declared them "out of danger."

Village pastor Salvam Samu received minor injuries, along with three men and four women.

Samu tried to lodge an official complaint on January 26, but the police said they were "too busy" to talk to him. When IET missionary Sulah approached police officials the next day, they accepted his written complaint but failed to give him a signed carbon copy as required by law.

Sulah's report named 11 of the attackers.

At press time, police had made no attempt to arrest the accused. Fearing further violence, Christian residents did not meet for worship on Sunday (January 29).

When Compass spoke with Yatinda Koyal, superintendent of police in Malkangiri district, Koyal said the victims had not lodged a formal complaint. When he was given evidence that a complaint had been filed, he pleaded ignorance, saying he had been "away from the office for the last three days."

Hindu residents had attacked Christians a year ago, in January 2005, injuring several people including a pregnant woman. The police helped both parties reach a compromise, but Hindu villagers have continued to express hostility to the Christian minority.

Spreading Violence

Orissa is ruled by a coalition government consisting of the Biju Danata Dal party and the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Anti-Christian violence has risen sharply in states ruled by the BJP since the beginning of the year. Christians blame hate propaganda distributed by the RSS and other extremist groups in preparation for a major Hindu "reawakening" event to be held this February in Dangs district of Gujarat state.

Four attacks on Christians in Madhya Pradesh, another BJP-ruled state, were reported last week, immediately after the attack in Orissa. (See Compass Direct, "Extremists, Police Beat Christians in Madhya Pradesh," January 30.)

"The RSS wants no violence in Dangs at this time, but it wants the chant to continue in other states," Dr. John Dayal, secretary general of the All India Christian Council, told Compass.

Dayal said he expected violence against Christians in Dangs to break out after the Hindu rally scheduled for February 11 to 13.

A compact disc distributed by the RSS in Dangs and elsewhere describes Christianity as a dangerous foreign faith that must be eradicated from India.

Centre asks Gujarat to maintain law and order at the Shabari Kumbh

NEW DELHI: Concerned at the reports of a large congregation being planned from February 11 to 13 in the predominantly tribal district of Dangs in Gujarat by a Sangh Parivar outfit, the Centre on Thursday said efforts would be made to provide additional paramilitary forces to ensure that the "Shabri Kumbh Mela" passed off peacefully.

In a letter to the Gujarat Chief Secretary, Union Home Secretary V.K. Duggal suggested that extensive arrangements be made along the route leading from the bordering States and districts to the site. He also suggested that adequate security arrangements be made in the villages where the people of minority community live or there religious and educational institutions are located. Four companies of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), stationed in Ahmedabad, would be deployed in the area.

The three-day event is being organised by the Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad at Shabri Dham near Jarsol in Dangs district. The district witnessed attacks on the Christian tribal population and their institutions during the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) regime in 1998.

With nearly 10 per cent of the population of the area being Christian tribals, the Parishad, a front organisation of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), tries to discourage the others from getting converted to Christianity. The law and order situation in the Dangs and surrounding areas was reviewed by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil at a meeting here on Wednesday.

The Ministry sent A.K. Mitra, Special Secretary (Internal Security), to Ahmedabad and Dangs on January 29 for a three-day visit to make an on-the-spot assessment of the situation. The Centre is keeping a close watch on the situation, sources in the Ministry told The Hindu.

Intelligence inputs said the Christians in the adjoining Nandurbar district in Maharashtra were also apprehensive of tension following the congregation and the programme of "Suddhikaran" (reconversion).

Several Christian organisations, including the All-Indian Christian Council, have urged the Gujarat Government and the Centre to take steps to ensure the safety of Christian missionaries and institutions.

Nearly three lakh tribals from across the country are likely to converge in the area to attend the programme, being dubbed as "Sabri Mahakumbh", which isaimed at protecting the Hindu religion from the foreigners. The three-day programme is likely to be attended, among others, by RSS chief K.S. Sudarshan, Sant Asaram and Morari Bapu. The "Mahakumbh" for tribals is aimed at mobilising their clan from Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Another outfit "Shri Sabarimata Seva Samiti", affiliated to the Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad, has been active in Dangs over the past one-and-a-half decades. It has often accused the Christian missionaries of indulging in conversions under the pretext of social and religious services. It claims to have reconverted, on an average, 200-500 Christian tribals to Hinduism every year for the past few years.

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Missionaries beaten up in Orissa

23rd January 2006: Four IET (Indian Evangelical Team) missionaries namely P. Bijay Kumar, G. Baldash, Gideon Challan and Ramesh Suna had gone to village Koikonda of Motu Thehsil, Malkangiri District, Orissa State for a special meeting. Village Koikonda is more than 60 kms away from Malkangiri District.

The RSS (Rashtriya Swayam Sewak) activists came to know about this meeting and went to the village in search of the missionaries. The miscreants interrupted the meeting and forcibly entered the venue. They took the missionaries out of the place of worship by force.

After pulling the Missionaries out the miscreants proceeded to beat them up inhumanly. Brother Bijay Kumar and Brother G. Baldash became unconscious because of the assault. The RSS activists then turned to the believers who were attending the meeting and brutally beat and harassed them.

The missionaries who were severely beaten up were taken to the District Hospital around 9 pm the same day. Among the missionaries three are under treatment but Bro. Bijay Kumar is very serious and has still not recovered from the trauma.

Complaint against the miscreants has been lodged in the local police station. Please pray for the missionaries and believers to overcome this shocking incidence.

As reported on email by the Indian Evangelical Team, New Delhi

Catholic Bishop, priests attacked in Maharashtra, India

Mumbai (ICNS) -- Bishop Thomas Dabre of Vasai and his three priests were pelted with stones as they opened a hostel for tribal children in a village.

A priest sustained head injuries in the Jan. 29 attack in Ghosali village of Mukada Taluka, which comes under Bishop Dabre's Vasai diocese in Maharashtra.

Bishop Dabre and Fathers Oneil Faroz, Philip Vaz and Andrew Rodrigues were inaugurating the Suryodaya Ashram, a hostel to help tribal children's education.

"Miscreants who allegedly belonged to the Bajrang Dal and Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad numbering over a hundred were armed with sticks," according to a statement from Bombay Catholic Sabha (forum). Vasai was formerly part of Bombay archdiocese.

The attackers shouted slogans and threw stones at the gathering. "This was intimidation of its worst kind. Had it not to be for the strong opposition of the villagers, who repulsed the attack by the hooligans something worse could have happened," the statement said.

It said the presence of more than 300 members of the Bajrang Dal and Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad triggered off ugly scenes.

The activists were under the impression that the educational institutions would convert some of the students to Christianity, informed Abraham Mathai, vice chairman of the Minorities Commission.

The statement wanted the "fascist elements" appreciate "the good work done" by the Church for the marginalized. It also asked the attackers "to have the guts to follow" Church's example of social service.

The statement said BCS officials have taken this matter with Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh.

They have also contacted Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister R.R. Patil to ensure "adequate protection" for Bishop Dabre, Suryodaya Ashram, its children and other the Christian Institutions in the Thane District, it said.

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More attacks against Christians in Madhya Pradesh

By Vijayesh Lal

31st January 2006: The night of 30th January 2006 was replete with reports of incidents against Christians in Madhya Pradesh.

The state already infamous for attacks on the Christian minority with as many as 4 attacks on the community since 25th January 2006 experienced more of it, with unconfirmed reports indicating at least 18 instances of violence against Christians as India mourned the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi refered to as the apostle of peace.

The first attack was in Betul in Madhya Pradesh where in Hindutva fundamentalists attacked and attempted to burn a Pentecostal Church. The Church pastored by Senior Pastor K T Samuel was broken into by miscreants. After vandalizing the Church they attempted to set the Church on fire.

The second attack took place in Banapura, District Hoshangabad. Between 12:00 – 1:00 in the night unidentified men broke in the Friend’s Church in Banapura and after vandalizing they set the Church gates on fire.

The police station of Banapura is just opposite the Church and as soon as policemen saw flames from the Church they came to the rescue thus making the attackers flee from the scene. It was the police personnel who doused the fire and protected the Church.

The Friend’s Church is a historical Church and is about 150 years old. It belonged to the UCNI and currently the CNI is the custodian of the Church. Ena Jiwan Masih, an elder of the Church has filed an FIR with the police. We spoke to Mr. David Nathaneal, one of the elders of the Church and he has expressed his concern at the attacks but was appreciative of the police action.

The third attack was again at a Friend’s Church but this time in the town on Itarsi. Unidentified people broke the Church lock and attempted to vandalize the Church, but a major mishap was averted when the miscreants ran when someone raised an alarm.

According to reports received unidnetified people attempeted to burn a Church in Mandla district too, but the police intervened at the right time and thus prevented a major mishap.

Bible Students Beaten to Near Death

01/28/2006: Three Gospel for Asia Bible college students were severely beaten, threatened with death and their literature burned while witnessing in Bihar state during India's annual Republic Day celebration.

The first-year students, Michel, Jaipal and Balkishore, were visiting homes in a village near Purnia when they were attacked by a group of anti-Christian militants. The radical Hindus beat the students, then took them to a youth hostel where they tied them to a tree and encouraged others in the hostel to urinate on them.

