Christians Accused of Concealing Identity Attacked in India

Further assaults feared; another arrest in Madhya Pradesh for 'forcible conversion.'

NEW DELHI, September 6 (Compass Direct News) - A leader of the Hindu militant group Bajrang Dal on Sunday (September 3) led an attack on a church in Jammu and Kashmir state where about 20 members, including seven Christians facing charges of "concealing identity" and "forcibly conversion," were attending the worship service.

A local Christian leader who requested anonymity told Compass that about 40 extremists stormed the worship service at 11 a.m., pulled out Pastor P.R. Anthony and started slapping him. Anthony is based at the Christian Education Institute in the Shivagiri area of Kathua district.

The leader of the mob was Sushil Sooden of the Bajrang Dal, said the source. "The extremists came with some people who were seemingly press reporters, as they were carrying cameras," he said.

After attacking Anthony, the mob started beating worshipers and shoving women who were in an adjacent prayer hall. Congregants began running helter-skelter.

Police arrived within five minutes, and the attackers fled. No one received major injuries.

The accused are scheduled to appear in court on September 16 to face charges of concealed identity and forcible conversion of a Sikh youth.

Tense Atmosphere

The source also said that a police official from outside the jurisdiction area visited church members and advised them not to give names in the police complaint, saying it could lead to further attacks on them and their family members.

He said Christians had lodged a complaint at the Kathua police station, but station house officer Rajendra Khajaria told Compass he had not received any complaint.

"If the attackers are identified by the victims, we will surely take action against the culprits," Khajaria said. "In the meantime, I have intensified the patrolling in the area."

The source said the Christians were frightened as the situation continued to be tense at press time.

Anthony and another pastor, Reji K. Sunny, and five Bible students - Umesh Kumar, Tarsan Chand, Samuel Masih, Kamal Jeet and Baldev Raj - were detained by the Kathua police station last Thursday (August 31) on charges of concealed identity and forcible conversion. They were released on bail the following day.

The Hindu extremist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its youth wing, the Bajrang Dal, staged several rallies against Christians in the area during the last week. (See Compass Direct, "Seven Christians in India Arrested for 'Concealing Identity,'" September 1.)

At the same time, several Hindi newspapers, such as Dainik Jagran, published articles accusing Christians of forcibly converting Hindus.

A newspaper claimed that Pastor Anthony had forced a person belonging to the Sikh faith to cut his hair and remove the turban. The pastor denies the allegation.

The Evangelical Fellowship of India and the All India Christian Council expressed concern over the attack.

Madhya Pradesh Arrest

In Madhya Pradesh state, police in Khargone district on September 2 also arrested a 25-year-old Christian worker, Shantilal Chainsingh, for alleged "forced” conversions.

Kailash Dawar, a member of the Madhya Pradesh state Human Rights Commission, told Compass that some villagers of Gogawa, about 16 kilometers (10 miles) from the district headquarters of Khargone, complained to police that Chainsingh was converting Hindus by force. Chainsingh is an evangelist from Tamil Nadu state.

Dawar said police jailed the evangelist on Sunday (September 3) under the Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act, or anti-conversion law. He was released on bail the following day.

Also in Khargone district, Hindu villagers with the encouragement of a village chief on May 28 gang-raped two Christian women after their families refused to denounce Christianity at Nadia village in the district's Bhagwanpura block. (See Compass Direct, "Hindu Villagers Gang-Rape Two Christian Women in India," June 2.)

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Pastor arrested on false charges in Jabalpur, India

By Vijayesh Lal

August 14, 2006

Jabalpur, India:

According to reports received just now, the Jabalpur police moving on the direction of Dharma Sena and Bajrang Dal have arrested Brother Vinod Karsal, an Assemblies of God Pastor in Jabalpur.

Pastor Karsal was arrested from the home of one Mr. Kushwaha, a Christian who works in the World Vision Jabalpur.

Pastor Kushwaha had gone there to conduct a prayer meeting when all of sudden the Dharma Sena accompanied by the police and led by Yogesh Agrawal attacked the residence of Mr. Kushwaha. They dragged Pastor Karsal in the Gora Bazar police station and last heard were still trying to frame false charges of conversion on him.

We spoke to the Police Inspector Mr. Soni and he alleged that "Conversion material" was recovered from the Pastor although he did not specify what that material was. Eye witnesses outside the police station also told us that the Dharma Sena involved the local Television and Print media and also produced two Bajrang Dal volunteers who claimed that Pastor Karsal offered them money and a Bible in order to convert them.

Please pray for Christians in Jabalpur as they face pressure from the Hindu fundamentalists.

Congress against anti-conversion laws: Sonia

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi has reiterated her party's opposition to anti-conversion laws in a letter to the All India Christian Council (AICC). In a statement issued here on Saturday, the Council said Ms. Gandhi had informed it in a letter that: "These [anti-conversion laws] are enactments passed by State legislatures where the Congress is in Opposition."

Response to memorandum

Ms. Gandhi's letter to AICC was in response to a memorandum articulating the concern within civil society and minority communities over the manner in which many a State was enacting anti-conversion laws.

In her letter, Ms. Gandhi also pointed out that the Congress had opposed the anti-conversion laws strongly in the respective State assemblies and outside.

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Chhattisgarh puts curbs on conversions

Source: AFP

Raipur: A sixth Indian state has passed a controversial anti-conversation law, banning religious conversions by force or allurement.

Passed by the legislature of central Chhattisgarh state late on Thursday, the law provides a three-year jail term and a Rs20,000 fine for those found guilty of forced religious conversions.

The bill has to be formally signed by the state governor. Hindu nationalist groups, led by the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which rules Chhattisgarh, have long accused Christian missionaries of forcibly converting Hindus.

The missionaries, who run schools, health centres and other charity programmes in the country's remote rural areas, deny the allegations. They say those who do convert do so willingly to escape the rigid Hindu caste system.

Four of India's 29 states, ruled by the BJP or its allies, have enacted such laws while in western Rajasthan state, the legislation has been passed by the assembly but has been held up by the state governor.

In Madhya Pradesh state, an existing anti-conversion law was amended last month to make it tougher. It is now mandatory for individuals seeking to change their religion to inform top officials one month in advance or face imprisonment and a fine.

Priests conducting conversion ceremonies in Madhya Pradesh have also been asked to pre-notify the authorities.

Moving the legislation in the Chhattisgarh assembly, Home Minister Ramvichar Netam said it would have a "stronger impact on containing forceful conversions mainly in remote and backward areas where external elements are trying to destroy the country".

In May, Pope Benedict condemned efforts to introduce anti-conversion legislation in several states in India, saying they were a "disturbing sign of religious intolerance". Christians form less than three percent of India's 1.1bn people, 80pc of whom are Hindus.

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Chhattisgarh passes anti-conversion bill

By Indo Asian News Service

Raipur, Aug 3 (IANS) The Chhattisgarh assembly Thursday passed an anti-conversion bill providing for a three-year jail term and a fine of Rs.20,000 for those indulging in religious conversion by force or allurement.

The legislation, which is an amendment to Freedom of Religion Act, 1968 that was retained by Chhattisgarh when it was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in November, 2000, was passed after a heated debate and exchange of allegations between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and opposition Congress legislators.

The new law, Chhattisgarh Religion Freedom (Amendment) Act, 2006 requires that those wishing to convert their religion have to seek permission of local district magistrate 30 days in advance. The district magistrate will accept or reject the request after studying the case.

The legislation is widely seen as a move by the BJP government to check the alleged growing influence of Christian missionaries in vast tribal areas in north and south of the state. The BJP governments in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan too have enacted similar laws.

While Congress legislators alleged the BJP government had a hidden agenda and the legislation was aimed to whip up communal feelings, Home Minister Ramvichar Netam said the new law would have stronger impact on containing forceful conversions, mainly in remote and backward areas where 'external elements are trying to destroy the country through conversions'.

The new law says that cases of those who converted their religion under force but reverted to their original religion would not be categorised as 'forceful conversion' and they would be exempted from punishment.

Copyright Indo-Asian News Service

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Anti Conversion law passed in Madhya Pradesh

M.P. Assembly passes Freedom of Religion Act

Bhopal, July 25 (PTI): The Madhya Pradesh Assembly today passed a controversial bill to amend the state's Freedom of Religion Act of 1968 to prevent religious conversion by force or allurement.

Amidst an uproar in the the House by opposition members, the bill was passed by voice vote without holding discussions, prompting the Congress to later submit a memorandum to Governor Balram Jakhar asking him to return it.

