Hindu Extremist Attacks Curb Christian Festival in India

Revival meetings in Rajasthan cancelled after more than 50 attacks on Christians.

NEW DELHI, October 27 (Compass) – For nearly two weeks, Hindu extremists have been attacking Christians in the Banswara district of Rajasthan state, resulting in the cancellation today of the last day of a revival festival.

The violence accelerated on Tuesday (October 25), when the Tribal Christian Welfare Society's Christian revival meetings began in Sagwa village. At least 50 incidences of beatings have occurred since then. Late yesterday, government officials ordered the Society to cancel the remainder of the three-day festival because of escalating violence.

The Society annually organizes the festival, known for miraculous healings, with as many as 15,000 people usually in attendance. Only 5,000 managed to attend this year, as the Christians closed the festival this morning with a prayer for victims of the attacks.

In anticipation of the festival, the Hindu extremist group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) issued a call for a meeting of its own in the same area, according to a Society official.

"They then went on to bring many volunteers from different places and tried to disrupt the meeting by pleading to authorities to cancel the event as they were alleging conversions," he said.

Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Kumar Narjari confirmed the RSS activities, saying the group and its affiliates had alleged "forcible conversions" and had asked the government to stop the festival.

"At the behest of the RSS and its affiliates, the government authorities had demanded in writing from the Christian leaders that no 'forcible conversions' would take place in the meetings, and that the Christian leaders had given this to the authorities in writing." Narjari said. "The police would be videotaping the whole meeting to make sure that the people are not influenced in the 'wrong way' so that they may be converted by the Christians."

Blocking Roads

Nonetheless, the RSS and its affiliates targeted participants going to the festival, placing members on all approach roads to the venue, beating them, and sending them back.

As a result, only 3,500 people arrived the first day of the festival.

"The RSS people are everywhere, blocking roads, staging protests and beating up our people," said the Society official. "Many teams coming from distant areas have been beaten up and forced to turn back. Our only contact with the teams coming now is through phones, as the RSS is inflicting heavy violence."

He added that the RSS is rummaging through the baggage of all persons arriving in Sagwa. If RSS members find a Bible, they beat the owners of the baggage and order them back.

A team from Dahod (Gujarat) was en route to attend the meeting, but the conductor of the state-owned bus in which they were traveling informed the RSS. The Christians were dragged from the bus, beaten, and forced back.

"The police are present at each place where our people are being beaten up, but they do nothing to stop the RSS people," the Society official said. "Even if we plead with them, they ignore us."

Asked about the police's inaction, after much hesitation Superintendent Narjari acknowledged the violence against Christians but maintained that these were small incidents.

After the beatings, many participants tried to contact the nearest police station but were turned away. One committee member of the Society said the situation is "is quite hopeless."

"Since the police had to protect us at the venue, they gave the RSS a free hand on the approach roads to the venue," he said. "The aim of all of this is to spell trouble for Christians, one way or the other."

Nuns Attacked

The latest spate of violence began on October 16, when the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP or World Hindu Council) and its youth wing, the Bajrang Dal, objected to a Roman Catholic program in Rajasthan to mark the end of the Eucharist year celebrations. The Hindu extremist groups said the program was meant instead for conversion purposes.

The activists blocked roads and beat participants on their way to the program. The Catholic Bishop of the Udaipur diocese, Joseph Pathalil was not spared, as the extremists stopped and stoned his vehicle.

Elsewhere in Banswara District, VHP workers in Kushalgarh subdivision severely beat five Catholic nuns after boarding a bus for Udaipur.

A young man from the Sangh Parivar, a Hindutva (Hindu nationalism) institution, spotted the nuns waiting at the bus stop. He left and returned with a dozen more youths, all carrying bamboo poles. By this time the nuns had boarded their bus, but the Hindutva group dragged them out of the bus and beat them.

The most severely beaten was a 68-year-old nun known as Sister Rosario. The attackers fled when bus passengers intervened.

An official from Gayatri Rathore area said that the youths apparently believed that Christian groups were holding events to convert tribal peoples. "Various Christian groups have now given it in writing that conversions are not on their agenda," she added.

Banswara District in Rajasthan has long been a place of turmoil for Christians. In April 1997, VHP General Secretary Giriraj Kishore threatened to make Banswara "Christian-free" within three years, according to Asian Age newspaper. In other incidents, Christian worshippers were forced to bow down and worship Hindu idols.

Source: Compass Direct

Pastor, Wife and Driver Attacked in Gujarat, India

Hindu extremists stop vehicle and leave couple, driver with internal injuries.

NEW DELHI, October 27 (Compass) - About 30 Hindu extremists attacked a pastor, his wife and their driver in the western state of Gujarat on October 23. The three sustained internal injuries.

The Rev. Arthur Jebaraj and his wife, Nyana Sundari Jebaraj, and their driver, Dattu Daulat, all belonging to the Friends Missionary Prayer Band (FMPB), an indigenous Christian organization, were assaulted in Kaparada Taluka, in south Gujarat state.

