Hindutva Activists Attack Christian Students in Rajasthan

NEW DEHLI, February 22 (Compass) -- Activists of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bajrang Dal beat and robbed 280 Christian students on February 19 while the group was on its way to Emmanuel Mission’s graduation ceremony in Kota, India. The 2:30 a.m. attack occurred as the travelers disembarked from a train carrying them to Kota, Rajasthan state, for the February 23 to 27 event. Afterward, local police rounded up the students and kept them in custody at a local police station until the following evening. Alleging that Emmanuel Mission had lured the visiting students to Kota with promises of a bicycle and 250 rupees ($5.70) in exchange for converting to Christianity, police officials forced the students to return home. No attackers were arrested. At press time, RSS and Bajrang Dal activists are threatening to shut down the graduation ceremony, which annually attracts 5,000 Christian visitors to the city.

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Indian Hindus Attack Christian Students in Rajasthan
Beatings, thefts disrupt graduation ceremony.
by Vijayesh Lal

NEW DEHLI, February 22 (Compass) -- Activists of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bajrang Dal beat and robbed a group of 280 Christian students on February 19 while the group was on its way to Emmanuel Mission’s graduation ceremony in Kota, India.

The attackers, led by Deputy Mayor Ravindra Singh Nirbhay of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), also beat and robbed Emmanuel Mission students and drivers who had come to meet the guests arriving at the railway station at 2:30 a.m. from the state of Andhra Pradesh. Several victims sustained serious injuries. The attackers also damaged mission buses sent to receive the visitors.

Emmanuel Mission has worked in Kota, Rajasthan state, for several years and is recognized for its services throughout India. The Indian government awarded the “Padma Shri,” one of the highest honors in the country, to mission director Bishop M.A. Thomas.

Since the late 1990s, the RSS and its affiliated organizations have stepped up their campaign against the mission. Their aggression gained momentum after the BJP took over political power in the state.

Emmanuel Mission organizes its five-day graduation ceremony every year in February. Attended by students from the 98 mission centers all over India, the event draws 5,000 people to Emmanuel headquarters in Kota as students collect their diplomas after completing their education.

The RSS and Bajrang Dal, apparently with prior information about the graduation ceremony, used the opportunity to stir up anti-Christian feelings in the area.

According to sources, RSS and Bajrang Dal activists surrounded the Kota railway station in the early hours of February 19 and shouted slogans against Christians. As soon as the Andhra Pradesh students disembarked from the Bangalore-Kota Express, senior BJP leaders led the activists in the attack against them, beating the unsuspecting travelers and snatching their belongings.

The activists also attacked 10 students and chauffeurs from the mission who had come to the station to receive the group. Attackers dragged some of the students to a nearby Ram Temple and beat them severely. A catholic nun traveling on the same train also was beaten.

Afterward, local police rounded up the students and took them to the police station, where they kept the victims in custody until the following evening. No attackers were arrested.

Although few of the visitors from Andhra Pradesh speak the local Hindi language, the police recorded statements from them stating that they were Hindus. The statements allege that Emmanuel Mission had lured them to Kota with promises of a bicycle and 250 rupees ($5.70) in exchange for converting to Christianity.

Neither Bishop Thomas nor anyone else from Emmanuel Mission was allowed to meet the students during their time in police custody. The following evening, officials forcibly sent all the visitors back to Andhra Pradesh and issued statements that the “Hindus” had returned home of their own free will.

At press time, no arrests of RSS or Bajrang Dal activists have been made. When Emmanuel Mission staff wanted to register a First Information Report (F.I.R) of the beating incident with the police, local officers refused. After Bishop Thomas placed a call to authorities in New Delhi, however, local police took the initiative to provide added security at the mission.

The following day, RSS and Bajrang Dal extremists attacked 22 students arriving in Kota from Udaipur, Rajasthan. Following the beating, the group was also detained at the police station and sent back without being allowed contact with Emmanuel Mission representatives. The police apparently recorded the same statement saying that these students were Hindus and had been promised 250 rupees to convert to Christianity.

Bishop Thomas vigorously denied the allegations of forced conversions. “Do you think they would convert for 250 rupees and a bicycle?” he said.

Thomas told Compass that RSS and Bajrang Dal leaders spread rumors throughout the media saying that the graduation ceremony had been cancelled, hoping to reduce attendance. BJP leaders also held a march in front of Emmanuel Mission headquarters demanding that the ceremony be cancelled.

At press time, the situation in Kota remains tense. Emmanuel Mission has announced that graduation ceremonies will go ahead as scheduled, despite the indifference of local authorities to their security needs. Meanwhile, Hindu activists have vowed that they will not allow the mission to hold the graduation ceremony.

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Copyright 2005 Compass Direct

MISSIONS INDIA MISSIONARY KILLED

Brother Gilbert Raj (32), the Missions India missionary at Rajkadia in Orissa has been killed under mysterious circumstances. He was in charge of the Missions India Balabhavan.