The bill provides for a person wishing to change his religion to voluntarily inform the district magistrate of his intentions, sources said adding the priest or organisations performing the conversion rituals were also required to inform the authorities about it a month in advance.

Police were given the task of verifying the credentials of the priest or the organisations ahead of the conversion and that this was not being done by force or with allurement.

The bill includes provisions for penal action like one year's imprisonment and a fine against priests or organisations that perform conversions without following due procedures and a fine of up to Rs 1000 for persons who fail to inform authorities about their intentions to adopt another religion, sources said.

While the government claimed existing laws are inadequate to check conversions by force or allurement, the Congress termed the move an "interference with religious freedom and human rights".

The BJP is "practising vote bank politics and wants to spread communal hatred", Leader of Opposition Jamuna Devi said in the memorandum, adding "it aims to exploit the Christian community and tribals through the bill".

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MP anti-conversion law puts priests under lens

BHOPAL: Taking a controversial step into the arena of conversions, the BJP-majority assembly in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday enacted a legislation that makes switching faiths tougher. The legislation has prescribed punishment for priests who conduct conversions without informing authorities one month before any such act.

The tightening of an anti-conversion law comes after months of campaigning by Hindu activists trying to prevent mass conversions into Christianity ostensibly. The amendment, meant as a shield against forcible conversions, prescribes one-year jail term and a Rs 5,000 fine for violations.

Although critics say such laws stifle the spirit of religious freedom, the MP government argues that on the contrary it would protect the personal choice of faith by removing the chance of coercion and allurement.

The passage of the Madhya Pradesh Religious Freedom (Amendment) Act made it mandatory for the priests performing the conversion ceremony to inform the state government about the exact day and place where the conversion is to take place.

Anti-conversion laws exist in Orissa and Chhattisgarh, where people can be punished for not informing the state about their plans to convert. But MP now takes it further by enforcing punishment for the priests involved in conversions.

In the original Madhya Pradesh Religious Freedom Act of 1968, the priest was not a party to such a conversion. The law required the person who wanted to switch religion to inform the district magistrate of the decision. Now Section 5 of the Act has been amended to include priests.

The priest now has to fill in an application form giving details of not just the venue and date of the ceremony, but also add a list of names and addresses of those seeking conversion. This application has to be submitted at the district magistrate's office a month before conversion.

This is to be followed by an administrative inquiry conducted by district officials and police superintendent, who is expected to ascertain whether there was any allurement or coercion to convert.

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Anti-conversion law made harsh in Madhya Pradesh

BHOPAL (ICNS)

The central Indian Madhya Pradesh state assembly on Tuesday amended a 38-year old law against conversion, making it more stringent.

The amended Madhya Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act of 1968 aims to prevent religious "conversions by force or allurement." Many Christian leaders say the law targets Christians.

The state legislature dominated by members of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) passed the amendments without discussion. Opposition Congress party's resistance were ignored.

The amendments say that an individual intending to convert should inform the district magistrate or other designated authorities about his intention one month in advance. A failure will attract a fine of Rs.1,000 or imprisonment.

Similarly, the minister failing to inform authorities in the prescribed manner, stating the name and address of the converted person and the date and venue of the conversion, will be punished with imprisonment up to one year or fine of Rs. 5,000 or both.

The law says the information from the priest and the individual will help the police will verify that the act of conversion is not being done by force or allurement.

Till now the act prohibited conversion from one religion to another through force, inducement or cheating, but there was no provision for advance information.

The ruling BJP government claimed the existing laws were insufficient to check conversions by force or allurement.

The state has witnessed several anti-Christians attacks in the past months, which Hindu activist claimed were linked conversion activities.

Congress party in a memorandum asked Governor Balram Jakhar to return the bill without signing. His signature is necessary for the amendments to become part of the law.

Congress leaders and Christian leaders termed the move an interference with the religious freedom and human rights of the people.

Indira Iyengar, president of the Madhya Pradesh Christian Association, said the amendment will only encourage communal forces. She urged the governor to return the bill.

Iyengar denied allegations that Christian missionaries in the state were converting tribals forcibly.

"The community is being implicated in false cases. It is facing increasing attacks," she said adding that this year alone there were more than 20 attacks on Christians in the state.

Hindu outfits fabricate charges of converting tribals to Christianity to attack and harass Christian communities and leaders, she said.

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New tougher Anti Conversion Bill to be introduced in Madhya Pradesh

We have just learned from sources in Bhopal that the Freedom of Religion Bill in Madhya Pradesh better known as the Madhya Pradesh Dharma Swatantrata Adhiniyam 1968 has been made stricter and has been tabled before the Legislative Assembly in Bhopal for approval.

The preexisting Madhya Pradesh Dharma Swatantrata Adhiniyam has been strengthened in this attempt and has been made to closely follow the example of the Orissa Freedom of religion bill which was also introduced in 1968.

According to our sources the major change or deviation that this new Freedom of Religion Bill will have from the old one is in the area of informing the government about the conversion.

The old Bill simply said this: "(1) Whoever converts any person from one religious faith to another either by performing himself the ceremony necessary for such conversion as a religious priest or by taking part directly or indirectly in such ceremony shall, within such period after the ceremony as may be prescribed, send and intimation to the District Magistrate of the district in which the ceremony has taken place of the fact of such conversion in such form as may be prescribed. [2] If any person fails with sufficient causes to comply with the provisions contained in sub-section (1), he shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to one year of with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees or with both."

According to the new Bill the parties which are involved in religious conversion either directly or indirectly will now have to inform the district collector about the intent to convert one month prior to the actual date of the conversion ceremony.

The collector will then order an enquiry into the request for conversion and may involve the local police for the same. Only after the collector is satisfied that the conversion is not forced or fraudulent will he give his permission for the same and then the ceremony might take place. The penalties for not fulfilling the above requirements have not been changed although there was pressure to change the monetary penalty to 1, 00,000 Indian Rupees and imprisonment to 3 years.

This new Bill is against the freedom of conscience as enshrined in the Constitution of India. It goes against the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well to which India is a signatory.

This proposed bill is not necessarily anti Christian in nature. We have to understand that this is anti Dalit and anti Tribal in its essence. This is being brought so that Dalits and Tribals may never have the dignity of life they so much deserve. This is depriving them of their Freedom to choose.

This report is based on reports from trusted sources but we still await the proposed document. We will continue to update you as updates arrive. Please pray against this proposed freedom of religion bill which will only curtail and trample upon the freedom of religion of individuals.

Church leaders deplore attack on Christian institutions

July 20, 2006

Changanassery (ICNS) - Church leaders and organizations have condemned the vandalism unleashed on Christian educational institutions by the student outfits belonging to the ruling Communist Party of India, Marxist government in the southern Indian state of Kerala.

On Wednesday, Students Federation of India, the Leftist student wing, smashed computers, vehicles, doors and windows of some Church-run educational institutions in Kerala following a court order that seemingly favored self-financing professional colleges run by minority communities.

Church leaders on Thursday deplored the violence. "It is disgraceful that Marxist student outfits are attacking minority institutions that are serving the society," said Changanassery Archbishop Joseph Powathil, who is also the chairman of the Education Commission of the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council.

"This seems to be an attempt to replace the rule of law with jungle law," Archbishop Powatil told Indian Catholic.

"Everybody should be ready for compromise. This vengeful reaction against the peaceful response to the anti-minority Act under the guise of the Professional College Act, with the silent nod of the government, is undemocratic," Archbishop Powathil said.

He said the ruling Marxist party in Kerala will have to pay the price for the decision to resort to violent methods following an unfavourable court verdict.

Verapoly Archbishop Daniel Acharuparambil also expressed concern over the growing intolerance against private educational institutions runs by Church groups in Kerala.

"Attacking our educational institutions is not an answer to settle problems associated with student admissions," he said.

The Kerala Catholic Youth Movement said the government should not allow anybody to take law into their hands. "The progressive student movements should give up vandalism and violence," KCYM president John Britto said.

Changanassery Archbishop Powathil, who is also the chairman of the Inter-Church Education Council said that the reason for the church approaching the court on the Self-Financing Colleges Act is the conviction that minority rights are at stake.

Even while reserving his comments on Tuesday's High Court Single Bench verdict on the self-financing colleges issue, maintaining that more time was needed to study the court order, Archbishop Powathil said that what the Church wanted by approaching the court was to point out a wrong committed by the government.