When the hostel residents hesitated, the militant youth beat the Bible students with bamboo sticks and kicked them before they were rescued by the residents.

Amid the celebration of India's independence from Britain, the radicals accused the Christians of being "agents for the British," and set fire to all of their literature.

"If you ever come again to our area, we will burn you like we burned these books," they warned the Bible students.

When the victims finally reached their Bible college that evening, they were described as "half dead" by their teacher. After being treated at a local hospital, the three returned to the school, their faces still swollen and their joints aching from the assault.

GFA President K.P. Yohannan asks Christians around the world to pray that the Lord will heal these courageous students, and that those who attacked them will come to know the love of Jesus instead of the fear that drives their blind hate for the Gospel.

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Capital Shame: Christian meeting attacked and participants assaulted in Bhopal

By Vijayesh Lal and Rahul Pant

28th January 2006: A Christian retreat was disrupted and Christians beaten up on Saturday morning in the state capital of Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh.

The incident occurred when an all-day prayer retreat and training organized by the Hallelujah Church had just begun. The trouble began at 10:30 a.m. when miscreants belonging to the Bajrang Dal, the militant wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) forcefully entered the house of Freddy Prasad in Govindpuri area where the retreat had been organized and began beating the Christians who had gathered for the meeting. Before beating the participants, the goons pelted stones from outside and shouted anti-Christian slogans and accused the organizers of indulging in “forced conversions”.

Thereafter, the mob which consisted of around 60 Hindu fundamentalists, a number of whom were clad in saffron clothing and were wielding rods, lathis (sticks) and other sharp-edged weapons assaulted the Christians and ransacked the room in which the meeting was going on injuring at least 17 Christians.

While 6 Christians have sustained serious injuries and had to be rushed to the Kasturba hospital in Habibganj where they have been admitted, other Christians present at the venue of the meeting at the time of the attack have also been injured. The meeting was being conducted at the house of one Freddy Prasad who is a local Christian.

Pastor Sam Francis who was coordinating the all-day meeting and training was hit badly and has received fractures in his hands and legs. The RSS activists also damaged his vehicle, a Toyota Qualis, completely while Freddy Prasad's scooter was also damaged by the attackers and the window panes of his house smashed.

Kishore Sadhwani, a Sindhi background Christian, who had been invited as the main-speaker to address the gathering has also received a fracture in one of his hands and eight stitches on his head. Reportedly he is also suffering from a blood clot because of the beatings and has been vomiting blood.

The others who have sustained serious injuries in the attack include Majit Masih, Lal Chand and Ivan Pereira all of whom are evangelists.

While the leader of opposition and others have visited the injured in the hospital, no one from the ruling Hindu nationalist Bhartiya Janta Party has bothered to enquire about the condition of the Christians who were attacked.

The regional media has reported the attack on Christians as a case of personal rivalry between two groups and the Superintendent of Police (SP) has issued a statement in the media saying that there have been only minor injuries to those who were attacked.

The very fact that such an attack has taken place in the State capital raises concerns over the rapidly deteriorating situation of law and order in the state and the complete failure on part of the state government to protect the minorities in the state. The local Christians have condemned the incident and have demanded that the state government provide adequate security to the Christian community all across the state.

This is the third recorded attack on the Minority Christian community in the state of Madhya Pradesh within the past three days.

Christian leaders locked up on false charges at Jabalpur on Republic day

By Vijayesh Lal

Three Christian leaders belonging to the Church of Nazrene were arrested Thursday the 26th January 2006 at Jabalpur on grounds of indulging in forced conversion of tribals.

According to sources, in a well-planned move by the local unit of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh affiliated Dharama Raksha Manch (or Religion Defence Platform) two Christian leaders residing in the Civil Lines area of Jabalpur and one Christian leader from Dindori, close to Jabalpur, were falsely accused by the Hindu fundamentalists of forcibly converting and attempting to forcibly convert 23 tribals from Dindori.

The local police acting on the directions of Sudhir Agarwal of Dharam Raksha Samiti conducted a raid on the Gurudev lodge in Madan Mahal area of Jabalpur in order to scare the tribals who had voluntarily put up at the lodge to spend the night while on their way to attend a Christian convention organized by the Church of Nazarene at Nagpur city in Maharashtra. The tribals were going to participate in the convention by their own free will from 27th January 2006 onwards.

After conducting the raid at the lodge, the police under the leadership of City Police-Inspector Siddarth Chaudhary arrested the three Christian leaders namely Pravin Pawar, Sanat Pawar and Maclin Masih. They were arrested and put into custodial lock-up where they were till the writing of this report.

The three Christians have been accused and booked under Section 420 and Article 4 of the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Ordinance. The police have also confiscated Christian literature, documents related to the Church of Nazrene and 35 passenger tickets of a private bus agency.

Anti-Christian reports appearing in the regional media have made the situation critical as it may lead to a flare up in the situation leading to further attacks on the Christian community. According to these completely one-sided and biased reports investigations have revealed that 23 tribals were being taken from Dindori district to Nagpur to forcibly make them participate in a convention of the Christian community in order to convert them forcefully. False allegations of enticing the tribals to Christianity by lure of money and under the pretext of taking them for sight-seeing have been levied by the police on the falsely accused Christians.

When we spoke to the Police Inspector Mr. Siddharth Chaudary, he maintained that the Christians arrested had conspired to convert the poor tribals by luring them for sightseeing and promising them physical healing through prayer during the convention.

Mrs. Indira Iyengar, member of the Madhya Pradesh State Minority Commission spoke to us where in she informed that she too had spoken to the police officials in Jabalpur and they had appeared biased against the Christians. When Mrs. Iyengar questioned a senior police official as to why the Christians had been arrested when the tribals were going to Nagpur of their own free will, she did not receive an answer. The police also kept mum when Mrs. Iyengar questioned them as to how three Christians can force 23 tribals to travel to a place they did not want to go?

As the misinformation against Christians was spread by the Hindu fundamentalists among Hindus living in and around the Gurudev lodge, a large mob of Hindus, mostly mobilized by the Dharma Raksha Samiti, gathered together and beat the Christians black and blue. They continued to thrash the Christians even as the police tried to register a case against the Christians. Activists belonging to the militant wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak sangh shouted anti-Christian slogans while all this was going on and tried to incite communal frenzy.

However when we spoke to Mr. Chaudhary, he denied reports that the Christians had been beaten up even though this was reported in the local media.

The situation in Jabalpur continues to be volatile and the Christians are fearful that this wave of anti-Christian violence against them may increase in the days to come.

Tribal Pastors attacked in Jhabua again

Tribal Pastors attacked and beaten up in a case of blatant state atrocity
By Vijayesh Lal

25th January 2006: In a gross violation of human-rights a group of local policemen barged into a Christian home where a prayer meeting had to be conducted in Chapri village of Jhabua in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and beat up two tribal pastors who were supposed to leading the prayer meeting.

On Wednesday morning at 10:30 am, as local Christians had gathered together for a time of prayer at Rai Singh's home, as many as nine policemen belonging to the state police barged into the Christian home a few minutes before the prayer meeting could begin.

In utter disregard of their responsibilities as keepers of law, these goons became breakers of law and badly beat up the two tribal pastors who had to lead the prayer meeting.

After beating the two pastors of the Philadelphia Church of Chapri, namely Rai Singh Amblia at whose house the meeting was going on and Hatehsingh Rawat mercilessly, the police put them into their vehicle and dragged them to the police station repeatedly threatening them of dire consequences if they coinued to gather together for prayer or for any other kind of 'Christian activity'.

Raisingh and Hatesingh were locked up in custody for more than four hours where they were not only beaten up more but their Christian faith was also mocked at. The pastors were assaulted on their stomach and hands and the policemen also struck blows on their neck. The wounds which the two pastors received as a result of the police beatings forced them to be taken to the local hospital the next day.

However, when reports last came in the two pastors were denied access to medical aid by the local hospital authorities who demanded that the pastors obtain written permission from the police to receive medical help.

Those involved in this unlawful act of atrocity against the minority community include Babu Bhabor, Pal, Jaisingh, Gadwan, Shamra, Mukesh, Shisodia and other policemen. The incident took place in the very presence of the Sub-Inspector, Kalidevi Police chowki, Mr. Samrath Devanji. The T.I. of the area was however absent when the incident took place.

The Christians in Chapri village are in a state of shock while Christians in Jhabua maintain that acts of state atrocities like this are shaking their confidence in the state machinery which they say is anyway conniving with anti-Christian elements to terrorize the Christian community in the state of Madhya Pradesh.

Mrs. Indira Iyengar of the Madhya Pradesh Minority Commission expressed her concern over the incident. She said, "It is shocking in the manner in which the Christians in Jhabua are being targeted almost systematically by communal forces. It is becoming a regular affair and almost no protection is being offered by the government." She expressed her surprise at the incident as it happened just a day before the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh; Mr. Shivraj Chauhan was in Jhabua for Republic Day celebrations.

It is noteworthy that Mr. Arjun Singh, Central Human Resource development minister had called on the government to protect the Christian community in Jhabua from systematic attacks by Hindutva forces just a few days ago.