Br Gilbert who was returning from school in the afternoon along with the students was confronted by some persons and taken away, according to the students of the Balabhavan. His wife Gigi Gilbert and the other missionaries, on finding that he has not returned, lodged a complaint in the local police station.

An investigation led to the detection of his dead body lying in a local workshop. The latest reports suggest that one of his friends named Anna @ Prakash may be linked to the incident.

The slain missionary has been serving the Lord in Orissa, the graveyard of Christian missionaries for a long period of 13 years. He is a native of Perayam, near Meenmutty in Trivandrum, Kerala.His wife Gigi is a native of Rajapuram in Idukki .

Bible students sent back after violent protests

JAIPUR, FEB. 20 . All the 275 people from Andhra Pradesh, who arrived at the Kota railway station in southern Rajasthan to attend a Bible course of the Emmanuel Mission, were sent back on late Saturday night without being allowed to attend the ceremony after violent protests by the activists of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Bajrang Dal. The Sangh Parivar workers alleged that they had been brought for religious conversion.

The State Social Welfare Minister, Madan Dilwar, has ordered an inquiry into the allegation regarding the Emmanuel Mission indulging in conversion activities and sent four senior officials of his department to Kota for holding a detailed probe. The team arrived in Kota this evening.

The Bible graduation course of the Mission is scheduled to be held from February 23 to 27. Hundreds of people reached Kota today to attend the curriculum reportedly without any protest by the Sangh Parivar activists. However, eight persons were injured on Saturday when the activists manhandled them and prevented them from proceeding to their destination in the town.

The passengers who disembarked from the Bangalore-Jaipur Express train at the early hours on Saturday were kept confined to the railway station premises by the Government Railway Police for the whole day and were sent off in late night by the Kota-Beena train. The Emmanuel Mission has claimed that they were forced to alight from the train on the way and their whereabouts were not known.

"We have no information on where the poor students are languishing at present. The district administration, far from ensuring their safety, has told us that it is not responsible for the security of any of the participants in our course," Bishop Samuel Thomas, president of the Emmanuel Ministries International, told The Hindu over phone.

Bishop Thomas, denying the charge that the people from Andhra Pradesh had been brought for conversion, said they were beaten up by the Bajrang Dal activists, while police refused to register the Mission's complaint on their behalf despite being approached at least a dozen times. On the other hand, criminal cases have been registered against the Mission's functionaries.

"This is a classic case of victims being branded as aggressors. The inquiry ordered by the State Government is another instance of the continuing harassment. Those who bashed up innocent students are roaming freely in the town and threatening our people," Bishop Thomas said.

However, Mr. Dilawar said the State Government would take appropriate action after receiving the report of officials and "would not hesitate in taking stern action against religious conversion by coercion or allurement". "The inquiry team will look into all aspects of functioning of the Mission, its religious activities and its sources of funds," he told The Hindu today.

Conversion to blame for girls death: Bajrang Dal

Conversion to blame for girls death: Bajrang Dal

State convenor calls for Crime Branch inquiry into murder in Dhenkanal

PTI

BHUBANESWAR, FEB 20 The murder of a 14-year-old girl in Dhenkanal district of Orissa recently took a new twist today with the Bajrang Dal alleging that she had been killed as her parents had refused to embrace Christianity.

The mutilated body of Jyotirmayee Bez, who was reported missing from her school on Wednesday last week, was found on a railway track the next day. The police had registered a case the same day.

State Bajrang Dal convenor Subash Chouhan demanded that the Crime Branch inquire into the girl’s murder. He claimed that the family had been asked by some Christian families in his village to convert to Christianity.

The parents of Jyotirmayee, Alekh and Jashoda Bez, at a news conference, claimed these people had visited their house asking them to change their faith as it would fetch them lot of money and help them in getting their daughter married. On their refusal to convert, they claimed, they were threatened.

Chouhan said a fact-finding team of the Bajrang Dal had visited the murder victims village near Dhenkanal town.

URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=65106

Thousands of Dalit Christians "Reconverted" to Hinduism in India,Hindu Group says

Saturday, 19 February 2005

NEW DELHI, INDIA (BosNewsLife)-- Indian Church officials on Saturday, February 19, dismissed reports that a militant Hindugroup "reconverted" thousands of India's most impoverished Christiansback to Hinduism, as an attempt "to instigate" religious tensions.

The World Hindu Council, known locally as Vishwa Hindu Parishad(VHP), said its followers were responsible for the "reconversion" ofup to 5000 'Dalit' Christians from 14 churches in two key districtsof the central Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, local media reported.The churches were transferred into Hindu schools for Dalit childrenand former Catholic priests became teachers after they changed theircross tattoo for a Hindu sign, news reports said.

Krishna Prabhakar Upadhyaya, district editor of a regional Hindidaily, told BosNewsLife he obtained a list of "a total of 4096 Christians" who he claimed "reconverted" during a Hindu-ceremony lastSunday, February 13. The event reportedly took place after VHP-activists spread out to 26 villages of the Etah and Firozabad districts of Uttar Pradesh.