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Youths in India Set Fire to Orphanage, Harass Girls

EMI institution suffers $8,602 in damages; court warns Rajasthan official.

NEW DELHI, July 17 (Compass Direct News) – Unidentified youths early on July 6 harassed girls and launched an arson attack at the orphanage of Emmanuel Mission International in Rajasthan state's Kota district.

The incident took place at 2 a.m. when at least six youths tried to enter the girls' dormitory at the orphanage, Saji Kutty of EMI told Compass.

Kutty said one of the young men climbed on to the drainage pipe, reached the window of a room and knocked with a stick. The girls woke up and shouted, after which he got down and, along with the others, started throwing stones at the window.

Later, the youths set a tire on fire and threw it inside the generator room. A generator panel and transformer caught fire and were destroyed, a loss estimated at 400,000 rupees (US$8,602), Kutty said.

When Kutty went to the Udyog Nagar police station to lodge a complaint, police refused to file a First Information Report (FIR).

"They just received our written complaint and did not even give us a signed copy of it," Kutty said.

The EMI has sent copies of the complaint to concerned district and state authorities, including the Rajasthan State Women's Commission and the State Minorities Commission.

Officials of the social welfare department, who were appointed at the orphanage following a June 13 high court order, claimed that the fire was due to a short-circuit. But Kutty said, "We have fire-safety equipment installed in the building, which shuts off the power as soon as there is a short-circuit."

Kutty said he was concerned that the social welfare department has not appointed any female staff at the orphanage. Dinesh Rajpurohit, allegedly an active member of Hindu extremist organization Matantaran Virodhi Manch (Anti-Conversion Front), is the leader of the official team overseeing the orphanage.

Kutty said that ever since government officials had been appointed at the orphanage, Hindu fundamentalists had been frequenting the compound and harassing EMI staff and inmates.

He also said the contract for food and other items had been given to those close to Hindu extremist organizations.

Another EMI worker, James Abraham, had earlier written to Kota district officials alleging that Rajpurohit visited the orphanage with several members of the Anti-Conversion Front on June 21.

"They [the extremists] went straight into the girls' hostel and into their rooms without knocking on their doors," Abraham had said. "They also passed obscene remarks."

When EMI staff objected, the extremists threatened to file false cases against them and claimed that the girls were "not safe" under EMI management.

The Global Council of Indian Christians has demanded an independent inquiry into incidents of harassment of EMI by administration and Hindu extremists.

Dilawar Warned

Rajasthan Patrika, a regional daily, on July 7 reported that the Rajasthan High Court had issued a warning to the Social Welfare Department and its director, Madan Dilawar, in a petition charging him with instigating people against minorities, including Christians.

The daily stated that Dilawar had been involved in targeting Christians even before he became a minister in December 2003. It reported that he intensified attacks after taking charge of the social welfare department.

Of the July 6 incident, Patrika reported that police were avoiding filing a formal complaint against social welfare official Rajpurohit, accused of bringing raucous disorder to the orphanage and attempting to sexually harass girls.

Hindu extremists have hounded EMI since January. They accused EMI staff members of hurting religious sentiments and breaking government regulations by distributing the book Haqeekat (Reality). EMI President Samuel Thomas and his father, Archbishop M.A. Thomas, were charged with creating "communal disharmony," and both face trial in August.

EMI operates Emmanuel Bible Institute Samiti, Emmanuel Anath Ashram (Orphanage), Emmanuel School Society, Emmanuel Chikitsalaya (Hospital) Samiti, and Emmanuel Believers Fellowship. The organization leads a native church movement and serves over 10,000 children through humanitarian and educational work.

Samuel Thomas was arrested on March 16 on charges of creating "communal disharmony." He was released on interim bail on May 2 but will appear in court on August 1.

His father was also charged but went "underground" and applied for anticipatory bail, before appearing at Udyog Nagar police station in Kota on May 15 to answer to the charges.

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Pastor Arrested and Beaten up by Police in UP

Om Prakash Pandey a lay pastor was arrested by the local police in Sultanpur district of Uttar Pradesh on the 16th July 2006, while he was conducting Sunday worship. According to sources this was at the behest of the local VHP coordinator Amarjeet.

Om Prakash was taken to the Kurebhar Police Station where the Police Inspector Saroj and others allegedly beat him up mercilessly. They were cautious so that all the wounds that they inflicted on Om Prakash were not of a visible nature. Om Prakash was let off on the 17th July 2006 and no charges were framed on him. This solely demonstrates the utter disregard of the law by the police.

Will keep you updated further.

Persecution of minorities is breakdown of law & order

New Delhi, July 9: Deliberate persecution of either a community or a group of people belonging to a religious or linguistic minority is not a law and order situation but the breakdown of law and should be treated as such, Union minister for minority affairs A.R. Antulay said. He was speaking to Deccan Chronicle on the report submitted by the National Commission for Minorities on allegation of atrocities against members of the Christian community in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

In their report, NCM has asked the Centre to take action to prevent some fundamentalist organisations from targeting members of the Christian community.

Mr Antulay said he would take up this matter with the home ministry and ask them to seriously pursue it. He said he had already spoken to the chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and even Rajasthan and written letters to them about alleged harassment of Christian in their states and asked what the government was doing to curb this.

Speaking about the dismal situation of the Wakf boards in the country, Mr Antulay said, "I will apply my mind on how best state Wakf boards can be brought under the Central Wakf Council so that beneficiaries of the Wakf properties are benefited and not those who are sitting on Wakf properties illegally."

Replying to a question, Mr Antulay denied that it was a controversial issue and instead said the controversy would be only for those whose benefits will cease.

He further said that he wants to bring even Hindus who are in minorities in some states like Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab under the ambit of notified minorities but he said nothing will be done in haste. He claimed, "I want to create a consensus on the matter."

Christians Mocked Following Attack in Maharashtra, India

Policeman tells victims seeking justice, 'Ask Jesus to call me on my mobile phone.'

NEW DELHI, July 6 (Compass Direct) - When four tribal Christians in Toranpada village, Maharashtra state, asked for help following an attack by Hindu extremists last month, police responded by taunting and kicking the victims, then filing charges against them.

Members of the local Tribal Welfare Committee had beaten Baburao Mahala, 32, Anil Chaudhry, 23, and a couple identified only as 20-year-old Kalpana and her husband Sunil, 24, on June 8 for converting to Christianity.

The four converts filed a complaint at the local police station immediately after the attack. When they returned on June 15 to ask what action had been taken, one police officer told them, "Ask Jesus to call me on my mobile phone."

Three police officers then asked for a demonstration of prayer. When the four Christians knelt down, the officers kicked them and taunted them. The officers then filed charges against them for breaching the peace.

Abraham Mathai, a member of the Maharashtra State Minorities Commission and leader of the All India Christian Council, accompanied the four to the office of the director general of police on June 20 to protest against the officers' behavior.

"They harassed the Christians instead of giving them assurance that the perpetrators would be brought to book," Mathai said.

The director general of police ordered an inquiry, but police at the station have denied any wrongdoing.

Elsewhere in Maharashtra state, a government school in Sagar village, Nashik district has denied admission to children from Christian families, according to Mathai.

"The state government says that primary education is free for all, but how can the children of Christians benefit from this scheme if they are denied admission?" asked Mathai.

The government in Maharashtra is ruled by a coalition of the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress Party. Of over 96.8 million people in the state, a little more than 1 million are Christian.

Nuns Charged

Police in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh detained four nuns from the Missionaries of Charity (MC) on June 25. The nuns were charged with attempted conversion following a visit to a government-run hospital in Tirupati, a popular Hindu pilgrimage center.

A crowd of about 50 people from the Hindu Dharma Parirakshana Samithi (HDPS or Forum for the Protection of Hinduism) approached the nuns on the evening of June 25 and accused them of attempting to convert patients, according to a UCA News (UCAN) report. Some in the crowd carried video cameras.

Numbers soon swelled to about 300. When police arrived, they detained the nuns at the hospital until 8:30 p.m., when they were taken to the police station and held for a further two hours.

Sister Rosaria, regional superior of the Catholic missionaries, told UCAN the nuns had been visiting the hospital regularly for the past 20 years and often provided medicine to poor patients.

The Catholic Association of Hyderabad expressed shock at the incident and demanded immediate action against HDPS members and the police.

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Church set ablaze in Madhya Pradesh

Church set ablaze in Madhya Pradesh

By Indo Asian News Service

Bhopal, July 4 (IANS) A church has been set ablaze in remote Harda district in Madhya Pradesh, say reports.