Children's Homes Face Opposition from Hindu Militants in Uttaranchal India

On Saturday, Jan. 14, approximately 40 Hindu militants opposed to a children's home and school being constructed in the village of Tikri in northeastern India's Uttaranchal state came to the construction site and threatened to kill the workers who were building the new facility. The workers fled for their lives.

Ashish Massey, the head of the North India Evangelistic Association (NIEA) who is funding the project, was also threatened with death by the militants. According to a local report, some of the local villagers allegedly complained to the activists that the Christians had come to their village to convert them.

In a separate incident in West Bengal, the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority demolished a church building and orphanage on Monday, Jan. 16, despite ongoing legal proceedings. According to Indian Express, the development authority claimed that the buildings were impeding a planned road expansion. At the time of its destruction, the orphanage was home to 30 children and 20 women. (Voice of the Martyrs)

Source: Persecuted Church of India Yahoo Group

Christians Attacked, Houses Burned in Orissa, India

No relief provided to Christians, who remain without shelter, food or spare clothes.

NEW DELHI, January 25 (Compass) - A pastor and his cousin charged with attempted forced conversion in Matiapada village, Orissa state, were released on bail yesterday, while five Hindu villagers charged with assault and setting fire to the pastor's house are still in custody.

The trouble began on January 15, when Hindu villagers "abused and slapped Rabindra Mallick, the younger brother of Pastor Kulamani Mallick, without provocation as he returned home from a nearby market," said the Rev. Dr. Dandia Basi Hrudaya, secretary of the Orissa chapter of the All India Christian Council (AICC).

On the following morning (January 16), a group of about 15 villagers armed with sticks stormed Pastor Mallick's home and assaulted him and members of his family. The pastor and two other family members required hospital treatment for minor injuries.

When the family fled, the village Hindus set fire to the house. Seven adjacent houses also caught fire and were destroyed; six of the eight homes destroyed belonged to Christians.

There are only nine Christians in the village, which has a total population of 70 families.

Hrudaya said Hindus had repeatedly threatened the Christian minority before the assault last week. He said the villagers were influenced by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP or World Hindu Council), a Hindu extremist group active in the district.

Counter-accusations

Later that day, Kabit Mallick, a local woman, lodged a complaint against the pastor and two of his relatives, both recent converts, alleging that they had tried to force her to accept the Christian faith.

Hindu villagers also claimed the Christians had set their own houses on fire.

Even as the ashes cooled, members of the Bajrang Dal - the youth wing of the VHP - alleged that Christian missionaries were torturing Hindus in Orissa as a means of forcing them to convert to Christianity.

Both Christian and Hindu villagers lodged police complaints, with the Christians naming 14 attackers. Police then arrested five Hindus: Ramesh Mallick, Gandarbha Mallick, Bandhua Mallick, Suman Mallick and Baga Mallick.

The district court later charged the five with destruction of a property by fire and rejected their bail application.

Police also arrested Pastor Mallick and his cousin Gunanidhi Mallick in connection with the accusations of forced conversion. The local magistrate's court rejected a bail application for the Christians on January 18, but the district court granted bail for them on Monday (January 24).

Christians in Maliapada said Jagannath Pareda, officer-in-charge at the local police station, had declined to charge the attackers with destruction of property by fire. Pareda is allegedly a supporter of the VHP.

Both Pareda and the superintendent of police of Jajpur district were unavailable for comment at press time.

The Rev. Pran Ranjan Parichha, president of the Orissa AICC, wrote to Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday (January 20), urging him to ensure compensation and rehabilitation for the villagers who had lost their homes. These villagers were still without shelter, food or spare clothes.

Parichha also asked for "a permanent solution" to repeated attacks against Christians in the state.

In another letter written to the district collector of Jaipur, Parichha sought police protection for the Christians of Matiapada "until normality is restored."

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Two held for attacking Pastor in Andhra

From our correspondent

Two activists of the the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parisath (ABVP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have been arrested in connection with the attack on Pastor Aaron in Nizamabad, Andhra Pradesh on 12 January 2006. The police are on the lookout for the rest of the activists who joined in the brutal attack.

The victim, accompanied by some other Christian activists, was distributing pamphlets at important junctions of the town in connection with the ongoing Christian congregation at Polytechnic Grounds. Aaron was severely beaten up by ABVP and RSS activists and the police arrived on the scene and saved him, according to eyewitnesses. He was shifted to hospital later.

Aaron complained that about 100 ABVP and RSS activists had attacked him without any provocation. It is now learned that the attackers tried to take him to an isolated place with an intention to set him on fire. They also carried a can of petrol for the purpose. However the timely intervention by the police saved the situation.

The police moved into action following rallies held in the town on the following day by the Christian community protesting against the attack. The police also seized a still camera and a video camera containing all that happened during the attack. The attack was led by one Jaipal Reddy, an active RSS member.

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Pastor abducted and Shot in Manipur

Pastor abducted and shot at in Manipur town, bandh observed in protest

From our correspondent

Life in the border town of Moreh was paralysed on 10 January 2006 following a lightning bandh called by the Moreh Pastor Fellowship in the wake of the abduction of Moreh Hindi Baptist Church Pastor Mohan Lal and church secretary Kishan Yadav by unidentified persons. While the kidnapped men were released shortly before noon, Pastor Mohan Lal was shot on the left hand by his abductors and had to be hospitalised.

Pastor Mohan Lal (45) and Kishan Yadav (26) were kidnapped around 9 am on 10 January 2006 by two unidentified persons at Moreh Ward No 3. The armed men reportedly accosted them near JS Photo Studio and at gunpoint bundled them into an auto-rickshaw.

Pastor Mohan Lal, along with Kishan Yadav, was kidnapped by militants suspected to be members of the United Liberation Arm Front (ULAF) on the charges that they were informers to security personnel about the militant movements in Moreh town. They were taken into their custody and accused with the charges of informing the whereabouts of the militants.
In the wake of the abduction, the Moreh Pastor Fellowship called for a lightning bandh that lasted till 4 pm. A rally, participated by some 500 people, mostly Christians, was also taken out through Moreh town to protest against the incident.

In the meantime, the two kidnapped men were released by their abductors at around 11:30 am. While Kishan Yadav was unharmed, the abductors shot Pastor Mohan Lal on his left hand. The latter was given first aid at the Moreh community health centre upon his release and was later referred to Regional Medical Institute of Science in Imphal.

Owing to the bandh, nearly all shops and business establishments in the border town stayed shut till evening. The roads were deserted. No buses left the town for Imphal, while buses coming from Imphal had to wait at the Moreh small town gate till the end of the bandh.

Pastor Mohan Las has been pastoring a small Hindi speaking congregation at Moreh for last two years supported by Kuki Baptist Convention based in Imphal. He along with the church has been involved in evangelisation among Hindi-speaking communities and Nepalis of Moreh town.

Relating their experiences, Kishan Yadav said their abductors, who were altogether five in number, had accused them of frequenting the local Army camp and acting as informers. They were also told to leave Moreh.

He said the abductors had taken them to the Chavangphai area, where they were manhandled. However when he clarified that he had come to Moreh only two years back and was serving as staff at Hindi Baptist Church, he was allowed to go unharmed. The abductors spoke both in Manipuri and Hindi, Yadav said.

Moreh Pastor Fellowship chairman Rev Thongam issued a press release strongly condemning the kidnapping and the shooting of Pastor Mohan Lal. The release demanded a clarification on the reasons behind the incident and further appealed to all underground groups not to harass religious workers.

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Stop VHP reconversion drive, Minorities panel tells Centre

Express News Service

New Delhi, January 15 After failing to broker peace between the saffron brigade and tribal Christians in Dangs, Gujarat, the National Minorities Commission (NCM) has asked the Centre to intervene to check the "illegal and unconstitutional" reconversion of tribals reportedly being planned by VHP-led groups next month.

In a letter to Home Minister Shivraj Patil, NCM member V V Augustine has said that the proposed programme of the VHP, Bajrang Dal and the local Adivasi Kalyan Samiti "had led to simmering tensions which could flare up any time".

The NCM member had visited Dangs to assess the situation arising out of the proposed "re-conversion" - the Ghar vapsi samaroh to be organised at the Sabri Kumbh Mela in mid-february.

In its report on the situation in the district, the NCW says that "tribal Christians are feeling insecure and fearing attacks as the day approaches". Dangs' 1.8 lakh population is spread over 113 villages and there is a tussle between missionaries and Hindu groups to bring the tribals into their folds.

The NCM report says the Hindu organisations "made no bones about their plans to reconvert the tribal christians and bring them back to the Hindu fold" when the minorities panel met their leaders.

Augustine alleged that "the Hindu groups are violating the Constitution and also the anti-conversion law of Gujarat by holding such a programme."

The NCM has conveyed its apprehensions of a likely flare up in the communal situation in Dangs to Chief Minister Narendra Modi too.

The report says the VHP had distributed pamphlets in which the Adivasis have been advised to hoist an orange flag on their houses during the Kumbh. "This, the Christians fear, was meant to make identification of the Christian houses easier and make them vulnerable," the report says.

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136 Christian tribals reconverted to Hinduism in Orissa

Rourkela, Orissa: Nearly 136 tribals who were converted to Christians were reconverted to Hinduism at a function organised by the local unit of the Viswha Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajarang Dal.