However "the VHP's claims about the reconversions" of Dalits "arefalse," a Catholic priest from the Archdiocese of Agra in troubled Uttar Pradesh told BosNewsLife on condition of anonymity. "They [theVHP] are merely doing this to instigate tensions between Hindus andChristians. We should ignore such incidents," he said.

"NO INFORMATION"

Father J. Logo of the regional Bishop House claimed he had not heard of the incident. "We have no information about the reconversions [ofDalits], it might be a rumor," he added.The term Dalit refers to the estimated 240 million "Untouchables" orthe "Outcastes" in the subcontinent of India, who have traditionallyoccupied the lowest place in the complicated caste system ofHinduism. Human rights groups call them "a people broken, forgottenand exploited," as many of them work in the fields or carry out slavework for the much richer men and women of the "higher caste."

There has been a growing Christian movement among the mainly Hindu Dalits, and militants are known to have attacked churches and Christians, human rights watchdogs say. Local authorities ordered aninquiry into the alleged February mass conversions to see if Dalits were forced to accept the Hindu religion, India's national dailyTribune reported. The VHP has denied that it used forceto "reconvert" Dalit Christians.

DALITS "MISLED"

"The Dalit Christians are disillusioned with Christianity," after they gave up their "Hindu heritage" the Pioneer newspaper quoted VHP Secretary Mohan Joshi as saying. He reportedly said that theDalit "Christians had been misled by Christian missionaries intoaccepting Christianity through lucrative offers of financial securityand social equality."Christians comprise less than one percent of the over 166 million population of Uttar Pradesh, according to estimates.

The latest tensions came just days after India's Supreme Court decided to study the legal implications of denying job, education quotas and socialbenefits to Dalit Christians. Under a quota system at least 15 percent of jobs and educational placements have been reserved for members of lower castes includingDalit Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs, but Dalit Christians and Muslimswere excluded.

"We hope that the Supreme Court will soon finally end a historic injustice that was done in 1950 to the Dalits professing the Christian Faith," said John Dayal, president of the All IndiaCatholic Union. "Whenever the Supreme Court gives its final judgment recognizing the cruel and debilitating inequities and injuries of the3,000 year old caste system" it will "cross all boundaries of religion, region and ethnicity in India..." he added in a statement received by BosNewsLife.

GFA Student Attackers Arrested

Police have arrested five men involved in last Sunday's attack against six Biblical Seminary students in India’s Kerala State. Gospel for Asia—the mission agency that the students are members of—reported Friday that the attackers were arrested after a raid conducted by the Deputy Superintendent of Police.

According to the Hindustan Times, those arrested were affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), an armed militant Hindu group hostile to Christianity and other religious minorities. Formed even before India's independence, its leaders call for "national reconstruction" and seek to establish "uncompromising devotion" to a purely Hindu nation.

In the weeks before the attack on Feb. 13, the RSS men in Kerala’s Thiruvalla Municipality had reportedly warned the seminary students to stop witnessing in the area where they went as part of a regular weekly outreach.

“The seminary students had been regularly visiting a community of laborers on previous weekends, praying for the sick, caring for the needy, sharing the love of Christ and offering hope,” GFA reported. “Seventy percent of the family problems in this community are directly related to poverty, drug use and alcohol addiction. As a result of their regular visits and compassionate outreach, people's hearts were beginning to respond.”

"The ministry there was bringing fruitful results due to our students' continuous visits," according to a GFA field correspondent.

When the students arrived at a bus stop last Sunday, a gang of men began abusing and assaulting them before pushing them into auto rickshaws (three-wheeled taxis) and driving them to a secluded location, where they were repeatedly beaten. All the students suffered from internal pain and headaches, some severe. One was diagnosed with a broken left eardrum and facial bruising.

"Their heads are still hurting from getting hit so hard," said one GFA pastor who visited them there. "The brother whose eardrum was broken is doing better. He has lost about 30 percent of his hearing in that ear, but it should come back as his ear heals."

GFA reported that the students are recovering from their injuries in a local hospital. They are expected to return to the seminary later this week.

Meanwhile, the Chennai Online news service reports that India's National Commission of Minorities (NCM) will investigate the attacks in response to the arrests.

Conversion charges: probe ordered against Christian mission

Jaipur, Feb 19 : Rajasthan government today ordered an inquiry into the allegation that a Christian mission brought 250 children to Kota from outside the state for converting them to Christianity, an official spokesman said here today.

Ordering the inquiry into the case, Social Welfare Minister Madan Dilawar has rushed a team of four senior officials to Kota to hold a detailed probe, the spokesman said.

The minister ordered the inquiry after receiving reports that local people were protesting against bringing of the children, described as orphans, by Immanual Mission, allegedly promising them Rs 250 each and food, he said.

The officials of social welfare department would start inquiry into the matter from tomorrow itself despite being a Sunday, he added.

The children were brought to Kota by train this morning by the mission people, the Spokesman said.