The attack took place at about 11 p.m. on Sunday as they returned from Garma village, where they had conducted a thanksgiving prayer meeting, to their home in Chempa village.

As a supervisor of FMPB churches in the area, Rev. Jebaraj regularly visits congregations in different villages.

"On our way back, we saw a jeep parked on the road with about 30 people armed with sticks standing in front of it," he said. "As we approached them, they stopped our vehicle. Moti Ram Choudhary, a supporter of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), came to us and asked who we were and where we were coming from."

Rev. Jebaraj reminded Choudhary that he knew him and that he went regularly to several villages every week for prayers. "I requested him to allow us to go," he said. "But he said, 'Christians campaign for the Congress Party, and you too visit villages for such campaigns.'"

Rev. Jebaraj told Choudhary that they never discuss politics at the prayer meetings. "I also told him that we had gone to Garma village to conduct a thanksgiving prayer for a couple that, through prayers, was blessed with a child after seven years of their marriage."

The driver, fearing the crowd, rolled up his window, and immediately the mob attacked him. Then they beat Rev. Jebaraj and his wife before vandalizing their vehicle.

The attackers tore Jebaraj's upper garment and hit her on the chest, arms, and back. Similarly, they hit the church official on his arms and back, causing pain in his spinal chord.

"On October 26, I went to a hospital in Nasik district in neighboring Maharashtra state to see a doctor, as my spinal chord is still in pain," Rev. Jebaraj said.

He was able to identify three more attackers besides Choudhary: Gakal Gounda, allegedly a leader of the BJP of Kaparada Taluka; Vidhyabhai Bikabhai; and Kalubhai Bikabhai.

Rev. Jebaraj and a few more Christians approached the Kaparada police station to lodge a complaint the following day. The police, however, refused to file their complaint, saying it had no substance.

Doing Justice

The police filed a First Information Report (FIR) only after numerous Christians from different churches in the area went to the police station to express their concern.

"The FIR was lodged at 8:45 p.m. on October 24," said Assistant Sub-Inspector Babu Bhai. "The accused are yet to be arrested." he added. The FIR carries the names of the attackers identified by Jebaraj.

If police act, charges that would be filed against the extremists include violating the modesty of a woman by assault or criminal force, robbery and causing injury, and causing financial loss or damage.

Police Inspector Jhala was not available for comment.

Later, villagers identified four more attackers: Bhagwanbhai Arjunbhai, Devibhai Balubhai, Devubhai Raghubhai, and Kishanbhai Kalubhai.

Rev. Jebaraj said trouble began when the FMPB started its work in Chempa village 15 years ago. At the time, Choudhary, who allegedly led the October 23 attack, threatened FMBP workers and lodged false complaints against them.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the parent organization of the Hindu nationalist BJP, has been operating in Valsad and other districts of south Gujarat for several years.

According to the Indo-Asian News Service, the RSS was preparing for a rally of more than 500,000 people in the nearby Dangs district, to be held in February next year to counter alleged conversion of tribal people to Christianity.

Dangs witnessed a spate of anti-Christian violence in December 1998 following a similar rally. Numerous churches and Christian institutes were destroyed in the attack.

According to the 2001 census, there are only 284,092 Christians in Gujarat, which has a total population of more than 50 million.

Source: Compass Direct

Christians attacked in Rajasthan, Situation Tense

Christians attacked in Rajasthan, situation tense as Christian meeting goes on

By Vijayesh Lal


26th October 2005: According to reports received activists of the VHP and the Bajrang Dal have been attacking Christians in the Banswara District of Rajasthan since a fortnight. The violent incidents against Christians have increased since the Tribal Christian welfare Society organized a Christian festival from the 25th October 2005. At the time of writing of this report physical violence against Christians coming to attend the Christian festival were still on. It is reported that nearly 50 incidents of beatings have occurred in the past 24 hours.

25th October 2005, Banswara - The Tribal Christian Welfare Society, an organization representing the tribal Christians in the Banswara (Waghad) Belt had organized revival meetings for Christians in the area. The meetings are held every year and are focused mainly on Christians as the emphasis is on revival. Usually the meetings are heavily attended with attendance escalating up to 15000 people. A few non Christians also attend the meeting in the hope of healing and miracles, which do take place.

This year too the Society after taking due permission from the administration had organized the meetings from the 25th – 27th October 2005. Pastor Benjamin a member of the society informed us, "The permission had been given and all the necessary paper work was done, but the RSS knowing that a Christian meeting was taking place issued a call for one of its own meeting just a week or two before this event in the same town."

"They then went on to bring many volunteers from different places and tried to disrupt the meeting by pleading to authorities to cancel the event as they were alleging conversions." Pastor Benjamin said.

When we spoke to the Superintendent of Police Mr. Sanjeev Kumar Narjari, he confirmed the information saying that the RSS and its affiliates had alleged 'forcible conversions' in the meeting and had asked the government to intervene and stop the meeting.

"At the behest of the RSS and its affiliates, the government authorities had demanded, in writing from the Christian leaders that no 'forcible conversions' would take place in the meetings and that the Christian leaders had given this to the authorities in writing." Mr. Narjari further informed us. He also told us that "the police would be videotaping the whole meeting to make sure that the people are not influenced in the 'wrong way' so that they may be converted by the Christians."