The reconversion ceremony was held at a remote village in Tumbei under Gurundia police station, about 40 kms from here.

Those reconverted to Hinduism included 61 male and 75 female from as many as 25 tribal families belonging to Kodaligochha, Pankadihi and Tumbei villages.

Rourkela VHP unit Prsident Mitrabhanu Panda and several other Bajarang Dal and VHP leaders were present at the reconversion ceremony.

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Pastor assaulted in Andhra Pradesh

From our correspondent

Mild tension prevailed for a brief period in the town of Nizamabad of Andhra Pradesh following alleged assault on pastor Aaron of Indian Pentecostal Church by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parisath (ABVP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) activists at RTC bus stand area on 12 January 2006.

The victim, accompanied by some other Christian activists, was distributing pamphlets at important junctions of the town in connection with the ongoing Christian congregation at Polytechnic Grounds.

Aaron was severely beaten up by ABVP and RSS activists and the police arrived on the scene and saved him, according to eyewitnesses. He was shifted to hospital later. Aaron complained that about 100 ABVP and RSS activists had attacked him without any provocation.

According to In-charge Circle Inspector K Pochaiah, a case had been booked under Sections 153A, 324, 506, 147 and 149 of IPC. The accused persons were absconding and manhunt was launched to arrest them, he said.

Meanwhile, The Council condemned the attack on the pastor and large numbers of Christians staged a rasta roko in protest against the attack on the pastor at the Railway Kaman affecting the vehicular traffic for about 45 minutes. The Council leader David said in a democratic and secular country everyone had the right to preach and propagate ones religion.

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Rise in attacks on Christians in Madhya Pradesh

Agencies
Bhopal, January 12, 2006

ALLEGING 45 per cent rise in crimes against missionaries during the last two years of Bharatiya Janata Party rule in Madhya Pradesh, the Madhya Pradesh Christian Association today claimed that fake cases were being registered against Christians, accusing them of being involved in religious conversion.

Conveniently, the attacks are targeted conventionally at the poor, rural Christians, who usually have no way to protect themselves, association secretary Anil Martin said in a letter to State Minorities Commission, while submitting a report of a survey conducted among 4105 Christians in Khargone, Dhar, Dewas, Indore, Jhabua and Ratlam districts.

The State Government has been sheltering communal elements and organisations to frame fake charges against Christians, the survey conducted by the Association and National Forum for Reconciliation, Religious Liberty and Social Justice alleged.

Claiming 45 per cent rise in crime against Christians, the report accused the administration and police of acting at the behest of the government and communal organisations and of being reluctant to file FIRs or registering complaints.

The attacks had taken place on tribal Christians in rural areas where their population was above the State's average and literacy levels were low, it said claiming that cottage churches in Chhindwara and other tribal belts were almost on the verge of closure.

Lone pastors, who are preaching are hammered or arrested on any pretext, usually on charges of converting or conversions, Martin said, seeking the commission's intervention in restoring faith of Christians on the State Government by preventing such attacks.

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Christians Targeted in Dangs, Gujarat

By Sankar Ray from Kolkata

After the Muslims, now is the turn for the Christians below-the-poverty-line in India. Some 8000 "wretched-of-the earth" - Dangs - are targets of three rightwing Hindu militants in western India: Viswa Hindu Parishad ( World Hindu Council - VHP ). Hindu Jagran Manch (HJM - Hindu reawakening platform) and Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram (mission-home for welfare of forest -dwellers - VKA).

Very much at home in triggering communal riots, these storm-troopers, indoctrinated by the Hindu fascists, have planned a proselytization programme between 11-13 February this year among Dangs, one of the most backward aborigines (known as adivasis in India) in the state of Gujarat in India. The religious conversion programme has been okayed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS,), also coined by the Indian media as Sangh which is the guiding centre of right wing Hindu nationalists.

The proselytization plan coincides with a Hindu religious festival, Shabri Kumbh, based on a myth. Rama, the hero in the Sanskrit epic, Ramayana , and his brother Lakshmana who stayed in Chamak hill in the Dang district, Rama met one of his devotees, Shabari Mata, there. Hence the Shabri Kumbh or holy dip.

However, the religious sanction to the Shabri Kumbh is questioned by orthodox and non-militant Hindu religious monks. A citizen's inquiry report, a summary of two fact-finding teams in Dang and adjoining districts, snaps fingers at this issue. Saying, "at best described as a pseudo- Kumbh, for which there is no religious sanction". Kumbh Mela or festival takes place by turns in four fixed locations of India, Nasik, Hardwar, Allahabad and Ujjain. The propaganda materials in CDs, prepared by the RSS, has nothing in common with the Kumbh mela (festival) traditions, built over many centuries, argues the report. The ultra-rightist Hindu propaganda portrays Christianity as a dangerous foreign faith, and calls for its destruction in the same way as Ram had killed the demon Ravana. The inflammatory slogan is Hindu Jago, Christi Bhagao (Arise, Oh Hindus and drive Christians out).

There is a forest habitation, almost wholly of Dangs. Devout and innocent Hindus believe that Rama was a real hero some 500,000 Hindu pilgrims are expected to attend the festival. The RSS-affiliates have "money power" to convert the Dangs, according to fact-finding teams that visited the region between 10 and 21 December last.

The VHP, HJM and VKA have set up a website http://www.shabarikumbh.org/invitation/ that wages a provocative tirade against the Christian missionaries. For a long time, India, it states, "has been a special target of the Christian Church worldwide. To the Church, the Hindus represent the greatest stumbling block in their grand design to establish Christs kingdom on earth. The poor, illiterate, mild Vanvasi Hindu is an obvious target in this nefarious scheme. For years, under the garb of social service, the Church has been spreading its tentacles in far-flung, tribal regions of our country. These converted vanavasis become alienated from their customs and traditions. They get uprooted from their cultural milieu."

The Christian missionaries are accused of having fanned up, separatism and terrorism in north-east India by the Shabari Kumbhsponsors. "There are several areas in our country which have become hotbeds of Christian missionary activity", the Hindu militant propaganda states forcefully. The Dangs district is a distorted form of Dandakaranya, the Ramayana heroes stayed during their 14-year banishment. "The immortal devotee of Sri Rama met her Lord and lovingly offered him sweet berries which she had tasted herself", the organizers claim. There is indeed a temple, named after the mother Shabari.

The two teams presented a brief summary of their findings on 3 January. The first committee included Irfan Engineer, director Center for Study of Society and Secularism, Mumbai, Suresh Khairnar, convener Dharma Nirpeksh Nagrik Manch (secular citizen’s platform), Nagpur,Ram Puniyani, secretary, All India Secular Forum and Digant Oza, wellknown journalist social activist of Ahmedabad.

The second team, mostly representing NGOs, comprised Harsh Mander, formerly a top bureaucrat of Gujarat and now a senior functionary of an NGO, Anhad, Uttambhai Parmar and Rohit Prajapati, Peoples’ Union for Civil Liberties and Prasad Chacko of ActionAid . They went around places like Ahva, Subir, Unai, Saputara and met local people and activists. They also spoke to local government officials and Sangh leaders .

RSS constituents focus on tribal belts and states such as Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Orissa and Gujarat. "The efforts of the Sangh organisations is to see that adivasis lose their identity, culture and traditions of worshiping nature without being part of any mainstream religion, by asserting that they are Hindus", the fact-finding committees states.

In Gujarat, which witnessed a two-month long communal riot against Muslims in February and March 2002 and killing of over 2500 people by RSS affiliates such as the VHP, VKA and Bajrang Dal, moral and administrative backing is an added advantage for the proselytizers as the state is ruled by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), political arm of RSS. The chief minister of Gujarat is Narendra Mody whom Indian National Congress and other secular and Leftist parties described as the main backer of communal killings.

The fact-finding document describes the plight of Dangs. "With very small and uneconomic holdings, the majority of the cultivators barely manage to survive for few months of the year on the crops harvested. The agricultural laborers find some employment only during the agricultural season. The political economy of Dangs presents a typical case of utter neglect, dispossession and non-development. The Gujarat state administration in close collaboration with the RSS outfits, "is engaged in a systematic campaign to divide the Dangi adivasis on religious communal lines and pit them against each other", and the survey report added.

The proselytisation aims at "suppression of the basic religious rights of the adivasis practicing Christianity and thereby also curbing the rights of the Christian missionaries to carry on their activities", the two teams feel. The conversion is subtly aimed at diversion of what is perceived as a growing consciousness of the Dangi adivasis about their traditional rights and self-rule onto communal and anti-tribal and anti-people issues.

The Hindu militants, owing allegiance to the RSS, began anti- Christian propaganda among Dangs in 1995. The campaign got a fillip in 1997, especially after the arrival of Swami Aseemanand, a VHP functionary from West Bengal. A "vicious anti-Christian propaganda and started projecting the work of Christian missions as a threat to both Hinduism and the national security. He has been visiting village after village, doing propaganda against Christian missionaries and Islamic Jehadis. He has also been propagating so-called re-conversion, ghar-vapasi (or homecoming) to Hinduism amongst the adivasis."