The government would take action after receiving report of the team of officials, he said.
Dilawar, in a statement, said the "government would not tolerate any effort of religious conversion by allurement or force and will not hesitate in taking stern action against guilty persons".

Doubting credentials of the mission he alleged that several cases were still pending in various police stations in Kota against Immanual mission including a case of encroaching upon forest land falsely showing it as burial ground.

Police Arrest Vicar General of Krishnagar Diocese

Police Arrest Vicar General of Krishnagar Diocese

CM Paul

BIS-Kolkata, 13 Feb -- The Police arrested Salesian Fr Luciano Colussi, the Vicar General of Krishnagar diocese Saturday, 12 Feb morning. Police arriving in their jeep at the Bishop's House Krishnagar, some 110 kms north of Kolkata, adjacent to the leading Don Bosco institution in Nadia District summarily arrested the Italian born Indian citizen and took him to Krishnagar police station in the police jeep despite appeals from priests at the Bishop's House to bring Fr Colussi to the police station in their own car... It was about 11.30 am. After the intervention from the Sisters of Mary Immaculate (SMI) Fr. Luciano was released as soon as the local Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) demanded the release of the senior priest. Fr Luciano returned to the bishop's house in a cycle rickshaw in the early afternoon.

By evening, the Christians hearing the arrest of the Vicar General collected and marched towards the bungalow of the Superintendent of Police (SP) despite the futile efforts of Salesian Bishop Joseph Gomes and priests to restrain the people from doing anything violent. They demanded unconditional apology for the humiliation the police meted out to the 81 year old priest who severed the people of Krishnagar for some 50 years.

As the Police would permit only a delegation of four people to go into the SP's bunglow and submit the memorandum to the SP, the crowd demanded that the SP comes out to meet them. In the ensuing argument the police lathi (baton) charged the crowd and forced them to disperse. In the melee several people were injured and police arrested 11 people and remanded them in custody while two injured persons are hospitalized. The appeal for their bail was denied Sunday 13th Feb, and the next hearing has been fixed for 25th February.

It is further reported that the Police raided Nirmal Nagar para (village) adjacent to the Bishop's House, beat up men and women and even those passing on the road were not spared. It is alleged that the police arrested Fr Luciano Colussi as he had terminated the 11 month contract of Dr. Anirudha Das in the Church owned Daffodil Clinic for the physiotherapy for handicapped located adjacent to Don Bosco High School.

Extremists Attack, Beat Six GFA Students

Extremists Attack, Beat Six GFA Students
K.P. Yohannan calls for prayer for serious injuries

This morning, six Gospel for Asia Biblical Seminary students were forcibly abducted and beaten for sharing the Gospel. They were taken to a nearby hospital, where they are now recovering from injuries sustained during the attack.

Jaya, Yogendra, Narendra, Himansu, Kiran and Simon were involved in their regular weekly outreach--distributing Gospel literature, preaching and praying for the sick--when they were surrounded by a small group of men that quickly grew into a crowd.

"We are going to talk about God," the men mocked, and began slapping the students around. Several in the group then dragged the brothers into three-wheeled taxicabs and drove them to a secluded house that was the local headquarters for an extremist anti-Christian organization. A crowd of men, some trained in martial arts, awaited them there. They pulled the students out and began beating them.

"There were no less than five to six people beating each brother," reports a GFA field correspondent. The students were repeatedly kicked, punched and slapped, three to the point of unconsciousness. This particular organization is known for its martial arts training, not so much for defense, but for inflicting intense pain and causing internal injury without much external evidence.

At one point, the anti-Christians left the six students alone in a room for about half an hour. Writhing in pain, they feared what would happen next. But at the same time, these young men kept their focus and remembered their calling.

Kiran spoke up: "This is our reward to serve the Lord," he reminded his coworkers. "Let's tell it to the Lord," Himansu encouraged them. They prayed, clinging to God for His strength and grace.

Soon the group returned and dragged the students back into the cabs, drove them to the bus station, pushed them out and left. The six young men were able to get on a bus and return to the seminary, where they were immediately taken to the hospital. They suffered from severe headaches and internal pain. Jaya was diagnosed with a broken left eardrum, in addition to bruising on his face.

"Please pray for these six dear young men," says GFA President K.P. Yohannan, "that they will completely recover from their injuries and remain close to the Lord. I have no doubt that their suffering is not in vain, and He will use their lives to bear much fruit in the days to come.

"My prayer and firm belief is that our brothers' willingness to faithfully represent their Lord Jesus in the face of such hatred and opposition will only serve to give boldness to all our missionaries as they continue to witness of the Good News of Jesus Christ."

Yesu Darbar attacked in Uttar Pradesh

A group of Hindu activists, carrying lethal weapons, barged into Yesu Darbar near Varanasi on 30 January 2005 and attacked the believers who were participating in the prayer service. The police arrested the intruders and brought the situation under control.