But in spite of all this the RSS and its affiliates were not satisfied. They started targeting the participants coming for the meetings. According to information received they placed their activists on all approach roads to the venue and whenever participants for the meeting came the Hindutva activists would beat them up and send them back. Within 24 hours nearly 50 incidents of violence against Christians have been reported from Banswara and reports are still trickling in.

This affected the participation in the meetings and only 3500 people could arrive the first day which was very less than anticipated according to the organizers. "The RSS people are everywhere, blocking roads, staging protests and beating up our people. Many teams coming from distant areas have been beaten up and forced to turn back. Our only contact with the teams coming now is through phones as the RSS is inflicting heavy violence." Pastor Benjamin told us.

He further added, "The RSS is checking baggage of all persons arriving in Sagwa (venue of the meetings) forcibly. If a Bible is found in their baggage they are beaten up and sent back. A team from Dahod (Gujarat) was coming to attend the meeting but the conductor of the State Transport bus, in which they were traveling, informed the RSS about the group. They were then dragged out of the bus and beaten up and sent back forcibly. The police are present at each place where our people are being beaten up, but they do nothing to stop the RSS people. Even if we plead with them, they ignore us"

When we spoke about this situation to the SP, Mr. Nirjari, he acknowledged the violence against Christians after much hesitation, but maintained that these were small incidents and that the police was able to handle these.

But the ground reality is far removed from this. After the beating many participants tried to contact the nearest police station to register their complaints but they were all turned away. The situation as one Committee member of the Tribal Christian Welfare Society says "is quite hopeless. We are safe in the venue for security arrangements are good here. But the RSS had a different game plan. Since the police had to protect us at the venue they gave the RSS a free hand on the approach roads to the venue. The aim of all of this is to spell trouble for Christians, one way or the other."

As the RSS was busy beating up the participants in Sagwa Village, else where in the Kushalgarh Subdivision also in Banswara District, five Catholic nuns were attacked and beaten up. They were attacked by VHP workers while they were waiting to board a bus for Udaipur.

A young person from a Hindutva run institution spotted the Nuns waiting at the bus stop. He soon left and arrived with a dozen more youths who were all carrying lathis (bamboo poles). By this time the Nuns had boarded their bus, but the young Hindutva brigade dragged them out of the bus and beat them severely. The most severely beaten up was Sister Rosario, 68 years old. The attackers fled when the passengers agitatedly objected to the nuns being beaten up. The Collector of area Gayatri Rathore said that 'the attacks were seemingly provoked by a notion that Christian groups were holding programmes to convert Adivasis (Tribals).' "Various Christian groups have now given it in writing that conversions are not on their agenda." she added.

Banswara District in Rajasthan has always been a place of turmoil for the Christians. Whether it be declarations by the VHP's General Secretary Mr. Giriraj Kishore of "declaring Banswara Christian free in three years time" on April 27th 1997 as recorded by the newspaper Asian Age; or incidents of physical violence against Christians where in Christian worshippers were forced to bow down and worship Hindu Idols (as recorded by the PUCL, India), life has never been easy for the Christian community there.

A new chapter of violence is being written now as this report is being drafted. It all started on October 16th 2005 as the Sangh Parivar organizations namely the VHP and the Bajrang Dal objected to a program organized by the Catholic Church in Rajasthan to mark the end of the Eucharist year celebrations, saying that the program was meant instead for Conversion purposes.

The Hindutva activists once again blocked the roads leading to the venue and beat up the participants who were on their way to attend the program. Even the Catholic Bishop of the Udaipur diocese, Joseph Pathalil was not spared and his vehicle was forcibly stopped and stoned.


Afterword:

27th October 2005: The tribal Christian welfare society was ordered by the administration to cancel its meeting late on the 26th October 2005. This was done as situation was getting worse as far as law and order were concerned.

So even after having all the necessary permissions the Christian community had to cancel their program. According to reports received, the Christians held a brief prayer on the 27th October morning for the victims of the attacks and closed the meeting. The participants are now returning back. The meetings which used to gather crowds to the capacity of 15 – 20 thousands could only manage 5000 this time, because of the successful implementation of the RSS strategy that could rightly be called aided by the police and the administration.

Christians attacked, Panic in Banswara, Rajasthan

JAIPUR: A series of attacks on Christians, allegedly by Sangh Parivar activists, in Banswara district of Rajasthan during the past fortnight has created panic among the minorities there. Among those targeted are the Catholic Bishop of the Udaipur diocese, Joseph Pathalil, whose vehicle was stoned, and three nuns aged above 60, who were beaten up on Tuesday.

It is reported tension prevails in the area though Collector Gayatri Rathore claims that the situation is under control. "We have deployed 200 police personnel. All senior police officials of the localities concerned are camping there," Ms. Rathore told this correspondent on the phone from Banswara on Wednesday. "All Christians in the district are safe."