'On June 30, extremists carrying torches broke into the church and set fire to a table, where 150 Bibles and hymnbooks were kept,' a report quoted Jaidi Khan, the pastor of the church, as saying.

The miscreants were from a Hindu group, Dharam Sena (Religious Army), said the report.

However, superintendent of police K.D. Peshara told IANS that the Pentecostal Church had two rival groups and the attack was launched by one group on the other.

He also alleged that the culprits had burnt down the motorbike of the guard, and not the church building.

The Christian community in the state is facing increasing number of attacks by Hindu outfits, which allege missionaries are converting tribals forcibly and using allurement.

As many as six attacks were reported in June alone.

In Bhopal, Bajrang Dal leader Devendra Rawat had earlier disrupted the press conference of Indira Iyengar, member of the state minorities commission. The conference was to highlight the alleged gangrape rape of two Christian women in Khargone district on May 28. They were raped after their husbands refused to 'reconvert' to Hinduism.

'We are worried about the increasing number of attacks,' said Fr Anand Muttungal, spokesperson for the Catholic Bishops Conference of Madhya Pradesh.

'I fail to understand why law enforcement agencies are not acting against the perpetrators,' he added.

Governor Balram Jakhar is reported to have written six letters to the state government seeking investigation into the reports of violence. The state home department, however, has either given a clean chit to the attackers or denied that the incidents ever took place.

Madhya Pradesh is among the few states where anti-conversion law is in force.

Copyright Indo-Asian News Service

Christian body condemns attacks on minorities

Indo-Asian News Service

Raipur, June 29 (IANS) Attacks on the minorities, particularly on Christians are increasing alarmingly, a religious body said Thursday.

The Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) said "minorities mainly the Christians are facing a series of attacks and assaults by hardliner Hindu groups in Chhattisgarh".

In an incident Sunday in Bothli village in Durg district, 45 km west of capital Raipur, dozens of activists of a Hindu group, Dharam Sena, disrupted a weekly prayer meeting of Christians and mercilessly beat up several minority community members," said Vijayesh Lal, co-ordinator of the Delhi-headquartered organisation in a statement.

"Even an eight-month pregnant Christian lady was punched and kicked at the stomach repeatedly by the fundamentalists and she had to be shifted to a hospital," the statement said.

The EFI alleged police are hardly paying attention to reports and complaints lodged by Christians regarding these assaults.

Earlier this month, the National Commission for Minorities (NCM), which sent two of its members to the state in the wake of reported incidents of large-scale violence against minorities, made similar observations.

Indo-Asian News Service

Minorities harassed in BJP-ruled states

Vineeta Pandey

Tuesday, June 27, 2006 23:16 IST

NEW DELHI: All is not well in some of the BJP-ruled states, according to the members of the National Commission for Minorities. The Commission, which submitted its report on atrocities on minorities in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the Prime Minister's Office on Tuesday, has surely stirred a hornet's nest over an issue that has been regularly plaguing the BJP-governed states.

The Commission, which was investigating complaints of atrocities, violence and rapes on minorities ---- mostly Christians ---- in MP and Chhattisgarh, has concluded that backed by the local police and the administration, the "goons" of Bajrang Dal, RSS and Dharamsena are "harassing" the minorities in these states.

But the report has not gone down well with the BJP and the party has accused the Congress of maligning its image. BJP spokesperson Prakash Javedkar told DNA: "I really wonder how this Minority Commission functions. The Congress is misusing every official organ to deride the BJP-ruled states".

A two-member team of the Commission that conducted on-the-spot assessment in districts of Jhabua, Bhopal, Jabalpur, Betul, Hoshangabad, Seoni, Dhar in MP and Jashpur, Raipur, Bilaspur etc in Chhattisgarh after receiving complaints from Christians, found that their complaints were genuine. The allegations were of intimidating, harassing and beating Christains on the plea that they were converting Hindus to Christianity. There were also allegations that the police and local administration remained mute spectators to the atrocities on minorities.

"In Jabalpur, 13 cases of conversion were registered against Christians. When the community protested, the local police filed five counter FIRs. This is the seriousness of the local police in such matters," said Harcharan Singh Josh, member of the Commission.

In its report, submitted to the Prime Minister, the Commission has suggested deployment of sensitive police officials in the minority-dominated areas, and penalising administrators in cases of atrocities that are not registered. It has also recommended an instruction from the union Home Ministry to the state governments to deal with atrocities on minorities in a strict manner and stringent action on those guilty.

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First define conversion, says minorities panel

NEW DELHI, JUNE 26: The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) team that had conducted an on-the-spot assessment of the complaints of atrocities on Christians in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh has asked the government to define conversion.

Among the three main points in the report by NCM members Harcharan Singh Josh and Lama Chosphel Zotpa is the need to define conversion. Defining it will get rid of false conversion charges just like that, they say. Says the report "We have been told by many Bishops that only after baptism is performed in a church one person can become a Christian. The same person also has to file an affidavit before the SDM declaring that he/she is changing the religion."

The other two recommendations are that the Union Home Ministry should instruct state governments to deal with atrocities on minorities in a stern manner, and that stringent penal action must be taken against the guilty.

The report also pulled up the BJP and its ideological cousins for raising "frivolous and baseless" charges of conversion being carried out so as to commit atrocities on the minorities. It says the conversion charges are mostly the work of "political parties".

(Indian Express 27/6/06)

Minority Commission's new Christian member named

June 28,2006

Michael P Pinto, retired IAS officer and member of the expert group of the 12th Finance Commission, has been nominated as the Christian member of the National Commission for Minorities.

A government statement said last evening that it has "nominated four eminent persons as the Members of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) for a period of three years with effect from the date of their assuming office."

Among other newly nominated members are Dileep Padgaonkar, former Executive Editor of Times of India and a prominent columnist. Also, Professor Zoya Hasan, Professor in Political Science, Centre for Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University and Lieutenant General AM Sethna, a member of the Parsi community and a former member of the IIIrd and IVth Minorities Commission.

The Government constituted the fifth Commission on March 3 this year with Mohammad Hamid Ansari, a former diplomat as the chairman. The government had then nominated Harcharan Singh Josh, a Delhi Congress leader to represent the Sikh community, and Lama Chosphel Zotpa to represent Buddhists.

Buddhist monk Zotpa from Ladakh is the former Vice-Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes.

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Church attacked, Pregnant Christian woman assaulted by Hindutva fanatics

25th June 06:

As many as 30 fundamentalists belonging to the 'Dharam Sena' (Army of Religion) disrupted a prayer meeting being conducted in a Christian home in Bothli village, Tehsil Gurur of Durg district in Chhatisgarh on the morning of 25th June.

The incident occurred when members of 6 Christian families in the village had gathered together for their weekly worship at the house of one of their co-villagers, a Christian. As the prayer meeting progressed, within a few minutes the house where it was being conducted was surrounded by more than a dozen anti-social elements shouting slogans against Christians immediately after which they barged into the house and started beating up those were present for the meeting.

The attackers inhumanly beat up the Christians and in a barbaric and ghastly act punched and kicked at the stomach of an 8 month pregnant Christian lady who was sometime later taken to the hospital after she complained of a terrible pain. However, due to inadequate facilities at the local hospital, the hospital authorities expressed their inability to provide treatment to the injured lady terming her injury as 'internal'. The local police were quick to take the hospital authorities statement and twisted it by explaining to the local media that it was a minor-injury as a result of which the hospital had discharged the lady without any medication. Thus, the police tried its best to avoid taking action against the culprits by trying to play down the entire matter.

Sharp reactions against this kind of atrocity against the Christian community in general have poured in from different quarters of society. The Chhatisgarh Christian Forum which has been protesting against the increasing number of incidents against the Christian community in the state has been at the forefront in its protests against incidents like these.

When we spoke to Mr. Arun Pannalal of the Forum, he said that the Christian community particularly in the interiors was feeling intimidated because of such inhuman acts and feared that the state machinery was colluding with the perpetrators of such acts. Many Christian groups in the state alongwith the Congress party’s youth wing and the NSUI as well as the Brahman Samaj have expressed their outrage against the attack by the 'Dharam Sena' and have demanded an immediate ban on this organization for trying to ignite communal tension in the state and indulging in unlawful ghastly acts. The Communist Party has called a meeting to discuss the rapidly deteriorating law and order situation in the state in the light of the attacks on the Christian community.