Fearing a possible attack on Yesu Darbar by Bajrang Dal activists, the organisers had approached the local police seeking protection. The Hindu activists also informed the police that they would stage only a protest against the darbar. The authorities deployed policemen at the venue to prevent any possible mischief.

In spite of the police presence, the Hindu activists, numbering about 25, stormed the prayer venue and threatened the organisers, accusing them of indulging in conversions. Soon there erupted clashes between them, resulting in injury to a few believers.

Fundamentalists oppose Christian presence in Uttar Pradesh.

4 February, 2005
Hindu fundamentalists storm Christian prayer meeting
by Nirmala Carvalho
Fundamentalists oppose Christian presence in Uttar Pradesh. We shall fight against your conversions, they say. Church promotes human development.

Lucknow (AsiaNews) – Hindu fundamentalists forced their way into a large Christian prayer meeting on January 30 in Lucknow, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, central India.

Hundreds of worshippers had come from nearby towns and villages to take part in the rally, but, waving saffron flags (saffron being the colour symbolises Hinduism), members of Bajarang Dal, a Hindu fundamentalist group, stormed the premises and interrupted the event.

“These Christian rallies are aimed at conversions,” the activists said. “These Fathers lure the people with gifts of land, money, food and clothes. We strongly protest against such conversions; we are prepared to fight against such tactics of forced conversions”.

Questioned by the police, Rev Rajendra Prasad, a Protestant minister who had organised the event, said: “It is true that I am preaching in the name of Christ, but I am not converting anybody. I neither guarantee, nor promise healing.”

For Reverend Prasad, the motives behind the fundamentalists’ accusations are simple. “These poor villagers come to my conventions because they receive some consolation and are treated with dignity,” he explained. “Why doesn’t the Bajrang Dal do anything to help these marginalised people?” [All] the fundamentalists want [is for them] to remain as a depressed class of society so that they can exploit them”.

As to the accusations of tricking people into conversion, the reverend is adamant. “I only conduct prayer meeting in Christ’s name,” he said. “I repeat: no forced conversions go on. I offer my service to these poor villagers [. . .] free of charge, I demand nothing from them”.

Among Indian Protestant communities, faith healing is a common occurrence. Sita Devi, a local woman who attended the prayer meeting, said that the “Father gave me some oil for massage and now I can walk properly. He says that God is up there and we must pray to him”.

Interviewed by AsiaNews, Mgr Albert D’Souza, Catholic Bishop of Lucknow, said that, despite what many fundamentalists believe, the prayer meeting did not have the blessing of the Catholic Church.

“I made it abundantly clear to the media that we were neutral,” the Bishop said. “Questioned by some senior Bajrang Dal activists [. . .] I assured them that the Church was not involved. [But since] the rally was held in the precinct of one of our Churches [. . .] they think that we were the organisers of the event”.

Bishop D’Souza said that relations between the Church and the Uttar Pradesh state authorities were “cordial”. He stressed the need for vigilance against attempts to trick peasants into converting with promises of gifts of food and clothing during mass rallies.

Of a different order is the role the Church plays. It is committed to human development projects such as schools, hospitals and dispensaries.

Still, even these initiatives have come under fundamentalist fire. Ashok Senegar, a Bajarang Dal leader, told AsiaNews that “Christians run a centre called Yeshu Darbar in a place that is even called Christ Nagar. For the past two years, people from the neighbouring villages and towns have been regularly flocking to this place. [. . .] And we will stop these Christian conversion activities”. (NC)

Catholic Village in India Under Fundamentalist Siege

Bishop of Amravati Calls the Situation "Very Serious"

AMRAVATI, India, FEB. 7, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Hindu fundamentalists are subjecting the people of a Catholic village to threats and attacks, says a bishop in the state of Maharashtra. Rajura is the only Catholic village in Amravati, one of the six divisions of Maharashtra with an independent municipal administration.

The Catholics, all tribals, are descendants of migrants from Madhya Pradesh; their families have been in the village for centuries. They now live in fear for their lives, if they do not reconvert to the Hinduism of their ancestors. "All the people in the village are Catholics, very poor, illiterate, mainly agricultural laborers, but very faithful to the religion," Bishop Edwin Colaço told AsiaNews.

"A few days ago, a Munni, or Hindu holy man, from Ayodhya ... held a huge religious meeting here; it was well attended" by Hindus, the bishop said. "The saffron-clad, spear-bearing Munni attacked the Catholic Church and denounced the missionaries," he said. "He launched into a tirade against the Adivasi [tribals] of Rajura, alleging that missionaries had originally converted them by force, and said that it was his mission to reconvert them to Hinduism." Bishop Colaço, 67, believes that the event was "very well planned by the Hindu Religious Convention.

The Munni had done his homework well and knew the place. ... He urged Hindu villagers to 'kill the Christian Adivasi with swords.'" The group "drove into the Christian village in jeeps, carrying swords and shouting fanatical Hindu slogans. But they found only women, since the men were away at work," the bishop said. "They threatened to kill the women if they did not follow them to the Hindu meeting. The terrified women were then huddled into the jeeps and forcibly brought before the Munni," continued Bishop Colaço.