She said the attacks were seemingly provoked by a notion that Christian groups were holding programmes to convert Adivasis. "Various Christian groups have now given it in writing that conversions are not on their agenda."

In Tuesday's attack, youth from an "ashram" run by the Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad beat up the three nuns with lathis at Bhandaria in Kushalgarh tehsil. The nuns were then at a bus stop at 5 a.m. Sr. Rosaria (68) said a motorcycle-borne youth, who spotted them, rushed to the nearby hostel and brought lathi-wielding inmates.

Trouble started around October 16, as the Catholics announced a programme to mark the end of the Eucharistic year celebrations. The Sangh Parivar organisations objected, alleging that the programme was meant for conversions.

As the church authorities went ahead, the activists reportedly blocked the roads to the venue. They forcibly stopped the vehicle in which Bishop Pathalil was travelling from Udaipur. On his return, his vehicle was stoned. Bishop Pathalil has identified RSS leaders Moti Lal Patel and Rakesh Damor as having led the mob.

Christian Meeting Threatened in Kota, Rajasthan

Hopegivers Meetings to Be Held Despite Threats

By: John M. Lindner
Special to ASSIST News Service

KOTA, INDIA (ANS) - The fall conventions of Hopegivers in India are going ahead, despite threats by militant Hindus, and local authorities have promised extra security as delegates begin arriving here today.

Sunday, about 250 militant youths massed to oppose the annual pastor's gathering in Kota, a city in the north-Indian state of Rajasthan.

Founder and director Bishop M.A. Thomas told ANS, "These militants have already sent a letter to the city commissioner and local police saying that if the government does not stop our conference, they will."

Bishop Thomas said Rajasthan newspapers on Monday reported the militants were planning a big gathering outside the Hopegivers conference grounds in nearby Raipura, and they would stop every car attempting to enter.

"Today the city official called and asked us to stop the pastors' conference or postpone it," Bishop Thomas said on Monday, "but we told them that is not possible."

Dr. Thomas Samuel, President of Hopegivers International, met with police on Tuesday asking for extra riot police to be detailed to the railway station, intersections and approaches to the conference grounds.

Every fall Hopegivers convenes several meetings for the local church leadership in different parts of India. These meetings always include a major gathering in Kota, where Bishop Thomas founded the ministry in 1960.

Kota has always been a hotbed of anti-Christian terrorism, and militant Hindus tried to halt the graduation of 6,300 Bible school students there last February. Trains and buses were boarded, students from satellite Bible schools coming for graduation were beaten, and hundreds were turned away in the presence of local authorities and police before federal authorities came and quelled the violence.Bishop Thomas' son, Dr. Samuel Thomas, also met opposition as he took two American visitors to a Hopegivers' school in Alwar on Monday. Alwar is where U.M. Dorai Raj became Hopegivers' first martyr in 1966. Being apprised of an imminent attack, Dr. Thomas notified the police chief, who sent 200 officers to the school. Dr. Thomas and his visitors were escorted in and out of the city without incident.

Bishop Thomas said the leadership convention will continue as scheduled October 27-30, and that families of American visitors should not worry. "Every precaution is being taken in lieu of these terrorist threats, evening meetings have been cancelled out of deference for safety, and we are expecting strong police protection."

Hopegivers has planted over 11,000 churches throughout India and maintains international offices in Columbus, Georgia.

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Why Can't Christians Adopt in India?

Supreme Court urges government to address void in adoption laws.

NEW DELHI, October 21 (Compass) - Article 14 of the India Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to equality before the law, but only Hindus can legally adopt in India. Christians and other religious minorities can only become guardians.

India's Supreme Court on September 26 issued a notice to the federal government asking it to respond to the absence of laws enabling religious minorities to legally adopt children.

The notice came in response to a petition by a social activist seeking a special law enabling people of all religious communities to adopt legally. The petitioner argued that the absence of such a law is one of the reasons why the average number of adoptions in India is low, reported the Hindustan Times on September 27.

According to estimates, India has more than 12 million orphaned and 44 million destitute children. Barely 5,000 are adopted each year.

The law that governs adoption in India is the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act of 1956, which allows only Hindus to adopt. Christians can become guardians under the Guardians and Wards Act (GAWA) of 1890. GAWA, however, does not give the child the status of the family’s biological children, and guardianship may be revoked in certain situations. Moreover, there is no legal relationship once the child reaches age 18 years.

A law passed in 2000, the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act (JJA) of 2000, allows Christians and other religious minorities to adopt, but confusion about the role of adoptive agencies has stalled implementation.

"My client could not adopt under JJA because Justice C.K. Mahajan of the Delhi High Court ruled that the members of the Delhi Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), constituted under the JJA, have not been empowered to deal with adoption matters," attorney Jagdeep Kishore told Compass.

Section 41 (3) of the JJA states that the JJB "shall be empowered to give children in adoption," implying that the state government must empower the adoption body and the JJB's adoptive powers are not automatic, Kishor explained. "In fact, no state government has notified the empowerment of its JJB," he said.

Aloma Lobo, chairperson of the Central Adoption Resource Agency, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment set up to deal with matters concerning adoptions, concurred. "No child has been given in adoption under JJA so far, because the adoption process has not yet been initiated anywhere."