It must be noted that these six Christian families in the village had been receiving threats for the last one month from the 'Dharam Sena' to give up their Christian faith or face dire consequences. It must also be noted that when some of the Christians reported the matter to the police and tried to lodge a complaint against the 'Dharam Sena' activists who were harassing them, the police turned a blind-eye to the plight of the Christians saying that they had orders from the top not to take any complaints from the Christian community. Later however, when the local Christians approached the Superintendent of Police he had assured them that no untoward incident would take place against Christians. That assurance however holds no weight after the recent attack on the Christians also involving the beating up of an 8 month Christian woman.

Words are not enough to condemn such merciless acts by anyone on any grounds more so when some anti-social groups try to justify such acts by citing their ideological allegiance.

602 reconvert to Hinduism in Mayurbhanj

Statesman News Service

BARIPADA, June 22: About 602 people from villages near the Kaptipada area of Mayurbhanj district were reconverted to Hinduism at a function organised by the Hindu Jagaran Samukhya.

The function was attended by Puri Sankaracharya Swami Nischilananda Saraswati today.

The Puri seer blessed the reconverted persons and delivered a speech on basic principles of the Hindu religion. The reconverted persons included 207 men, 180 women and 215 children.

Besides the Puri seer, several important functionaries of the VHP and Bajrang Dal were present. Swami Laxmananda Saraswati of Chakapada ashram, BJP MLA Mr Pratap Sarangi were present at the function, which included a yagna and puja.

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In Thane, Christian tribals victimised

Had filed case about assault by Hindus, say police turned on them instead.

Express News Service

Mumbai, June 20: "ASK Jesus to call me on my mobile phone," was the answer 20-year-old Kalpana Chaudhry allegedly got from a policeman when she and three other tribal Christians asked about progress on a complaint they had filed.

"Just because we had dared to approach the police after an attack on us by Hindu men," she says.

Along with her husband Sunil (24), Baburao Mahala (32) and Anil Chaudhry (23), Kalpana met Director General of Police Dr P S Pasricha on Tuesday.

"We were asked to demonstrate how we pray," said Sunil. "When we knelt down, policemen at the Kasa police station abused us, kicked us and mocked our faith."

Kasa, about 200 km north of Mumbai, near Dahanu, is a largely tribal pocket in Thane district.

Mostly tillers, about 45 Christian families of Toranpada village are in constant fear of being evicted from their homes, they said. "We are constantly abused by the Hindus," added Mahala.

Following an attack on June 8, they registered a police complaint. It was on June 15, when they returned to the police station to check on its progress, that the policemen turned on them instead, they allege.

"The police have, instead of assuring justice, booked the victims for so-called breach of peace and initiated Chapter proceedings against them under Sections 107 and 110 of the Criminal Procedure Code," said All India Christian Council General Secretary Dr Abraham Mathai, who accompanied the tribals to Mantralaya on Tuesday.

"This only intimidates the poor tribals, who will fear to report future attacks."

Superintendent of Police (Thane Rural) Archana Tyagi said she knew of the case. "I have already deputed an officer to conduct an inquiry," she added.

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State to Take Over EMI Institutions in Rajasthan, India

Appeals dismissed; ministry founder and president to face trial in August.

NEW DELHI, June 19 (Compass Direct) - The Rajasthan government on Wednesday (June 14) announced plans to take over five institutions operated by Emmanuel Mission International (EMI).

EMI operates Emmanuel Bible Institute Samiti, Emmanuel Anath Ashram (Orphanage), Emmanuel School Society, Emmanuel Chikitsalaya (Hospital) Samiti, and Emmanuel Believers Fellowship. The organization leads a native church movement and serves over 10,000 children through humanitarian and educational work.

Mohammed Akram, EMI's attorney, said the state High Court on Tuesday (June 13) dismissed five writ petitions filed by EMI challenging the Registrar of Societies' decision earlier this year to revoke registration for these institutions.

"The state social welfare minister, Madan Dilawar, has said the state government will take over all five institutions," Akram told Compass.

Under the terms of the Registration of Societies Act, the government can take over property belonging to a society charged with mismanagement.

When the book Haqeekat (Reality) was discovered on EMI grounds, extremists told the Rajasthan government that EMI institutions were receiving significant sums of money for use in forced or fraudulent conversions.

Hindu extremists have hounded EMI since January. They accused EMI staff of hurting religious sentiments and breaking government regulations by distributing Haqeekat (Reality). After an official investigation, the government revoked EMI society registrations and froze their bank accounts. EMI President Samuel Thomas and his father, Archbishop M.A. Thomas, were charged with creating "communal disharmony" and both face trial in August.

Samuel Thomas was arrested on March 16 on charges of creating "communal disharmony." He was released on interim bail on May 2 but will appear in court on August 1.

His father, M.A. Thomas, was also charged but went "underground" and applied for anticipatory bail, before appearing at Udyog Nagar police station in Kota on May 15 to answer to the charges.

Society Rules

Social Welfare Minister Dilawar played a significant role in making the allegations against EMI staff, The Daily Pioneer reported on Thursday (June 15).

Acting on the extremists' complaints, the government carried out further inquiries and found EMI institutions to be violating basic society rules.

The Kota registrar alleged that board meetings of the EMI institutions were not being held regularly and the chairman and president were blood relatives – contrary to the stipulations of the Registration of Societies Act.

On these grounds, the registrar revoked the registrations of EMI institutions on February 20. The registrar gave EMI only three days' notice to respond to the charges, which were posted on the walls of the concerned institutions but not given formally to EMI directors.

Akram felt the cancellation of registrations was too stringent a penalty for EMI's failure to follow minor procedures.

When EMI officials responded to the charges, they were told that their reply was unsatisfactory and their licenses were revoked.

EMI bank accounts were also frozen in February, and remained frozen at press time.

Hostile Environment

A fact-finding delegation from the All India Christian Council (AICC) in March concluded that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party had actively encouraged the Rajasthan government machinery, including the justice, law and civil administration systems, to oppose Christians in Kota district. (See Compass Direct, "BJP Pressured Indian State to Harass Christians, Panel Finds," March 21.)

Dr. John Dayal, Secretary General of the AICC and leader of the delegation, said as soon as the BJP came to power in 2002, clandestine inquiries were launched against all EMI institutions. A government department dealing with the registration of societies and charitable organizations subjected them to a harsh probe and financial audit.

According to the Hindi daily Rajasthan Patrika, Dilawar had earlier said on March 13 that he should be stoned if he was unable to "take action" against Thomas and his son.

Tensions first became obvious on January 25, when Thomas and his son received anonymous death threats warning them not to proceed with their annual graduation ceremony for orphans and Christian students, scheduled for February 25.

www.compassdirect.org

Attempt to Burn Pastor in Chattisgarh, Police collides with Goons to falsely accuse Christians and intimidate

By Vijayesh Lal

20th June 2006 (Delhi): Dharma Sena Goons disrupted a Church service in Bhilai, Chattisgarh attacking the Pastor and the congregation on the 18th June at about 10:30 am. They also tried to kill the Pastor by putting an old rubber tire around his neck and trying to burn it. They beat the Pastor continuously before handing him over to the police.

The attack took place at the Hossana Church located at Kosa Nala, near Nehru Nagar, Bhilai Chattisgarh when Pastor David Raj, the Pastor of the Church which meets in his home, was preaching.

"All of a sudden 20 - 25 men entered the Church. They went up straight to the Pastor and started beating and abusing him. They snatched the Pastor's Bible which also contained 3000 Indian Rupees and his mobile phone." Pastor Swami, a local Pastor told us describing the incident.

"They further dragged the pastor and placed an old tire on his neck and tried to burn him. When they were unsuccessful they beat him up more. The attackers did not spare the pastors wife, she too was beaten up along with her husband." Apran Tarun, Pastor of the Community Church in Bhilai told us. "They paraded the Pastor and dragged him to the Supela Police station handing him over to the police."

According to local sources the police acting in connivance with the Dharma Sena goons planned a way to register a case against the Pastor and his wife. The Pastor was detained in the police station till 6:00 pm that day before the Police Inspector of the Supela police station came and took notice of the situation. "This gave enough time to the police and Dharma Sena activists to frame a case against the Pastor."

While Pastor David Raj was detained at the police station during the night in custody, his wife was also arrested late in the night. "The police flouted all rules while arresting her. She was arrested by male policemen very late in the night; they put her in the police van and brought her to the police station." Arun Pannalal, General Secretary of the Chattisgarh Christian forum told us.