The inquiry report wages a polemical battle against the RSS tentacles which the two communist parties - CP of India and CP of India (Marxist) - brands as replica of "Nazi storm-troopers of the 1930s. "The religion of the Dangi adivasis in animistic, with varied gods and goddesses like animals, plants, trees and hills, the forces of nature like rain, mountain, ghosts and spirits, including tigers, cows, serpents, the moon, and gods of corn, the rains, the wind, the hills and forests."

Christian missionaries have been working there for over a century. The RSS constituents launched violent attacks against them during the regime of BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in New Delhi between 1998 and 2004. "Throughout the year 1998, there were 38 recorded cases of anti Christian violence, especially attacks on places of worship. A number of leaflets were published and the Gujarati newspapers added fuel to the fire, supporting the propaganda against the tiny Christian population of Gujarat," the report noted.

The conversion programme synchronizes with the new turn in the BJP. It has serious rift over the issue of Hindu militancy, imposed by the RSS. The new president Rajnath Singh is an adherent of the new line in contrast to his predecessor L K Advani, former Union home minister, who tried in vain to reorient the Hindu nationalist party in tune with the traditional secularism.

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Police in Indian Village Ban Church, Allow Hindu Temple

Dispute in Orissa state leads to extremist assault on three Christian women and one man.

NEW DELHI, January 4 (Compass) - Police decided yesterday to allow a make-shift Hindu temple in Umarkote village but banned Christians from worshiping at a nearby house church following a conflict that led to Hindu extremists attacking four people.

The attackers had set up their temple near the house in October last year and then complained to police that the Christian worship disturbed their own rituals. On Thursday (December 29) they lodged an official complaint charging the Christians with forced conversions.

When three Christian women arrived at the house to attend a prayer meeting on Friday morning (December 30), the extremists slapped them and pulled their hair, warning them not to attend any more services. They also slapped church member Samraj Rai, who had come to warn the women, and damaged his motorbike.

Fearing further violence, the victims did not go home but stayed with friends that night.

A delegation of church members went to the Umarkote police station on Saturday (December 31) to lodge a written complaint. The police accepted the document but would not register an official complaint.

Inspector Narayan Chand Barik told Compass that he had "received a complaint from the villagers saying that people in the house church were disturbing the temple. But I have not received a complaint from the Christians."

Barik also said he had discovered that some of the church members had not informed district authorities before they converted to Christianity. Prior notification of conversion is required under the Orissa Freedom of Religion Act of 1967 and the Orissa Freedom of Religion Rules appended to the Act in 1989.

"Why is there a church if there are no Christians?" Barik said. "And if there are Christians, why haven’t they fulfilled the requirements of the law?"

When asked if the construction of the Hindu temple on public land was legal, he answered, "This is their traditional way of worshipping their god."

Temple Under a Tree

Roots of the dispute go back to October 2005, when Umarkote villager Govind Nath set up a photo of a Hindu god under a tree about 50 meters from the house church, mission supervisor Chaitanya Nayak told Compass. Neighbors say Nath is a member of the Hindu extremist group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Two weeks later, Nath put a statue under the tree. A little later he built a small cement structure there and declared it to be a temple.

"Every Sunday morning after that, the temple started using loudspeakers for religious programs which disturbed the church," Nayak said. "But we did not object to it, since we felt they also had a right to worship."

On Thursday (December 29), Nath lodged a complaint with police, alleging that the church was disturbing temple worship and that its members were forcibly converting local residents.

Later that day, police summoned home-owner Tirinath Nag and Pastor Jacob Khare and interrogated them for more than five hours at the police station.

Unaware of these developments, the three Christian women went to Nag's house the next day for prayer and fasting and were attacked.

As a result of a meeting at the police station yesterday (January 3), police said they would allow the Hindu temple built on public land to continue to function. The Christians, however, were banned from holding services in Nag's house. Inspector Barik said the Christians could meet at the home only for prayer - not for worship, preaching, or any other church-related activity.

At the meeting, he also asked both parties not to insult each other's religious sentiments and not to use loudspeakers without prior permission from the other party.

Regarding the extremists' charge that the Christians did not register their conversions, the Rev. Dr. D.B. Hrudaya said that some believers avoid public declarations of conversion because of lengthy and complicated procedures required by the state.

Under current laws, would-be converts must give a declaration of intent to a Magistrate. The police then check for any objections from family, friends or neighbors before the conversion is officially registered.

"Those who do get baptized and send a declaration to the district authorities are harassed by Hindu fundamentalists, who somehow get the information," said Hrudaya, who represents a local chapter of the All India Christian Council. "It is a difficult situation for new converts."

The state government ordered more stringent enforcement of the Orissa Freedom of Religion Act in July 2005, following similar religious disputes. (See Compass Direct, "Hindu fundamentalists allege 'Forced Conversion,'" July 28, 2005.)

Indian Catholics Attacked on Way to Christmas Mass

Extremists beat four travelers, including priest, leaving them unconscious.

NEW DELHI, December 30 (Compass) - Hindu extremists launched two attacks on Catholics in the northern state of Rajasthan during the week before Christmas, in one case beating four people until they were unconscious.

On Saturday (December 24), nine members of the Hindu extremist group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) attacked four Catholics, including a priest, in Jambuda, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the district capital of Banswara. Jaisingh Baria, Sunil Minama, and two people identified only as Father Thomas and Santosh were traveling by jeep to attend a Christmas mass in a nearby village.

The attackers had parked their motorbikes just after a curve in the road in Tandi Moti village, waiting for the four to arrive, a parish priest told Compass. After forcing the jeep to stop, the attackers hit Fr. Thomas with an iron rod.

"Then they pulled the other three off the jeep and beat them," said the priest, who identified himself only as Father Alexander. "They also made them strip down to their underwear."

The victims lay unconscious on the road for four hours until a local Christian discovered them at 9:30 p.m.

Fr. Alexander had asked for police protection for the four after villagers warned Fr. Thomas not to attend the Christmas celebration that night.

"Now I'm wondering how the attackers learned of their travel plans," Fr. Alexander said.

RSS members had spread a rumor that the Catholics were carrying two children with them in the jeep in order to sacrifice them as part of their Christmas worship. As this rumor spread, people living in nearby villages came out to join in the beating.

Attackers also broke Fr. Thomas' mobile phone and stole his wallet containing 5,000 rupees ($115), along with a small television and VCD player that were in the jeep.

Fr. Thomas and the other victims have since identified five of the attackers - Kamlesh Tambolia, Rakesh Damor, Bharat Nutt, Harlala Roth and Galjee Khatara - all allegedly members of the RSS.

Inspector Prithvi Singh said he had asked Fr. Thomas to stop by the police station on his way to the mass, but the priest had not done so.

"Why did he go straight to Pattia-Parvali without coming to the police post as I had asked them to?" Singh said.

He added that he had filed charges against the attackers and arrested four of them, though they were released on bail.

In a separate incident on December 23, three men assaulted two nuns, Sister Tessia and Sister Kletty, who were waiting at a bus stop in Ambapara sub-district at around 9 p.m.

"The men came on a motorbike and slapped and verbally abused them," a priest from the Udaipur diocese told Compass. "They also snatched the crosses they were wearing around their necks."

One of the attackers was identified as Motilal Patel, already named in several violent attacks on Christians. Patel had earlier used a sharp weapon to attack three Catholic youths waiting at a bus stand in Banswara on October 21.

The Banswara city police registered a complaint against Patel and arrested him on October 22, but he applied for bail and was released immediately.

Police have yet to arrest Patel in connection with the attack on the two nuns.

Police believe Patel was also involved in the theft of a statue of the Virgin Mary from St. Andrew's Church in Ambapara on December 22.

Inspector Devi Singh told Compass he had registered two separate complaints against Patel, who had gone into hiding - "but we will surely arrest him very soon."

Indian Catholics Attacked on Way to Christmas Mass

Extremists beat four travelers, including priest, leaving them unconscious.

NEW DELHI, December 30 (Compass) - Hindu extremists launched two attacks on Catholics in the northern state of Rajasthan during the week before Christmas, in one case beating four people until they were unconscious.

On Saturday (December 24), nine members of the Hindu extremist group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) attacked four Catholics, including a priest, in Jambuda, about 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the district capital of Banswara. Jaisingh Baria, Sunil Minama, and two people identified only as Father Thomas and Santosh were traveling by jeep to attend a Christmas mass in a nearby village.

The attackers had parked their motorbikes just after a curve in the road in Tandi Moti village, waiting for the four to arrive, a parish priest told Compass. After forcing the jeep to stop, the attackers hit Fr. Thomas with an iron rod.

"Then they pulled the other three off the jeep and beat them," said the priest, who identified himself only as Father Alexander. "They also made them strip down to their underwear."

The victims lay unconscious on the road for four hours until a local Christian discovered them at 9:30 p.m.

Fr. Alexander had asked for police protection for the four after villagers warned Fr. Thomas not to attend the Christmas celebration that night.

"Now I’m wondering how the attackers learned of their travel plans," Fr. Alexander said.

RSS members had spread a rumor that the Catholics were carrying two children with them in the jeep in order to sacrifice them as part of their Christmas worship. As this rumor spread, people living in nearby villages came out to join in the beating.

Attackers also broke Fr. Thomas' mobile phone and stole his wallet containing 5,000 rupees ($115), along with a small television and VCD player that were in the jeep.