"It is unfair that my husband and I cannot give our adopted child the same rights as we could give to a biological child, just because we are Christians," said one of Kishor's clients, who took a child into her family under GAWA in Delhi this year. "It is frustrating we could not become adoptive parents under JJA despite waiting for one long year. At last, we had to take the child under GAWA."

Neglecting Orphans

Dr. John Dayal, secretary general of the All India Christian Council, said the government's reluctance to protect minority communities' adoption rights amounts to abdication of responsibility towards orphans and the destitute.

"Why should a secular country have communal adoption laws?" he asked. "Article 39 of the constitution states, 'The State shall direct its policies towards securing that childhood and youth are protected against exploitation and moral abandonment.' Given that, why should the state not ensure this protection to Muslim, Christian, Parsi and Jewish children?"

The right to adopt is an enabling provision, not a coercive one, Dayal said. "No one should have any problems with it, as there's no compulsion to adopt. But for those who want to do so, irrespective of community or gender, the option should be provided under a universal adoption law."

Christians have long been lobbying for the recognition of their adoption rights.

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), the National Council of Churches in India, and the Evangelical Fellowship of India - under the banner of "United Christian Forum" - held several meetings with concerned ministers in 2004 to urge the government to enact a law enabling Christians to adopt.

"In a democratic country like India, laws should be framed keeping in mind the welfare of all sections of the society," Dr. Babu Joseph, spokesperson of the CBCI, told Compass. "Even if the minority communities would want to follow their own adoption procedures, it should be permitted in so far as such practices are not contrary to the existing laws and welfare of the adopted persons."

Christian and Muslim minorities in India have personal laws for matters related to marriage and succession according to their respective religious beliefs and practices.

Although there is no codified law enabling Christians to adopt, case laws in the states of Kerala, Maharashtra and Goa allow Christians who have taken a child in guardianship under GAWA to petition the courts for the adoption of the child.

Justice D. Sreedevi of the Kerala High Court ruled in 1999 that even in the absence of any specific law recognizing adoption by Christians, an adoption made by a Christian couple is valid, and the child adopted is entitled to inherit the assets of the couple.

Similarly, Justice F.I. Rebello held in the same year that since there was nothing in Christians’ religion that forbade adoption, then they could adopt.

Although Indian Christians cannot adopt legally, Christians from outside India can take Indian children under GAWA, and convert their guardianship into adoption under the laws of their respective countries.

Source: Compass Direct

Parivar now plans a Kumbh in Rajasthan on Dec 6 to Counter Christians

Saturday October 22 2005

BANSWARA: The Sangh Parivar is quietly planning to take its Ram Temple offensive to the remote tribal areas of Rajasthan. The RSS-VHP combine will organise a huge `Hindu Kumbh' here on December 6, the day Babri Masjid was demolished.

Thousands of tribals from Banswara and adjoining Dungarpur are expected to attend the Kumbh, where Sarsanghkaryavaah Mohan Bhagwat will be the chief guest. ``We are expecting more than 50,000 people from these two districts alone to come for the gathering,'' said VHP Banswara head Ram Swaroop, who is in charge of the event.

Activists have begun fanning out in the area to spread the word. ``There will be no formal invitation for the Kumbh,'' Swaroop said. The day-long inaugural Kumbh, whose mainstay would be a show of strength in the local stadium, would be followed by bhajan sandhyas in local temples.

The Parivar, as reported first in this website's newspaper, is organising another Kumbh in the Dangs, Gujarat, where too it is involved in a battle with Christian missionaries to win over the tribals.

The twin-districts of Banswara-Dungarpur in south Rajasthan have a high density of tribal population and is the new battleground for the Hindutva brigade and the missionaries. The Kumbh here is seen as the Parivar's response to a three-day Christian gathering in the last week of October in Sagwa village of Banswara. Thousands of people are expected to attend this event, where preachers from across the country are scheduled to speak. The local VHP chief said their strategy had indeed been prompted by the missionaries in the area.

``The Christian missionaries are embedded deep in the villages of this area. Our effort is to check the conversions,'' he said.

``We do not believe in direct confrontation with them. Our strategy would be to interact with the tribals in the interiors and erase the influence of missionaries on them,'' he said. Sources, however, said its activists have begun protesting against the Christian gathering and are putting pressure on the administration not to allow it, alleging mass conversions.

Since the missionaries and the Sangh Parivar have a history of skirmishes in the area, the district administration is keeping a close watch on the developments. According to sources in the local administration, the missionaries too have been pumping in more resources and manpower in the Bhil-dominated villages over the past few months.

To counter the missionaries, the Bharatiya Jan Seva Sansthan, a Parivar affiliate, has opened 500 primary schools in the tribal belt. This October, the VHP would also organize Shishu Samagam, a special event for schoolchildren at 38 villages in the area.

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Church Convention Attacked in Chattisgarh, India

Hindu extremists accuse Christians of kidnapping tribal people for conversion.