The couple was presented at about 3:00 pm the next day i.e. 19th June 2006 in front of the SDM (Special District Magistrate) and a case was filed against them under sections 295A[i], 153A[ii], and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. A further case of forcible conversion was filed against them under sections 3 and 4 of the Madhya Pradesh Dharma Swatantrata Adhiniyam 1968. Sections 295 A and 153 A are non bailable offenses. For more information see footnotes.

The SDM rejected the bail application that was filed by the couple's lawyer so they remain in jail even as this is being written. The certified copy of the FIR (First information report) and the bail rejection copy are yet to be obtained by the lawyer, so that bail can be applied at the sessions court.

According to local sources the police acted cunningly threatening Christians present in the Church with dire consequences unless they gave a confessional. The police required two Christian women to sign documents that allegedly said that they were present at the venue where the incident took place. The women, fearful, agreed to sign the document which the police had written. According to local sources, the women were tricked into signing the document which did not contain their confessional statement of being present at the venue but a complaint against Pastor David Raj and his wife saying that Pastor David Raj and his wife had promised them money and motorcycle if they convert and become Christians.

"One look at the Pastor and you can see his economic condition. He is a poor man, how can he promise money to someone else?" Arun Pannalal said.

The timing of the attack could not be more emphasized. The attack took place within one hour of the leaving of the representatives of the National Minority Commission from the state.

The National Minority Commission had sent two of its representatives to Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh to investigate atrocities against minorities in the two states. One of the representatives Mr. H S Josh had given a statement to the reporters at Raipur, "Minorities are under attack in Chhattisgarh as well as in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh. Atrocities against them have increased sharply in recent months," This attack however clearly illustrates the indifference of the Dharma Sena and other Hindutva organization to the statements and findings of the National Minority Commission. This demonstrates that so long as the administration and the police supports the actions of the Hindutva brigade, there can be no stopping of the attacks on minorities.

[i] 295A. Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs
Whoever, with deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of any class of [citizens of India], [by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations or otherwise], insults or attempts to insult the religion or the religious beliefs of that class, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to [three years], or with fine, or with both.]

[ii] 153A. Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony
(1) Whoever-
(a) by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations or otherwise, promotes or attempts to promote, on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, caste or community or any other ground whatsoever, disharmony or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will between different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or communities, or
(b) commits any act which is prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony between different religious, racial, language or regional groups or castes or communities, and which disturbs or is likely to disturb the public tranquillity, [or]
[(c) organises any exercise, movement, drill or other similar activity intending that the participants in such activity shall use or be trained to use criminal force or violence or knowing it to be likely that the participants in such activity will use or be trained to use criminal force or violence, or participates in such activity intending to use or be trained to use criminal force or violence or knowing it to be likely that the participants in such activity will use or be trained to use criminal force or violence, against any religious, racial, language or regional group or caste or community and such activity for any reason whatsoever causes or is likely to cause fear or alarm or a feeling of insecurity amongst members of such religious, racial, language or regional group or caste or community,]
shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.
Offence committed in place of worship, etc- (2) Whoever commits an offence specified in sub-section (1) in any place of worship or in any assembly engaged in the performance of religious worship or religious ceremonies, shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to five years and shall also be liable to fine.]

Minorities under attack in Chattisgarh

Minorities under attack in Chhattisgarh: panel
Raipur June 18, 2006 1:15:08 AM IST

Chhattisgarh's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government should take effective steps to stop atrocities against minorities, who are increasingly being targeted in recent months, the National Commission for Minorities said Saturday.

"Minorities are under attack in Chhattisgarh as well as in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh. Atrocities against them have increased sharply in recent months," H.S. Josh, a member of the Commission, told reporters here.

Josh held daylong meetings with various religious organisations here in the wake of reports that Christians were facing serious threats in tribal areas in rural and forested parts of the state.

Official sources said a Christian body told the commission member that minorities were facing harassment in Jashpur district as BJP cadres and sometimes even the district administration targeted them on charges of forceful religious conversion of local tribals.

The commission assured the Christian body that it would submit a report to central government soon about the condition of the minorities in the state and would also take up the issue with the state government. (IANS)

Minority matters

A free for all at a recent press conference in Bhopal as the State Minority Commission chief faced the wrath of the saffron brigade but apparently instances like this have worried even the Prime Minister and the State Minority Commission has started an inquiry.

When the Commission realised that even the Prime Minister has received complaints of atrocities against minorities, the Commission decided to take up the matter.

"That's why I’m in Madhya Pradesh to inquire if there have been any atrocities," said National Minorities Commission member Harcharan Singh.

But it seems that the Commission is having a tough time investigating the cases against the minorities because state officials are not cooperating.

On the other hand, complainant the member of State Minority Commission Indira Iyengar said, "With the Prime Minister’s initiative, it looks that now somebody will hear our woes. And the Prime Minister will definitely take interest to see that the Christians are protected in Madhya Pradesh."

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his govt have denied charges of atrocities against Christians with the BJP calling it a campaign against it.

(By Rahul Singh)

Christians' gangrape complaint caught in conversion row

Milind Ghatwai

Posted online: Friday, June 16, 2006 at 0000 hrs

Day after two Christians allege gangrape, conversion charge against them, husbands; SP, DM report says victims' husbands at fault

BHOPAL, JUNE 15: The alleged gangrape of two Christian women in Nadia village in Khargone district has set off a chain reaction of allegations and counter-allegations here. A day after the rape complaint was lodged, an FIR has been has lodged against them and their husbands, charging them with forcibly converting locals.

The women, in their complaint, alleged that they were raped on the night of May 28. The complaint was filed on May 31. A case under Section 3(4) of the Freedom of Religion Act, 1968, was registered against five people, including the two women and their husbands, with the Bhagwanpura police on June 1.

Following the complaint and other reports of attacks on the Christian community in the state, the Prime Minister sent a two-member team of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) to Madhya Pradesh. Governor Balram Jakhar had also sought a report from the state government on the alleged gangrape.

The NCM has noted with concern the "counter-FIR" filed against the rape victims. NCM member Harcharan Singh Josh told The Indian Express on Thursday that he has sought a detailed action taken report in both cases where complainants were charged with conversion. "It seems the administration has done it to counter the main FIRs," Josh said.

Further, the superintendent of police and the district magistrate have, in their reports, given a clean chit to the alleged rapists, instead arguing that the gangrape complaint came after the women's husbands were confronted by villagers for forcibly converting tribals. Describing as "eyewash" the administration's action, Josh says, "How could a handful of poor tribals forcibly convert others when they had little to offer?"

The SP's and DM's reports, accessed by The Indian Express, say that on May 29, around 100 villagers had gone to the victims' houses to warn their husbands against conversion. The villagers later submitted a memorandum. "Before the conversion charges could be investigated, the women lodged rape complaints," the district magistrate said in his report. "Prima facie, it doesn't appear that the victims were prevented by anyone from filing complaints on May 28 and May 29," the report said.

District magistrate SK Pal said when an SDM sought to probe the incident, the victims avoided meeting them. "The reluctance to discuss the matter with officials raises doubts about the incident," he said.

The offence under anti-conversion law was registered after the charges in the villagers' memorandum were probed, SP RL Borna said. Further action, he said, would be taken after getting the results of the DNA tests.

Church vandalised ahead of NCM visit

BHOPAL: A day before the NCM team visits Jabalpur to investigate the alleged attacks on the Christian community, a church was vandalised by activists of the Hindu Dharma Sena on Thursday. They alleged that poor tribals from Mandla and Dindori districts were converting for money. In Bhopal, Bajrang Dal district convenor Devendra Ravat met the NCM and alleged that the police had not taken 26 cases of conversion to court. Ravat alleged that orphans and poor children from Jhabua were being offered Rs 2,000 to convert to Christianity.

ENS

milind.ghatwai@expressindia.com

Hindu Extremists Beat Pastor in Karnataka State, India

Assailants threaten to build temple on site of proposed church.

NEW DELHI, June 15 (Compass Direct) – Hindu extremists on Sunday (June 11) dragged an independent pastor to a police station in Karnataka state, accusing him of converting Hindus to Christianity.

They beat Pastor Sundar Rao severely both inside the police station and after he was released on Monday (June 12). The pastor has since been hospitalized with internal injuries and multiple contusions, but no fractures.