The prelate said that the "situation is very serious. The Munni has threatened the people of neighboring villages, saying they would be ostracized and would be fined 10,000 rupees if they maintained any contact with tribal Christians." For Bishop Colaço of Amravati, "this is a violation of human rights. Christian Adivasi are poor and illiterate and depend on Hindus for employment. If they are ostracized, they will be denied their means of livelihood. Worse still, many Adivasi have daughters and sisters married to Hindu men and living in other villages. Now the fundamentalists have forbidden any contact with their families."

Bishop Colaço said he wrote the Union Home Minister and the chief minister of Maharashtra asking them to investigate the escalating violence against Christians in Amravati. He also approached the Indian bishops' conference requesting that it intervene.

Hindu fundamentalists prevent Catholic celebration on Anjediva Island

by Nirmala Carvalho

The Church of Our Lady of Springs is located on an island claimed by Hindus. The Indian Navy has bans a traditional boat pilgrimage by Goa and Karwar Christians.

Goa (AsiaNews) – "Security problems" and Hindu fundamentalism are preventing Catholics from Goa and Karwar from celebrating today's annual Feast of Our Lady of Springs (Nossa Senhora das Brotas).

The Navy Command is banning the ritual procession "for security reasons because warships are in the vicinity of the church".

Fr Peter Machado, judicial vicar of the diocese of Karwar where the Church is located, told AsiaNews that the Navy's explanation "is just a lame excuse". For all intents and purposes, "this year we have been denied the right to worship in a church which belongs to our ancestors," he said.

The ancient Church of Our Lady of Springs is situated on Anjediva Island off India's western coast, facing the city of Goa, a former Portuguese colony and important Catholic centre.

The church is owned by the government and administered by the Indian Navy which is building military installations all around it.

In July 2004, Rear Admiral S Sinha, Flag Office commanding Goa Area announced the removal of restrictions for the Feast.

Behind the alleged security considerations for the arrival of many faithful in a military zone lies the problem of religious fundamentalism.

Hindu activists are opposed to the Christian presence claiming the island for themselves. Some activists of the Hindu fundamentalist group Vishwa Hindu Parishad have threatened to interfere with Catholic celebrations on Anjediva claiming the right to worship there on the grounds that prior to the arrival of the colonisers there was a temple dedicated to the Hindu deity Arya Durga which was then moved to Ankola in Karnataka.

For Father Machado, the question is sensitive and could cause social tensions. "When a place of worship becomes an object of contention, the situation puts at risk the law and order of society".

"When the church and the surrounding property were appropriated by the government of India to build a Naval Base, the Catholic Church was assured that Christians could visit the Church on Feast Days. Today it does not allow it".

The Feast of Our Lady of Springs is celebrated on February 2. It usually involves a solemn mass for some 1,500 pilgrims. "Pilgrims travel by boats [. . .] decorated with flags of different colours [. . .]. The entire atmosphere is festive," Father Machado said..

John Dayal, president of the All India Catholic Union and member of the National Integration Council, asked Oscar Fernandes, Minister for the state of Goa, to ensure that both central and local governments agree to the celebrations on Anjediva Island.

In the meantime, Father Machado still hopes that despite today's restrictions Christians "will be granted permission for the Feast of St Francis of Assisi on 4th October".

In addition to the main church, the island is also home to smaller church dedicated to the Saint from Assisi and is a destination for pilgrimage.

Religious Questionnaire In India's Gujarat State Raises Suspicions

A controversial decision to make primary students in rural areas complete a religion-based questionnaire has raised suspicions about a "hidden agenda" by the government of western India's Gujarat state.

The Opposition Congress has dubbed the census in rural areas as an "attempt to disturb communal harmony" by India's radical Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Education Minister Anandiben Patel denied any "religion-based" survey in village schools. However, she admitted that students were being asked to participate in a survey to make them better aware of their social and cultural surroundings and to sharpen their writing skills.

The four-page questionnaire seeks to find out how many people belong to which religion in a village, the festivals that are celebrated, the number of religious places, and their historical importance. The survey is being conducted as part of the government's district primary education project's documentation exercise in each of the state's 18,000 villages.

Believers are concerned that the information will be used to create a religion- based databank in rural areas. A similar exercise was secretly undertaken by Gujarat police in the Dangs district shortly before the anti-Christian attacks in 1998.

(WorldWide Religious News/The Telegraph)

Christians old age home attacked

By: PTI January 24, 2005

The cross erected on the gate of a Home for the Aged, run by a group of Christian nuns, at Ambernath in Mumbai suburb, was damaged by some miscreants, police said here today.

Some handwritten pamphlets, asking the nuns to leave the convent, were also left behind during the incident late last night, according to Sister Diana, in-charge of Teresian Carmelites Convent.

"The inmates heard some noise of motor bikes and things being broken at 2 AM on Sunday. But in the darkness the miscreants could not be identified", she told PTI.