NEW DELHI, October 18 (Compass) - Hindu extremists stormed the annual convention of a church in Raipur on Saturday, October 15, alleging that organizers had kidnapped tribal people for conversion. Returning the next day, they manhandled Christians and shouted anti-Christian slogans.

The attackers belong to the Dharam Sena (Army of Religion), an offshoot of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP or World Hindu Council) formed by Dileep Singh Judeo, a local leader of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The Dharam Sena had earlier attacked two other churches in Raipur, the capital of Chattisgarh state, on September 11.

The October 15-16 attacks took place during the last two days of the "Gospel and Revival Convention" of the Church of God in Raipur’s Raja Talab area. About 150 people were attending the convention, held from October 11 to 16.

The Church of God has been organizing its annual convention for the last 47 years. The church was established in 1948.

"A group of extremists from the Dharam Sena broke into the hall at about 1:30 p.m. on October 15 when prayers were being offered for the sick," said Arun Pannalal, an eye witness and a local Christian leader belonging to the Church of North India. "As soon as they entered, they accused the organizers of kidnapping tribal people to forcibly convert them to Christianity."

Tribal people are India's original and most impoverished inhabitants.

"As soon as the police arrived on the scene, the miscreants pointed towards three women on the stage alleging that they were kidnapped by the Christians for conversion," said Pannalal. When the organizers asked the police to register their complaint, they replied that the complaint would be registered only after the three women were interrogated.

Police took the three women to the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) for their statements. "The SDM videotaped the interrogation of the three women," he said, "but the women clearly denied that they were under duress or that they were lured by the organizers."

Attackers Return

Nevertheless, on Sunday about 70 extremists returned to the convention at about 11 a.m. and again shouted anti-Christian slogans at the gate of the church, Pannalal said, charging that two more persons were kidnapped by the Christians for conversion.

"They also beat up an unidentified man who fled from there – we don't even know if he was a Christian," he said. "They also slapped and manhandled several Christians using abusive language, but no one has been hurt."

Seeing that the extremists were not listening to the police, the SDM ordered them not to gather at the church. "However, instead of arresting the miscreants, the police asked them to sit in a bus and took them to Moti Bagh, a place the district administration has designated for demonstrations and protests," said Pannalal.

The police had not filed charges against the extremists at press time.

Kaviraj Lal, a local member of the Christian Legal Association of India, said state home minister Ram Vichar Netam told media that no charges will be filed before police investigate.

"It is unfortunate that, although the local newspapers have carried the story about the disruption of a peaceful Christian meeting and manhandling of Christians on their front pages, the administration has not even registered a formal complaint yet," Lal said.

The Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI (M), denounced the attack on the church, accusing the ruling BJP of causing division through its affiliates, reported Hari Bhoomi, a local daily in Hindi, on October 18.

The CPI (M) also said that Christians and other religious minorities in Chattisgarh were not safe under BJP rule, while the religious extremists were gaining ground.

Christians in Raipur organized a rally in September to protest increased attacks on churches in the state. The rally came in the wake of the September 11 attacks on two churches in Raipur in which extremists destroyed property and struck worshipers (See Compass Direct, "Christians Protest Church Attacks in Chattisgarh, India," September 20).

A delegation of local Christians has submitted a memorandum of protest to the state home minister, who gave assurances that he would promptly look into the complaints of Christians.

Pastors beaten badly by Hindu Extremists in Delhi

Delhi, October 14: A group of 10 Hindu extremist attacked a prayer meeting which was going on at a community hall located at Dayal Pur, Karaval Nagar Road, Delhi.

A group of 10 people entered the community hall at 5:00 pm and started beating Pastor K Y Babu of Indian Pentecostal Church, Pastor Victor Masih of Compassion for India, Pastor Justine and Pastor Robin Masih. The main speaker Ps. K. Y. Babu was injured badly during the attack. He rushed to hospital where he got stitches on his head. Hindu miscreants also broke PA system; drum set which they were playing for the worship and other equipments. The meeting was started at 2:00 pm.

When believers went to the local police station to lodge a FIR, they met a local BJP MLA Mr. Mohan Singh along with a group of 150 people out side the police station. They threatened them to kill them if they continue to conduct prayer meetings at this locality. However, they managed to lodge a FIR at the local police station.

The meeting was organised by a Pastor Robin Masih. 2000 believers were present at the prayer meeting when the incident took place.

3,500 Christians embrace Hinduism in Etah

Monday, 03 October, 2005, 09:20

Etah: As many as 3,500 Christians from 81 villages adopted Hinduism in Etah on Sunday.

After a 'yagna', the converts had food together and vowed to serve the Hindu community at a programme organised by the Dharm Jagran Samiti.

Yogi Aditya Nath, MP, who was also present at the function, said those who have converted to Hinduism should be given proper regard by the society.

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Christians beaten up in Police Lockup in Maloud, Punjab

Maloud, District Mukhtsar, Punjab,

According to reports received around 40 - 50 Christians were praying in a Christian home on the 25th September 2005. The meeting was a late evening meeting and started at about 9:00 pm.