Fr. Thomas and the other victims have since identified five of the attackers – Kamlesh Tambolia, Rakesh Damor, Bharat Nutt, Harlala Roth and Galjee Khatara – all allegedly members of the RSS.

Inspector Prithvi Singh said he had asked Fr. Thomas to stop by the police station on his way to the mass, but the priest had not done so.

"Why did he go straight to Pattia-Parvali without coming to the police post as I had asked them to?" Singh said.

He added that he had filed charges against the attackers and arrested four of them, though they were released on bail.

In a separate incident on December 23, three men assaulted two nuns, Sister Tessia and Sister Kletty, who were waiting at a bus stop in Ambapara sub-district at around 9 p.m.

"The men came on a motorbike and slapped and verbally abused them," a priest from the Udaipur diocese told Compass. "They also snatched the crosses they were wearing around their necks."

One of the attackers was identified as Motilal Patel, already named in several violent attacks on Christians. Patel had earlier used a sharp weapon to attack three Catholic youths waiting at a bus stand in Banswara on October 21.

The Banswara city police registered a complaint against Patel and arrested him on October 22, but he applied for bail and was released immediately.

Police have yet to arrest Patel in connection with the attack on the two nuns.

Police believe Patel was also involved in the theft of a statue of the Virgin Mary from St. Andrew's Church in Ambapara on December 22.

Inspector Devi Singh told Compass he had registered two separate complaints against Patel, who had gone into hiding – "but we will surely arrest him very soon."

Christian Youth Gunned down in Assam

December 21, 2005

India (MNN) -- A 15-year-old member of Gospel for Asia's Believers Church was killed in Assam, India, as tribal violence has erupted again. Vidya Singh and one of his friends were returning to their recently destroyed village to recover some food when they were ambushed and shot.

Speaking from India, Gospel for Asia's founder KP Yohannan says while this was tribal violence, Christians are feeling the impact. "People take advantage of this kind of opportunity to actually go after believers who have left their tribal customs."

Yohannan says this is difficult for GFA. "We have believers in both of these tribes, as a matter of fact. We have very strong work in the Karbi people, including a Bible college. We are very concerned, very troubled that some of our believers are brutally murdered."

GFA Bible college students and missionaries, who converted from these tribal customs, are sharing the Gospel, says Yohannan. They're saying, "Your tribal practices and all this is only destroying you. And again, this is an opportunity used by many of the believers to witness to their neighbors and relatives and people are turning to Christ."

Christians are being asked to pray for the situation that's seen men, women and children killed. Pray for peace and that the church will be protected.

Yohannan says there's a lot of pressure being put on believers in this area of northeast India. "The government officials are telling us, the Christians, you people are the only hope. Please do whatever you can to bring peace to this area, that's a strange thing happening there."

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Church attacked, Pastor intimidated in Goa

From our correspondent

Hindu fundamentalists ransacked a church at Ponda in Goa when the worship was going on and dragged its pastor to the local police station alleging that he was disturbing peace in the area. And the police refused to act, leaving the stage to the hooligans to do whatever they wanted.

As usual the church of the New Life Fellowship in Ponda, 40 km from Panaji, the capital of Goa, started the worship on 18 December 2005 with a gathering of about 80 believers. Just after the worship began, about 20 Hindus carrying chains, iron rods and sticks and barged in and started to smash the audio system and other equipment. When some believers tried to protest, they manhandled them and chased all of them out of the church.

The attackers threatened the pastor Rev Cajetan Tellis with dire consequences if he tried to preach in the church again. All this happened after alerting the local police in advance against the fundamentalists who had tried to intimidate him on 11 December 2005. In fact on that day the attackers had brought six policemen to the church who took him to the police station. The in-charge of the police station questioned the pastor but found nothing wrong. Yet he refused to take action against those who took law into their hands. The police arrested six persons for the attack on 18 December 2005 and detained them in the police station.

In a memorandum submitted to Governor SC Jamir, the All India Christian Council (aicc) condemned the attack and sought stringent action against culprits as well as adequate security for all churches in Goa.

"The devious insensitivity of the district administration and the police is a matter of great shame as we profess to be the world's largest secular democracy. These constant efforts by communal fanatics to strike at the heart of India's plurality to eliminate any semblance of diversity with a blatant disregard for the religious rights enshrined in the Constitution of India must be put to a stop. Such a shameful act is unacceptable in a civilized society such as ours in an era of globalisation and is in violation against the provision of the Article 25 of our Constitution and accepted 'Universal Human Rights Convention'. The Christian Council demands that the perpetrators of this crime be arrested and booked under the appropriate sections of the IPC viz. section 153 (A) and 295 (A)," the memorandum said.

The memorandum was signed by aicc president Dr Joseph D'Souza, aicc Maharashtra State General Secretary Dr Abraham Mathai, Goa United Christian Leaders Association Chairman Rev Gerson Coutinho, New Life Fellowship Coordinator Rev Felix Cardozo and Rev Mathew Kurien of the Assemblies of God Church,Goa.

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Pastor attacked in Hyderabad, police refuse to help

From our correspondent

Hindu activists attacked a pastor in Hyderabad on 3 December 2005 and threatened to kill if he did not stop preaching in the name of Christ.

The pastor Yesupadam of Ashaiah Nagar in Hyderabad works for Believers Church. While conducting a prayer meeting on 3 December, someone called him out. "Thinking someone was calling me for prayer, I went out without informing anyone. I saw seven people at a distance waiting for me. Without suspecting anything I went to meet them. Loke Raj, the leader of the locality, who was among them, first abused me for preaching Christ and then started to beat me."

Realising they were members of the Hindu fundamentalist group, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the pastor sought their permission to inform his people and come back. But they did not give him a chance. Instead they held him by his collar and took him on a scooter to the local police station.

At the police station there were about 20 RSS people waiting for him. They took him to Sub-Inspector Sudershen Reddy. When they said the pastor was converting the people in the locality, the police officer said the Christians had become a big headache. "Then he asked me: `did your mother conceive you through a English man or Telugu man? Are you a Telugu man? Are you an Indian? If you desire to live, stop preaching about Jesus Christ. You know people are killing pastors in the city but still you do not learn anything."

Thereafter in the presence of the police, the RSS men forced a tilak on his forehead. "When I refused, they said if you do not listen, you will be another one on the list of pastors killed. We have a big network and it is easy for us to kill you outside the police station.

One of them Basvanna said, "I will cut off your genitals and ruin your family. I was very thirsty because I was fasting for the last three days. But they did not permit me to drink water. Nor they allowed him to call and inform his people." Finally someone rang up his residence and informed. When they came to the police station, the RSS men did not allow them to come inside."

When another Pastor Karunakar was informed, he came and got him released. "I was taken to the police station at 2 pm and was made to wait there till 10.15 pm. During this time the RSS men were arguing with me inside the police station and tried to beat me. The policemen just watched without doing anything. They threatened to kill me again."

Even the believers who came to the police station were threatened. "If you do not stop praying, we will even kill you. So you better leave the pasturing here and go back," they said. After the pastor was released, Loke Raj again threatened to kill him and take his wife. The pastor and the congregation are in great fear and could not conduct their regular Sunday service.

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Hindu Extremists Claim Indian Pastor's House

Eviction notice sent to pastor; idol installed on verandah.

NEW DELHI, December 14 (Compass) – Pastor Feroz Masih of the Believers' Church in India (BCI), who had earlier received death and arson threats, was forced to vacate his house in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh, India, on December 7.

"The administration of Baijnath town had served us an eviction notice, and members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad [VHP or World Hindu Council] also installed a Hindu idol on the verandah of our house," Ramesh Masih, the pastor's son, told Compass.

The VHP had earlier assaulted Masih and told him and about 60 members of the BCI that if they did not "re-convert" to Hinduism in a ceremony scheduled for November 20, they would be burned alive and their houses destroyed. (See Compass Direct, "Hindu Extremists Attack Church in Himachal Pradesh, India," November 14.)

Police stepped in and prevented any physical harm to the believers and their homes. (See Compass Direct, "Threat to Burn Christians to Death in India Defused," November 21.)

Local authorities then served an eviction notice on the Masih family on November 30. When Masih pleaded for more time, the eviction date was extended to December 16.

Masih's family did not own the land they were living on, but the Indian government usually affords squatter's rights when a family has lived on the land for at least 20 years.

These rights date back to a Supreme Court decision in 1985, when the court ruled that the right to adequate housing, shelter and livelihood was part of the all-encompassing right to life as outlined in Article 21 of the India Constitution. The court also said new accommodation must be arranged before squatters are evicted.

The Masih family could have fought to stay in their home, but they were intimidated by the VHP.

"On December 2, about 20 VHP members came and created a disturbance outside our house," Masih explained. "They said a large crowd would soon gather at the temple to make trouble for us."

The family locked the house and went to stay with relatives that night. When they returned on November 4, a small group of VHP members who were standing guard outside the house told the family that it no longer belonged to them.

"Instead of arguing, we moved the worship service to another believer's house," Masih said. "However, later that day we heard that the VHP had put an idol on the verandah."

Because of this intimidation, Masih's family was forced to vacate the house even before December 16, he said.