Rao was visiting his sister's house in Namthi village, Devangere district, on the day of the attack. A group of about 150 people gathered outside while he conducted a prayer meeting. When Rao emerged from the house at 4 p.m., they asked if he was a pastor. Around 50 people then forcibly dragged him to the Namthi police station and assaulted him.

The police were mute spectators to the beatings, a local Christian who requested anonymity told Compass.

"The extremists forced Rao to sign a piece of blank paper inside the police station," the source added. "They also told him the land he had bought for a church would instead be used for constructing a temple."

Rao conducts prayer meetings in his rented house on Sundays, and he had planned to build a small church on a plot of land nearby.

The police apparently asked Rao to leave the station at midnight, but he refused to go, knowing that a crowd of hecklers was still waiting outside.

Early the next morning, a legislator from the Bharatiya Janata Party came to the station to show solidarity with the attackers; he also asked the police not to release Rao.

Officers, however, released Rao at 3:30 p.m. on Monday (June 12) with no protection. The crowd waiting outside the police station assaulted him.

"He somehow managed to get onto a bus, intending to get home, but the mob stopped the bus and beat him once again," the source said.

When Rao's wife went to the police station on Tuesday (June 13), officers refused to accept a formal complaint.

Rao's wife and a few other Christian leaders then requested a meeting with Superintendent of Police Soni Narang.

"When I spoke to Narang on June 14, she said Rao had not filed a complaint," said attorney Nova Bethania, secretary of the Karnataka chapter of the Christian Legal Association of India. "She also said Rao's wife and the other Christians gave her nothing in writing, and that therefore she could not register a complaint."

Bethania also said the police told Rao they had detained him to protect him from his attackers.

In desperation, Rao's wife traveled to police district headquarters in Devangere, where she was finally able to register a complaint. At press time, however, police had arrested none of the attackers.

www.compassdirect.org

Preacher Murdered in Andhra Pradesh, India

Police say revenge is most likely reason for homicide; family points to Hindu extremists.

NEW DELHI, June 12 (Compass Direct) - The body of Prem Kumar, a 67-year-old preacher from the Church of South India, was found last Thursday (June 8) in a forest in Nizamabad district of Andhra Pradesh state.

Kumar’s head was crushed beyond recognition, apparently with heavy stones, the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported.

A sub-inspector of the Kotagiri police station said the body was identified based on the description of the clothes worn by the preacher.

According to local media reports, a young man approached Kumar early Thursday morning requesting that he hold a prayer meeting in Rampur Thanda village later that day. Although Kumar suspected foul play, he agreed and asked his son Sunil Kumar to call his cell phone once every 30 minutes.

When Kumar arrived at the pick-up point, strangers were waiting to meet him. Kumar phoned his son and again asked him to call frequently.

Kumar's cell phone went dead at about 11 a.m. His body was later found in the forest near Rampur Thanda.

Extremists Suspected

Mahesh Chandra Laddha, superintendent of police in Nizamabad, told Compass that personal rivalry was the motive for the murder of Kumar. "There is definitely no religious angle," he insisted.

Laddha said Kumar was one of the accused in a murder case and that relatives of the victim could be behind the killing. He also claimed that, some time ago, Kumar's son had been involved in a kidnapping, and that after the kidnapped woman was released she had threatened him.

Kumar's son, however, said his father had no enemies, and he strongly suspected the hand of Hindu extremists. He also said he could identify the person who invited his father to hold the prayer meeting in Rampur Thanda.

The GCIC and the All India Christian Council said the involvement of Hindu extremists could not be ruled out. A number of similar incidents have occurred in Andhra Pradesh over the past six years, and at press time religious tensions in the state were high.

May 2005 Murders

Pastors K. Isaac Raju and K. Daniel were brutally murdered near the state capital, Hyderabad, in May of last year. (See Compass Direct, "Second Pastor Found Dead in Andhra Pradesh, India," June 6, 2005.)

Unknown persons called both pastors by phone before they disappeared, asking if they would act as wedding celebrants. Raju went to meet a caller in Anantpur district on May 24, 2005 and disappeared; an unidentified caller then phoned the police on June 2, describing where to find Raju's body.

Meanwhile, callers collected Daniel in a motorized rickshaw on May 21 and took him to a cemetery in Karwan, where they beat him severely before strangling him and dumping his body on the city outskirts.

An anonymous letter was sent to a local newspaper claiming the murders were carried out by an organization called the Anti-Christian Forum. The letter promised further killings.

An article in the New Indian Express on June 27, 2005, quoted a man identified only as Goverdhan, who along with his two friends allegedly murdered the two preachers. "I am not against Christianity, but Raju and Daniel converted hundreds of Hindu families," Goverdhan said. "They enticed them with money. We have done this to prevent further conversions. This act should be a lesson for others."

September 2000 Murder

Pastor Yesu Dasu, 52, was killed in a similar fashion in the state in 2000.

Two people riding a motorbike came to his home on the evening of September 11 and asked for Dasu, saying someone wanted to speak with him.

Assailants then took Dasu to the outskirts of Mustabad in Karimnagar district. They bound his hands together and hit him repeatedly with an axe, eventually severing his head.

Dasu's body was found in a pool of blood at a cattle shed near Kothakunta, along the Mustabad-Siddipet highway, three kilometers (nearly two miles) from Karimnagar. Several pieces of the body were found scattered at the murder scene.

Extremists had earlier warned Dasu to cease preaching or face the consequences. (See Compass Direct, "Murder of Christian Preacher Remains Unsolved in India," October 10, 2003.)

Andhra Pradesh state is ruled by the Congress Party, with Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, a Christian, as the chief minister. Hindu extremists have accused Reddy of giving a free hand to Christian missionaries in the state.

www.compassdirect.org

Police Arrests a Woman in Jabalpur on Charges of Forced Conversion

By Vijayesh Lal

7th June 2006:

Police raided a Christian home in the Ranjhi area of Jabalpur city, Madhya Pradesh late last night and arrested the Christians present there. The police moved on an alleged complaint of one person who claims that he was offered money in order to become a Christian by Meera Bai, whose home the police later raided.

Meera Bai (52), resident of Uday Nagar, Ranjhi, Jabalpur, works in the Gun Carriage Factory at Jabalpur and has been a Christian for the last 17 years. She claims that after many years of being barren, she was blessed by a child because of the blessings of Jesus Christ and the prayers of the Christian community. This prompted her to accept the Christian faith and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ some 17 years ago. Since that time on she is attending Church regularly and practicing her faith.

Sukhdev alias Guddu Usram (19 years) is a neighbor of Meera Bai. Late last night he flied a complaint with the local police that Meera Bai had been counseling him and pressurizing him to become a Christian. He in his complaint said that he had been suffering with stomach ache for a long time and that Meera Bai had offered to pray for him and also told him to pray to Jesus Christ so that his pain will go away. He further stated that Meera Bai also took him to a healing meeting held regularly at Jabalpur by Pastor Munnu Kujur. He further alleged that Meera Bai had offered him 2000 Indian Rupees every month if he became a Christian.

Acting on his complaint some 20 – 25 policemen raided the home of Meera Bai at about 10:00 pm on the 6th June 2006. The family had guests at that time and they had just finished dinner. The names of the guests are Satish and Leela Bai. Meera Bai along with her guests and her son was taken to the police station, where they found members of the Dharma Sena, a Hindu fundamentalist organization, waiting for them in large numbers. The police also confiscated Bibles and pictures of Jesus Christ from Meera Bai's home.

Dharma Sena has been responsible for a large number of false cases and attacks against Christians in the near past. The Dharma Sena was led by Yogesh Agarwal, who, in the presence of the police, threatened Satish and Leela Bai, that he will burn them alive. "Yet the police did nothing," Meera Bai told us, "The police only said, 'don't panic at least he has not burned you now'". Yogesh Agarwal has long been responsible for troubling and attacking the Christian community.

After registering a case against Meera Bai under the Sections 3 and 4 of the Madhya Pradesh Dharma Swatantrya Adhinitam 1968, the police let them go on a bail bond of 5000 Indian Rupees.

When we spoke to Meera Bai, she informed us of the scene inside the Police station. She said, "As soon as we reached there, the Dharma Sena people led by Yogesh Agarwal started shouting slogans against Christians and started threatening us in front of the police, who laughed and cooperated with the goons. The Dharma Sena people were openly spreading hate against Christians saying that Christians should be kicked with shoes and killed."