"They broke the cross and left behind pamphlets, carrying handwritten messages `Run away, we will come back... Go away, this country is ours... Now it is the cross, next time it will be your heads'", she said.

"The Home was set up three years ago and we have never had any problem before. We received a lot of cooperation since we moved in here. There had been no opposition from any quarter so far, hence we are surprised by the attack", said Sister Diana, who was away at the time of the attack.

The convent houses 17 inmates, including 12 elderly women, who are taken care of by the nuns. Ambernath police said the matter was being investigated. "We have also provided police protection to the Home", police said.

Meanwhile, the All India Catholic Union (AICU) and the Bombay Catholic Sabha today condemned the attack. "We urge the police and government to provide police protection and apprehend culprits immediately", Dolphy D'Souza, National Vice President of AICU said.

http://ww1.mid-day.com/news/city/2005/january/102202.htm

Ongoing Attacks on India Christians Continue to Draw Concern

Attacks on Christians in India from those linked to extremist groups have continued over the Christmas period

Attacks on Christians in India from those linked to extremist groups have continued over the Christmas period, according to the director of a UK-based human rights charity group.“We are deeply concerned about these unprovoked incidents of violence and call on the authorities to do more to curb the violence of extremist Hindu groups against Christians," stated Stuart Windsor, National Director of Christian Solidarity Worldwide.

In the most recent incident, an Indian priest was attacked at the altar of his church on Christmas Eve as he was preparing to conduct a service.According to CSW, the Reverend Father Saji Abraham of the St. Thomas Orthodox Church in Banswara, Rajasthan was going to the sacristy to put aside the holy bread for use during the worship, when he noticed three men were following him. When Abraham asked them to remain outside, the men attacked him with metal rods. Under the force of the blows, the priest fell down, suffering heavy bleeding from his head injuries. When he regained consciousness, he rang church members for help on his mobile phone and was taken to hospital where he was last reported to be in a critical condition.

In another reported incident, which occurred on the same day, a Christian driver in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, was attacked when he asked for a salary advance to celebrate Christmas. According to CSW, the driver had gasoline poured over him and was set on fire. He suffered about 26 percent burns and was admitted to hospital.

Over the last few weeks there have also been a number of other incidents in India where Christians have been threatened or attacked. In Gujarat, anti-Christian pamphlets and books accused Christians of forcibly converting Hindus from poor backgrounds in the south of the state. On Dec. 18, the police arrested a man allegedly working for an organization linked to the militant Hindu Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) after he was found distributing such leaflets.

In Rajasthan, a group reportedly belonging to the Hindu extremist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) attacked two Christian pastors on Dec. 10, accusing them of converting others. The police protected the men from the attackers.Also in Rajasthan, a Christian orphanage in Baran reported in early December that it might have to relocate because of anti-Christian threats. Despite police protection, tensions in the region have forced the orphanage to relocate the children.

Gujarat Christians to appeal against verdict

Piprol is a tiny village, situated 20 kms away from Dharampur taluka of Valsad district in Gujarat. Here 22 Varli tribal Christians live. A kaccha Church also exists here. Christians here often face religious persecution because of their faith and mode of worship. ‘Friends Missionary Prayer Band,’ an organization doing missionary work at the national level, is trying to help them.

Recently the Christians here had to face a serious incident simply because of their religion. Way back on 26 April 2001 Adivasi Christian Ramanbhai K. Gavit’s wife Kalguben R. Gavit had died due to snake bite. Same night some communally biased elements put off the street lights of Piprol village and attacked Ramanbhai’s house, saying "If your Christianity is true religion then ask your Lord Jesus Christ to bring your wife back to life at once. And if your wife doesn’t come back to life, you will have to accept Hindu religion." Ramanbhai K. Gavit protested against this, so the mob attacked him, beating him up severely. An injured Ramanbhai had to be admitted in local Dharampur Civil hospital. Next day (27 April 2001) family members of victim Ramanbhai K. Gavit were on their way to Piprol village to take part in the burial ceremony of Kalguben Gavit (wife of Ramanbhai). They were attacked and seriously beaten up near the village bus stand by communal elements. Due to these ongoing incidents, Christians lodged a police complaint in the local Dharampur police station but the police authorities did not listen and failed to take any action in the matter.

Meanwhile, communal elements in Piprol village kept troubling Christians and continuously tried to stop them from worship. After these series of incidents, again in the morning of 28 May 2001 communal elements attacked Ramanbhai Gavit with sharp weapons near the village bus stand while he was awaiting for the bus. Ramanbhai Gavit cried for help. In response Christians of the village, Ramesh Chandubhai Varli, Harjee Chandubhai Varli, Ishwar Chandubhai Varli, Chandubhai Dharmabhai Varli to name a few, rushed at the site and tried to save Ramanbhai Gavit. Due to their intervention members of both groups were injured and were admitted to the civil hospital of Dharampur. During the treatment a member from the communally biased group, called Gopjibhai Ramabhai Varli, expired on 29 May 2001.