At about 10:30 when the meeting was almost over, members of the Bajrang Dal accompanied by a mob stormed the venue. The mob led by Lekhraj Batla, president of the Bajrang Dal, Maloud, abused and threatened Christians and even beat some of them.

The Christians quickly called the police for their protection but as soon as the police reached the spot it was evident they were already inclined to the cause of the Bajrang Dal.

4 Christians Gurdev Singh, Balkaran Singh, Jaswant Singh and Amar Singh who is a pastor were taken into custody. The police said that they had been taken into custody for their own safety as the mob was very violent. They were then taken to the police station for investigation.

On reaching the police station however the Christians found themselves behind the bars. Hukum Chand Sharma, the Assistant Sub Inspector of the Maloud Police station, was drunk and started beating the Christians mercilessly. In the course of the beating, Gurdev Singh and Amar Singh received grave injuries.

Not satisfied with this Hukum Chand Sharma sent police force to arrest Pastor Swarnjit Singh of Maloud who was also present in the prayer meeting. Pastor Swaranjit Singh had just left his home to visit a few believers to pray for the people in jail and hence was unavailable. The police then arrested Pastor Sukhdev Singh, a guest at the house of Pastor Swaranjit. Sukhdev Singh had attended the meeting too.

They took Pastor Sukhdev and Hukum Chand Sharma beat him as well in the lockup. Pastor Sukhdev is aged nearing sixty years and he sustained grievous wounds.

Pastor Swaranjit told us, "The police was hand in glove with the Bajrang Dal even before they attacked our meeting. They only pretended taking Christians to the police station for investigation. The real motive was beating them up."

"Hukum Chand Sharma was fully drunk and he would hit the Christians again and again, saying to them the entire time, 'Call you Jesus now and let me see how he saves you from the wrath of Hukum Chand Sharma." Pastor Swaranjit reported.

The Christians were kept in custody till next evening i.e. the 26th September 2005 and then let off. According to the Indian law a person cannot be detained in police custody for more than 24 hours and has a right to know the offence alleged to have been committed by him. ASI Sharma took advantage of this and beat them up to his heart’s content and released them before 24 hours.

"The pastors and the three others were in a bad shape when the police let them off next evening. They were not even treated for the wounds that they had received and so we had to admit them in the hospital straight away." Pastor Swaranjit said.

Two persons Gurdev Singh and the elderly Sukhdev Singh continue to be in the hospital with serious injuries. Till three days after the incident, the police had not taken them for a medical check up. It was only at the third day that an X- ray for both was taken. At the time of writing this report the results of the X- ray are still awaited.

When Christian leaders of Maloud reported this to the SSP (Senior Superintendent of Police), he at first did not pay any heed to the matter. But after being confronted by the facts given by the Christian delegation, he asked for 2 days for an investigation to be conducted in the matter. The report of the investigation is still awaited.

Assaulted Christians Pressured in Maharashtra, India

Radical Hindus beat Christian visitor to village, demand that others renounce faith.

NEW DELHI, September 29 (Compass) – Radical Hindus of Jamanya village, in Maharashtra state's Jalgaon district, remain hostile to Christian families who were attacked on May 16 - threatening to beat them if they refuse to renounce their faith, detaining and beating a Christian visitor, and attacking the house of another believer.

Pastor Sarichand Chauhan, area coordinator of the Indian Evangelical Team (IET), told Compass that Gulab Barela, the village head of Jamanya, asked all believers to come for a "conflict resolution" meeting from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on September 25. About 20 believers showed up at the meeting.

"Initially, the believers were asked to renounce their faith in Christianity," Chauhan said. "But when they strongly refused to do so, the leaders of the village asked them at least not to allow any Christian from outside to enter their village."

The believers, however, did not agree to the ban on Christians from outside the village either. They said that they needed Christian teachers to come and teach them about their Scripture, he added.

"Finally," Chauhan said, "the leaders left the meeting, saying that if Christians from outside the village were beaten up, they [the leaders] would not be responsible."

The meeting was allegedly led by a local strongman known only as Mangilal, of Talalvi village in the Malkhera area. Also presiding over the meeting was the sub-head of Jamanya, Pratap Deeta Barela, and officials from nearby villages.

Afraid to Go Home

On September 23, Neta Gyansingh, a 25-year-old Christian from the neighboring Sirval village who was also one of the victims in the May 16 attack, was detained and beaten by radical Hindus.

"When I went to Jamanya village to visit a believer's family at 6 p.m., a few villagers came to me and forcibly took me to the Panchayat [community] room," Gyansingh said. "They handcuffed me for five minutes and then made me sit on a cot. Later, they punched me in my face, chest and back, and hit me with sticks on my hands before locking me up in the room."

At 3 p.m. the following day, Hindu extremist Kuchriya Patel and another Jamanya resident came and took Gyansingh to his village, Sirval. They presented him before Pandya Patel, the village head. "Before Patel, the two warned me that I should never visit Jamanya again or they would chop off my hands and legs," Gyansingh said.

A day before the September 23 incident, the house of a local Christian, Saimal Mohan Singh Barela, had been attacked by three men allegedly sent by Hindu extremists.