"Otherwise," he said, "we could have taken a stay order from the court, asking the administration to arrange for alternative housing, since we have documented evidence that we have been living in the house for more than 20 years."

Sandeep Kumar, a local official in Baijnath, confirmed that the VHP had installed a Hindu idol on the verandah. "I have ordered that the idol be shifted to the temple next door, and the VHP has agreed to do so," he said.

V.V. Augustine, a member of the National Commission for Minorities, told Compass, "It is extremely unfortunate that the administration evicted the Masih family and allowed the Hindu fundamentalists to occupy the house."

Augustine has asked the chief secretary of the Himachal Pradesh government to intervene, he said. "I also intend to visit the family and the area personally."

Kumar, the Baijnath official, said there was no connection between the VHP death threats and the eviction notice being sent just days afterward.

"It was a coincidence," he said. "Our office cannot be influenced by the VHP or any other organization."

Kumar said his office had serviced eviction notices to Masih since 1991. Masih appealed a notice in 2001 but it was rejected, he added.

"Masih is from Punjab [state] and according to our state law, he cannot buy a property in Himachal Pradesh," Kumar said. "Our office will not provide him with alternative housing."

Catholic families forced to convert

13 December 2005
INDIA

Catholic families forced to convert

In the village of Roopapali more than 40 Catholic families have had to convert to receive government aid for the poor. "I would have lost my job," says a teacher. "They were threatened," says a catechist.

Raipur (AsiaNews/UCAN) - In the village of Roopapali, about 1,400 kilometres south-east of New Delhi, more than 40 Catholic families had to abandon their faith in favour of Hinduism.

"The sarpanch (village chief) told me that I would not be able to continue doing my work if I remained Christian," said Kaithabai Surjha, kindergarten teacher.

Her husband Hemlal, who is a farmer, said he converted to Hinduism for otherwise he would not get government subsidies for Dalits, the outcaste group at the bottom of India's caste system, after the government decided to freeze financial aid for Catholics.

The couple, who had a Catholic marriage and who had their three children baptised, said they have asked their parish priest "not to visit and not to send catechists to our village."

"They were threatened," said Abraham Narayan, a catechist, who is related to some of the converted families.

Madhu Nag, another catechist who used to visit the village, said that the archdiocese had promoted many initiatives in Roopapali because of its substantial Catholic community. Catholicism, he explained, arrived in the area about 75 years ago when missioners helped locals with food during a drought.

Both catechists noted that local Christians had registered their children at school as Hindus to benefit from government scholarships given to Hindus.

The Indian Constitution guarantees special benefits to underdeveloped Dalit groups, listed as "scheduled castes", to help in their socioeconomic advancement. These benefits include quotas on admissions to educational institutions and seats in legislative bodies.

Buddhist, Hindu and Sikh Dalits are entitled to these benefits at present. Christians and Muslims are excluded on the ground that their religions do not recognise the caste system.

Though all the village's Catholic families renounced Christianity, the Kumar family, who belong to the Mennonite Church, refused to embrace Hinduism.

"We have been Christians for generations," said Moosa Kumar, who has a medical practice in the village.

"We have been ostracized socially, economically and religiously," Gyanendra Kumar, Moosa's son, said. But "we are not afraid of the persecution, because he (Jesus) is with us," he explained, adding that he has decided not to take any government aid reserved for Dalits.

The parish priest, Father Swaminathan, refused to comment on what was happening in the village.

The two catechists said that troubles trouble began when three Christians and one Hindu contested the local election last January for a reserved Dalit seat. The Hindu candidate Rabbi Chowhan threatened to expose his rival Christian candidates for appropriating statutory rights.

After the elections he said he would not allow Christian children to register as Hindus so as to enrol in schools, and would ask the government to investigate Christians who secured jobs or loans under government concessions for Dalit.

The state's ruling pro-Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party is investigating Chowhan's complaints.

Christians Attacked in Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh

New Delhi, December 4, 2005: In two separate incidents in the states of Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, Christians were attacked and harassed while participating in Sunday worship service. At the time of writing this report 2 Pastors are reported to be in police custody.

Raipur Chattisgarh: A Church in Sarora Industrial Area was attacked by Dharma Sena activists. The House Church has been functioning since three years in the home of one, Kanhaiya Lal Sharma. This particular Sunday i.e. the 4th December 2005, two speakers, Masih Das Rai and Anmol Kamble from Raipur had gone to worship with the congregation. The worship started at 10:30 and was almost over when at about 12:00 the Dharma Sena activists attacked.

"25 – 30 people suddenly came and attacked the fellowship which was going on the first floor of the house of Kanhaiya Lal Sharma. As they started beating Masih Das Rai, Anmol Kamble, Kanhaiya Lal Sharma and Ram Vilas Yadav panic spread throughout the congregation of about 30 people for there were many Children present too." Akhilesh Edgar from Milap Mandali told us.

The Dharma Sena had planned this event for long it is learned by us for according to sources they had been threatening the Christians for some time. Edgar also told us that while there were about 30 people beating the Christians, the Dharma Sena had about 200 more people gathered in front of the house so that no one escapes.

"When the Sena activists had beaten the 4 Christians to their satisfaction they tore their clothes and paraded them in the entire area still beating them. While doing this they dragged Ramesh Das Manikpuri from his house and also started to beat him. Manikpuri is a Pastor living in the same area but he was not part of the worship that morning. They also treated him in the same way." Edgar told us further.

By this time some Christian leaders in Raipur had got to know about the incident as some young men had managed to escape and call them from a public phone. Akhilesh Edgar, Arun Pannalal, Rakesh Jaiaj and a few others with them went to Sarora Industrial Area to help. But when they got there the Christians and the attackers could not be found. So they went to the police station of the area instead to report the matter.

It was later learned that the Sena activists took the 5 Christians to a temple where they forced them to bow down to the idols and to shout "Jai Shri Ram". "The Christians flatly refused", Edgar told us, "Masih Das Rai, even went up to the extent of saying, 'you can kill me but I will not bow down to the idol,'" Rai has been attacked and framed by Sena men earlier too.

"The Sena activists had a document with them which they had prepared already. The document stated that the signatory deals in forced and fraudulent conversions and the Sena activists forced the 4 Christians to sign the document. Anmol Kamble and Kanhaiya Lal Sharma signed the document, while M D Rai and Ramesh Das Manikpuri did not." Arun Pannalal of the Chattisgarh Christian Forum informed us.

At about 1:30 in the afternoon the Dharma Sena activists brought the Christians to the Urla police station where the Christian leaders were also present. Out of the 5 Christians only 4 reached the police station, the 5th i.e. Ram Vilas Yadav was let off by the Sena people. M D Rai and Ramesh Das Manikpuri were sent by the police for medical examination as they had received the maximum beating. Anmol Kamble and Kanhaiya Lal Sharma were let off after questioning and were threatened again by the Sena activists as they were returning from the police station.

Last heard M D Rai and Ramesh Das Manikpuri were detained by the police for questioning. No FIR (First Information Report) against the Dharma Sena was filed by the police despite the persistence of Christian leaders present to do so.

The Dharma Sena led by Leela Dhar Chandrakar has been very active against Christians in the recent past.

Bhabhra, Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh:

In another incident in Bhabhra, Jhabua District, Madhya Pradesh, Pastor Anil Mehda working with the Indian Evangelical Team was attacked while conducting Sunday worship service by the fundamentalists.

According to reports received by the Madhya Pradesh Minority Commission, Pastor Mehda was allegedly beaten up and then handed over to the police. The police had registered an FIR (First Information Report) against him under IPC (Indian Penal Code) Sections 151 and 101.

Section 151 states, "Whoever knowingly joins or continues in any assembly of five or more persons likely to cause a disturbance of the public peace, after such assembly has been lawfully commanded to disperse, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine, or with both."

At the time of writing of this report, because of the intervention of concerned people and the Madhya Pradesh Minority Commission, Pastor Mehda was set free although he is still not discharged of the charges against him. He is summoned again to the police station on the 12th December 2005, according to sources from the Indian Evangelical Team.

Nadia church attacked

Statesman News Service

JALALKHALI (Nadia), Dec. 4. - A group of armed men sneaked into the Sadhu Luis Catholic Church at Jalalkhali, Nadia, 10 km from the district headquarters early this morning and burnt a copy of the Holy Bible besides looting a crown of Virgin Mary, a chain and a rosary – all made of silver. The attackers also burnt some Holy Communions which are served among the congregation in the course of Holy Mass, in memory of Christ’s last supper.

The Holy Mass was not held in the church today following the incident. Fr Antony Kariakatyl, one of the priests of the church, said: "It is an unfortunate incident as Christmas is approaching. The nature of the vandalism only proves that the attackers had some ulterior motive. They have not looted any valuable items but burnt a part of the Holy Bible (182 to 250 pages) and some Holy Communions. They might have had an intention to hamper the Christmas programmes."

He added: "The attackers entered the church after breaking open the front door, probably in the wee hours of this morning. They sneaked into the sacristy room and broke open two almirahs. The incident was first noticed by our catechist Mr Sujan Khan when he went to the church for ringing the bell at 5.30 a.m. He then informed the neighbours and me of the matter. I then lodged an FIR with the Kotwali police regarding the matter".