"While we were there, many phone calls came pressurizing the police to register a case against us by hook or by crook. When the police expressed their inability to register a strong case against us, they brought in Guddu. But even he did not say anything; they just took his signatures on a paper." She continues, "The police even forced us to sign on blank papers and since we had no alternative, we did so. The papers are now with the police and they can do anything with them against us."

The most interesting part of the story came later, when according to Meera Bai, Guddu i.e. Sukhdev, the main complainant came to her house and told them that even he was forced to register a complaint against Meera Bai. "He said that he was having his food when Dharma Sena people along with police men came to his house, took him away forcibly and forced him to give a statement against me." Meera Bai explained.

We spoke to the Police Inspector Mr. Vajpayee of the Ranjhi police station and he seemed convinced about the charges of conversion against Meera Bai. He even seemed to hint that the Dharma Sena led by Yogesh Agrawal was doing a fine job and a service to the society. He however added that evidence against Meera Bai was scant and that they could not recover anything from her house except Bibles and pictures of Jesus Christ, but continued to say that there was "…a Christian conspiracy in the area facilitating conversions."

Jabalpur, located in the heart of India, is fast becoming a lab for Hindutva elements to trouble the Christian community. Since January this year there have been close to 15 incidents of attacks and false cases against Christians in the city.

Recently Pastor Peter Lal was troubled by the same elements and a false complaint was sent against him. Pastor Rajesh Choudhary too faced the ire of the local police when they arrested him at about midnight some days back. Though he is bailed out, he says that the police continue to harass him. The police had forced him to submit all his personal financial accounts to them for verification. They keep asking him, "Where do you get money from?"

This is not without significance. In the whole of North and Central India the Christian community has a major presence in Jabalpur and according to Rev. Cyril Cornelius, the Executive Director of CARAVS - a Christian media organization based in Jabalpur, "This is a systematic attempt to provoke the community. But the Church has not retaliated and has not taken the bait which the Hindutva groups are offering. This is also sign which the Hindutva elements want the Church in India to see - If we can harm you in Jabalpur we can do so anywhere in the North and Central India."

Mrs. Indira Iyengar, member of the Madhya Pradesh State Minority Commission has expressed her anger and anguish over the situation in Jabalpur. "This is a systematic attempt by the administration and the Fundamentalists to trouble innocent Christian in Jabalpur." she says.

Govt disapproves disrupting press meet

Bhopal June 05, 2006 10:59:42 PM IST

The Madhya Pradesh government today disapproved the attempt by the Bajrang Dal workers to 'disrupt' a press conference organised by the State Minority Commission to highlight the 'atrocities' on Christians during the BJP rule.

''Nobody has the right to disturb the press meet if such an incident took place'', Public Relations Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told reporters after claiming that he had no information about such an incident. ''Such incident should not have happened'', he said.

The Minister's comment came when his attention was drawn to an incident earlier in the day when local Bajrang Dal leader Devendra Rawat stormed into a press conference addressed by Commission member and prominent Christian leader Indira Iyengar to highlight the atrocities and gangrape of two tribal Christians in Khargone district and reluctance of the police to act on their complaint.

Asked what message the BJP government wanted to convey with such frequent incidents, Mr Tomar said the government was going ahead with programmes to achieve its intended aim.

UNI

Bajrang Dal disrupts Christian body's press meet

Bhopal June 06, 2006 1:15:15 AM IST

Bajrang Dal activists Monday barged into a press briefing organised by the Madhya Pradesh Christian Association (MPCA) here and threatened its leaders to stop making accusations that bring a bad name to their Hindu right wing organisation.

Just when MPCA president Indira Iyengar was talking to reporters about the saffron brigade's alleged atrocities on Christians, the activists arrived at the venue of the press meet, hardly a kilometre away from both the chief minister's residence and the state police headquarters.

The Bajrang Dal activists were led by city convenor Devendra Singh Rawat, who entered into a verbal duel with Iyengar. He alleged forced religious conversions of poor tribals by the community's leaders and presented a tribal couple of Bhopal that claimed it was forced to convert.

(IANS)



Bajrang moral cops strike again

RASHEED KIDWAI

Bhopal, June 5: After a brief lull, the Bajrang Dal is on the rampage again, targeting the minorities and acting moral police.

Today, it disrupted a news conference in which two Christian women, who were allegedly gangraped, were being presented. A day earlier, its activists had harassed two government officials, a man and a woman, for apparently getting cosy in private.

State Bajrang Dal convener Devender Rawat and his men forced their way into a news conference that was being addressed by state minorities commission member Indira Iyenger.

Shouting at the top of his voice, Rawat said: "I will not allow you to tarnish the image of nationalist Hindu organisations."

As Iyenger rose to respond, the gang began vandalising the venue. The police took their time arriving and, instead of making arrests, merely asked the Dal activists and Iyenger to leave.

Yesterday, Rawat and his gang had barged into a house in upscale Char Imli where a senior government official was in the company of a woman colleague.

Rawat accused them of "inappropriate behaviour" and dragged both to a police station. The police, however, could not register a case as the matter involved consenting adults getting together at a private place.

An unfazed Rawat justified his action. "They were doing dirty things and we caught them red-handed," he said. "It's a shame the police didn’t take stringent action."

Pastor arrested in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh

Pastor Jagdish Bharti was arrested at 11 am on June 4, 2006 in Ujjain from the home of Ramesh Thakur, where a prayer meeting was going on. He has been charged under the section 295A of the Indian Penal Code in the neighbourhood of Hira Mill ki Chawl, in the Mayapuri area of Ujjain. When last heard he had not been granted bail and was still behind bars.

A total of fifteen people, including Pastor Jagdish had been taken to the prison in Ujjain along with Ramesh Thakur, in whose home the prayer meeting was being held.

These included: Miss Kiran, Miss Kaushalya, Miss Aruna, Ms Sarla, Ms Anita, Ms Prem Bai, Ms Sharda, John DeCosta, Ramesh Thakur, Miss Lakshmi, Jagdish Bhai, Ms Bhagwati Bai, Ganju Bhai and Stuti (small child). Ramesh and thirteen others were let go on bail after four hours of interrogation at 3 in he afternoon.

We spoke with Ramesh Thakur after his release from the police station and got to know how the fundamentalists had come and attacked their prayer meeting in the morning prior to the arrest.

As was the custom, the prayer meeting began at 10 in the morning. There were 25 people who had gathered together for prayer. However, in an hour's time a big crowd of men belonging to the Bajrang Dal of the RSS gathered outside the premises of Ramesh’s home. They were a group of fifty men shouting slogans and raising their voice against Christians. They knew that the prayer meeting was going on, and that Pastor Jagdish was there for this meeting. He was asked by the fundamentalists to come out and meet with them.

Wanting to quieten them down, Pastor went out to ask them the matter. He was instantly hurled with accusations and asked to answer why Christians were bent upon destroying the Hindu faith. They asked him to relinquish his faith in Lord Jesus and instead look upon their god 'Bajrang' or 'Hanuman' as the one to be worshipped. Not content with Pastor's reply, they barged inside the house and forced the people inside to go with them to a temple nearby. They forced them to bow down before the temple gods. Among those present for the prayer meeting were nine women and a small child who were roughed up as well. The women were threatened with dire consequences including rape if they did not stop attending the Christian prayer meetings.

In the big commotion taking place, a police Thana Inspector came to find out the matter. A lady whose son is an RSS activist lodged a complaint with the police against Pastor Jagdish accusing him of forceful conversions and causing social disharmony on religious grounds.

The police are investigating the matter. It seems that the Hindu fundamentalists are carefully planning their strategies to come against Christians in Ujjain. Pastor Jagdish and Ramesh had been receiving threats for the last three months to stop their prayer meetings. Every Sunday since the last couple of months, it was noticed that a group of fundamentalists would come and observe the goings on of the prayer meetings; they would make a note of who all were attending these meetings.

Pastor beaten in Punjab, Hospitalized

2nd June 2006: Pastor Harbans Lal from HLP church in Pangila village in Kaputhala district , Punjab was badly beaten up at about 9:00 pm on the 1st June 2006.

He is now admitted with injuries in his head under the Neurosurgery department in Christian Medical College (CMC), Ludhiana.

He was praying in his church at 5 PM when a group of 15-20 people came to the church and beat him on his head. He became unconscious and was then taken by the assailants in their vehicle to a house. There they left him bleeding.

The church members informed the Police who went to the house and took him to the Government Hospital from where he was referred to CMC Ludhiana. By God's grace he is stable. Please continue to pray