Now the police of the Dharampur police station lodged a complaint against five tribal Christians in connection with incident. Communal elements claimed that that the murder was caused due to some financial transaction. Local communal outfits became active to teach a “lesson” to local Christians with the help of the local public prosecutor and police department which placed this criminal case in the fast track Sessions Court. Communal elements presented false witnesses before the police authorities. Therefore the police arrested five Christians: Ramesh Chandubhai Varli, Ishwar Chandubhai Varli, Dhakliabhai Kalubhai Varli, Chandubhai Dharmabhai Varli and Harjeebhai Chandubhai Varli, in connection with the murder case of Gopjibhai Varli. In this case the communally biased organizations with the help of government machinery, panchayat members, statements of false witnesses and biased police investigations, gained advantage over the victims. The case was admitted in Gujarat state’s Valsad district’s Session Judge’s fast track court. The court passed its judgment on 19 June 2004 sentencing to life imprisonment all the accused Christian.

Due to this serious occurrence of such black incident for the first time in the history of Gujarat state, the All India Christian Council - Gujarat unit has pledged to help the Friends Missionary Prayer Band and challenge the Session Court Judgment in the Gujarat High Court.

By Samson C. Christian

samson_chri@sify.com

Indian priest attacked in church on Christmas Eve

January 10, 2005

An Indian priest needed 17 stitches after being attacked at the altar of his church on Christmas Eve.

The Reverend Father Saji Abraham was preparing to conduct a service at St. Thomas Orthodox Church, Banswara, Rajasthan. When he went to the sacristy to put aside the holy bread for use during the worship, he was followed by three men.

He asked them to remain outside, but was attacked with metal rods. The priest fell down under the force of the blows, suffering heavy bleeding from his head injuries. When he regained consciousness, he rang church members for help on his mobile phone. He was taken to hospital where he was last reported to be in a critical condition.

On the same day, a Christian driver in Ahmedabad, Gujarat , was reportedly attacked when he asked for a salary advance to celebrate Christmas. Robinson Joseph had petrol poured over him and was set on fire. He suffered about 26 percent burns and was admitted to hospital. The All India Christian Council (AICC) took up his case with the local police, but was told the accused had fled.

There have been a number of other incidents in India over the last few weeks where Christians have been threatened or attacked. Again in Gujarat, anti-Christian pamphlets and books accused Christians of forcibly converting Hindus from poor backgrounds in the south of the state. On December 18, the police arrested a man allegedly working for an organization linked to the militant Hindu Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) after he was found distributing such leaflets.

In Rajasthan, two Christian pastors were attacked on December 10 on their way to a prayer service by a group which accused them of converting others. The police protected the men from the attackers who reportedly belonged to the Hindu extremist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) group.

Also in Rajasthan, a Christian orphanage in Baran reported in early December that it may have to relocate because of anti-Christian threats. Despite police protection, tensions in the region have forced the orphanage to relocate the children.

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Christian Pastors Beaten Up Near Balasore

by Bibhuti Mishra

A pastor in a Baptist Church and other missionaries were beaten up by some youth, who accused them of conversion attempts.

The incident ocurred at a meeting at Baidhar Singh's house in Gopinathpur Nuasahi village, Balasore district, on Sunday evening. More than a hundred tribals and Dalits were present.

Sanjay Pal and Dubai Tudu, priests at the Baptist Church of Kuruda, had come to the meeting along with two other missionaries. Word spread that the missionaries were trying to convert the tribals and Dalits.

Kishore Sarangi, a worker having links with the VHP and the BJP allegedly led a group of youths and came to the meeting place. The priests and the misionaries were chased and bashed up in public.

Two FIRs have been filed and the district administration has deployed police as the situation is tense. The FIR lodged by the priests allege hooliganism and physical assault by the youths while the counter FIR allege forcible conversion attempts by the missionaries.

The FIR says Chand Mallick, Dhanuram Hansda and four others were trying to convert Geda Singh of Nilgiri by giving him Rs 10,000. Hundreds of VHP and BJP workers gave a memorandum to the subcollector alleging such conversion attempts. No arrest has been made so far.

(courtesy persecution.org)

Missionaries Face Persecution In Yamuna Nagar.

Christian missionaries have become the target of harassment and persecution at the hands of Hindutva nazis at Yamunanagar. The servants of the Lord belonging to the Missions India have bore the brunt of these religious fundamentalists. The attacks are well orchestrated.

Recently when two female missionaries were visiting the house of a believer, anti-Christians confronted them alleging 'forced conversion'. The members of the household strongly refuted this charge and spoke in favour of the missionaries.

However,the following day the hindutva fanatics planted false stories in the leading newspapers. The Yamunanagar Kesri reported the news in a very negative manner saying that missionaries were gheraoed.

This is not the first attempt whereby hindutva fanatics have tried to harm the Christian missionaries. They regularly mislead the police with false complaints in order to harass the missionaries. Many a time,they tried to get the missionaries arrested and sent to jail. The servants of the Lord continually face problems due to the hindutva menace.