Tension gripped the area soon after news of the attack spread. Locals are clueless about the incident.

It is the second attack on churches in Nadia in the past two years. Earlier, the Maliapota Catholic Church near the Indo-Bangla border in Tehatta PS area was attacked by a group of 40 armed men on the Christmas night of 2002.

The secretary to the bishop, Mr Subhash Barui, said: "It is more an attack on our basic faith rather than on the church. We suspect an ulterior motive." The additional SP, Nadia, Mr Biswarup Ghosh, visited the church and detained a person for interrogation. The SP, Nadia, Mr R Rajasekharan, said: "Though the motive behind the incident is yet to be ascertained, no communal angle is suspected. There was a confrontation between the church authorities and members of a local club over drinking of alcohol on the church premises during Durga puja immersion. The police are looking for a man who is absconding."

Christian Workers Attacked in Maharashtra State, India

Extremists put up posters warning Hindus of Christian conversion.

NEW DELHI, December 2 (Compass) - A group of young people attacked three Christians as they distributed Christian literature in the western state of Maharashtra on Saturday (November 26). Two of the three injured were hospitalized.

"It's a miracle that we are alive today," Shaji Samuel, a Christian worker with the Panvel Brethren Church, told Compass. "We were beaten up very badly. I still can't take a deep breath, as I have received numerous internal injuries and my mouth is still hurting."

The attack took place at about 7:15 p.m. behind the State Transport Bus Terminal of Panvel Taluka in Raigad district, near the state capital, Mumbai.

Biju Jacob, 35, said he, Samuel and 30-year-old Reji Paul distributed and sold literature and Bibles at the Panvel bus terminal from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. without incident. When they returned in the evening, he said, "a group of about 30 young people brutally thrashed us."

Paul and Jacob were sitting inside the jeep, and Samuel was standing near the hood, where a stack of literature lay.

"A young man approached Samuel, took a piece of literature and asked him why there was no mention of 330 million Hindu gods in it," Jacob said. "Soon he got furious, and about 30 more young people came and started beating him."

According to Vedas (Hindu scriptures), there are 330 million gods in India.

"When Paul and I got out of the jeep, they started beating us also," Jacob said. "They beat us for about 15 minutes."

The attackers then dragged the three and made them sit in a motorized rickshaw. They asked the driver to take them to the Panvel police station and followed them in their own vehicles.

"As we reached the police station, they [the attackers] alleged that we were converting Hindus," Jacob said. "I told the sub-inspector, S.H. Warenkar, that we were only selling Christian literature without any force."

Warenkar agreed to take the victims to a nearby government hospital, where they were treated for their injuries, he added.

The Panvel Municipal Hospital referred the three to a private hospital for further treatment. En route, however, the police asked at least one of them to report to the station for statements.

Samuel, who bore the brunt of the attack, went to the Thane Lok Hospital, where he was admitted immediately. Paul was able to return to his home.

When Jacob reached the police station, the attackers had given a written complaint to the police accusing him and his associates of conversion.

The police interrogated Jacob until 1:30 a.m.

"On Sunday, I had fever and terrible headache - therefore I went to a hospital and was admitted," Jacob said. "The police had to come to the hospital for further interrogation. I was released on Tuesday. But I still have swelling on my head."

The police, however, did not file charges against the Christians but against the attackers. Anil Madhukar Kalyankar, Kishore Madhukar Kalyankar, Sanjay Yashwant Wahulkar and 25 others were charged with rioting and disturbing the public peace, said the investigating officer, Warenkar.

"The miscreants wanted us to register their complaint against the Christians, but we did not accept it," he said.

Warenkar added that the persons charged were absconding. "The police will arrest them very soon."

The situation is still tense, Samuel said, as the attackers have put up posters on area walls warning Hindus of conversion attempts. "The posters allege that a Christian program is on to convert Hindus in the area," he said.

Samuel said he and the other victims have nothing against the extremists.

"We have forgiven them," he said. "However, it is sad that we were misunderstood, as we were simply distributing Christian literature that talks about love and peace."

Convert from Islam in India Remains on Death List

Unfazed, son of devout Muslim cleric strives to teach seekers the essence of Christ.

CALICUT, India, December 1 (Compass) - The Rev. K.K. Alavi, called "one of the bravest Christians in India," is the son of a staunch Islamic cleric.

Since receiving Christ at age 21, Rev. Alavi has endured at least four attempts on his life. Because of his ministry among Muslims, he receives numerous death threats by phone or by letter. Nearly every day he is assailed in Muslim speeches, newsletters and newspapers. Islamic groups have slapped 11 court cases on him, and last August a gunman shot at his house. He has also noticed two men stalking him lately.

Short with a thickly bearded face, the 53-year-old Alavi disarms others with a serene smile and a high singing voice.

"Last month, a few reporters came to me warning that killers were out to take me down," Alavi said. "All my life I have had threats from fundamentalists. So I wasn't surprised to hear this from reporters who were tipped off by a source with a radical, Indian Islamic group."

Though Muslim extremist organizations deny having any part in the attempts on his life, police officials and intelligence agencies have confirmed their role.

Machetes and Reproach

Higher-ranking police officials have asked Alavi to be cautious as extremist groups have issued warnings about attacks planned against him.

In Manjeri, a predominantly Muslim town in south India, Rev. Alavi pastors an independent Lutheran church, New Hope India Mission. He also oversees a literature program of tracts, booklets and study aides examining Islamic viewpoints on Christianity.

Many such works analyze Quranic arguments in favor of violence, contrasting them with Christianity's peaceful approaches. Rev. Alavi, a graduate from Concordia Seminary in Nagercoil, has written more than 20 books and tracts calling upon Muslims to understand the true essence of the teachings of Jesus.

In an Islamic area where Christianity is considered blasphemy, Rev. Alavi has led at least 50 Muslims - estimates range as high as 200 - to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Each year thousands of inquiries pour in. Working out of his home in Calicut, he meets curious and questioning Muslims asking about Jesus.

The threats on his life began in 1981. "A mob of Sunni Muslims stormed into my property looking for me with machetes," he said. "I ran all the way to the police station. Later I took refuge at the home of a Hindu attorney." The lawyer's family fed him and eventually provided an escort back to his home.

Rev. Alavi is not attacked merely for being a Christian, he said.

"I happened to be the first Muslim in a Muslim town who still converts Muslims in modern times," he said. "They saw clearly that I'm a sort of a bridge for many to walk to Jesus. They could never stand the idea. Hence I happen to be their foremost enemy."

The National Development Front (NDF), a major Indian Islamic group emerging in 1993 following the destruction of the Babri Masjid mosque, has launched several public campaigns against Rev. Alavi.

During prayers, Muslim clerics are known to hold up Alavi as a prime example of an enemy of Islam. Rev. Alavi has copies of a collection of audio cassettes - circulated in India and the Middle East - that revile him and his Christian mission.

In 1998, an Islamic group prompted various activists to file 11 charges against Alavi, including rape and fraud.

"All were well-planned and backed by renowned lawyers supported by Islamic groups," he said. "They also produced a woman who claimed I raped her."

Muslim groups announced these crimes throughout the towns of Manjeri, Calicut, Tirur, and others, he said. Posters appeared on walls saying he smuggled arms. These attacks were hard on his family, including his wife Yasmin Alavi, the daughter of Muslim converts, who is very active in extending hospitality to the hundreds of people who come to the Alavi home. The Alavis have three grown children.

"My family was shaken, but I knew the Lord would protect me," he said.

One by one, courts dismissed all charges against Rev. Alavi. Moreover, the Kerala High Court ordered protection for him.

Death Threats

Rev. Alavi still receives many threatening letters from organizations such as Tiger Force and the Islamic Front. His church has been attacked and the cross destroyed.

Police have informed Rev. Alavi of two attempts on his life. No one was aware of the attempts until suspects revealed them while questioned on other charges. Rev. Alavi's outpost among Muslims was once forcefully shut down; the Lutheran church sponsoring his work temporarily moved him to Bangalore to save his life.

A decade ago, a group of Islamic extremists came looking for him while another team was dispatched to murder Chekannur Maulvi, a liberal Muslim teacher who broke with convention and decried Islamic fundamentalism. Maulvi was murdered that day, but Alavi was away from home and thus spared.

"Now, sources have alerted me that I'm second on the hit list prepared by the Muslim fundamentalist NDF," he says.

Last August, while he was still in Manjeri, someone shot at his house in Calicut at around 10 p.m. "The stone wall still carries the mark," he said.

On another occasion, as he was speaking in church, there was a man in the church holding a gun. "But he had to flee when a Lutheran sister tried to talk to him," he said.

Such are the ordeals of a pastor whose widely-published testimony has inspired many Indian Muslims to turn to the path of Jesus. His life story, published in a booklet titled An End of a Search, is translated into 32 languages and circulated in many cities in southern India.

In spite of the dangers, Rev. Avali said he has declined the court-approved security offered to him.

"I can claim security from police wherever I go, but I believe if I do that I'll lose the protection of my guardian angels," said Rev. Alavi, who has been diagnosed with a weak heart. "So I've declined man's support and have turned to God's care and protection. Who can kill me if God's with me?"