"On September 22, three men armed with sharp weapons came to the house of Barela to attack him," said Chauhan. "But, fortunately, Barela had fled away with his family as he had learned about the intended attack."

The three men, however, broke the lock and entered the house, he said. They ransacked Barela's kitchen and destroyed two stoves made of bricks and soil.

"Barela has not yet returned to his house and is living in his relative's house with his wife and children for fear of his life," Chauhan added.

When Compass spoke to S.P. Naik, police inspector of Jamanya village, he initially said the situation was peaceful. "The situation is normal; my policemen go to the village every night on patrol," he said.

When told about the three recent incidents, however, he said, "I will go to the village personally and see the situation."

Referring to the September 23 attack on Gyansingh, Naik said, "The attackers were drunk, and it was not because of the religion of the victim. They had some personal enmity."

He added, "I will arrange a meeting between the Hindus and Christians in the village to sort out the problems."

Radical Hindu villagers had attacked 11 Christian families, sexually molesting the women, in Jamanya village on May 16, when they refused to give up their faith. These families were later ostracized by their fellow Hindu villagers. (See Compass Direct, "Christian Families Attacked in Maharashtra, India," May 20. See also "Christians in India Accuse Hindu Villagers of Sexual Assault," June 21.)

Christians Beaten in Madhya Pradesh, India, in Incident with Idol

Extremist Hindu group interrogates and threatens villagers, assisted by police.
by Vijayesh Lal

NEW DELHI, September 27 (Compass) – Hindu extremists on September 22 attacked and threatened several Christians in the Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh state, accusing them of desecrating a Hindu idol.

One Christian was admitted to hospital with grave injuries following the incident, while another was detained at the Kalyanpura police station for over 32 hours.

An extremist Hindu group, the Vanavasi Kalyan Parishad (VKP), had been carrying out a Shiva idol installation drive in the Jhabua area to reinforce the status of Hinduism. One of these idols was placed next to Prakash Ninama’s field in the village of Hira Khadan.

According to Compass sources, Ninama was working in his field when a bull strayed onto his property. He threw a stone in order to drive it away – but because he was drunk, he missed the animal and hit the Hindu idol of Nandi (Shiva's Bullock) at the edge of his field. The impact broke one of the idol’s horns.

Ninama is a Hindu, although he had attended Christian worship services from time to time.

He apologized for his mistake, but the VKP took issue over it, citing his "Christian" past. The police arrived and interrogated several Christians – who were then beaten mercilessly by the VKP activists.

One of those beaten was Hawa Ninama, who was also working in his field when several policemen approached him and said the chief inspector wanted to talk with him. When he reached the roadside, VKP activists were waiting along with the police inspector.

When Hawa Ninama denied breaking the idol, the VKP activists struck him and verbally insulted him. The police inspector then motioned for him to get into the police jeep. He was taken to the police station where he was beaten again, this time by the police.

Later that day, Hawa Ninama was taken to hospital with serious injuries. He was put on an intravenous drip and was left in a corridor for two days, until fellow Christians arrived and helped him to secure a room.

When Compass spoke with the victim at the hospital, he said members of the VKP had repeatedly asked the police to beat him, saying, “If you don’t beat him, we’ll have to do it.” He also claimed that about 150 VKP members had descended on the village with the police, interrogating and threatening Christians following the damage done to the Shiva idol.

The inspector in charge of the Kalyanpura police station initially denied any knowledge of the incident. When Compass supplied evidence, however, he admitted that the VKP had politicized the issue and that the Christian community was not at fault.

By this time, Prakash Ninama been held at the police station for over 32 hours. The law requires the accused to be placed before a magistrate within 24 hours or released. When confronted with this fact, Kalyanpura police replied that Ninama had been presented to a magistrate on September 23 and was already in Jhabua district jail.

Officials said Prakash Ninama had been charged under the Indian Penal Code, Section 295, for defiling an object of worship. Offenses under Section 295 are non-bailable, meaning that bail cannot be secured for Ninama while the case is pending.

Christian leaders in the area said the incident had divided the tribal community along religious lines. On September 24, six VKP members threatened Christians who were holding a prayer meeting in Jhabua district. The extremist group told believers to stop meeting together or face dire consequences. The attackers allegedly extended the threat to all other churches in the district.

Several attacks against Christians have occurred in Jhabua district since 1997. Tensions were further highlighted following the release of the controversial Narendra Prasad Committee report in May. (See Compass Direct, "Indian State To Tighten Control on Conversions," July 26.)

Prasad's report claimed the Christian population in Madhya Pradesh had grown by 80 percent from 1991 to 2000. Prasad blamed Christian missionaries and government laxity for the "huge" numbers of conversions.

The Madhya Pradesh government is revising the Dharma Swatantraya Adhiniyam (Freedom of Religion) Act of 1968, in an attempt to stem conversions in the state.

Christians account for just 170,381 of 60.3 million residents in Madhya Pradesh, according to 2001 census figures.

Hindu Mob Again Attacks GEMS Compound in Bihar, India

Newlywed man's spine injured; three other Christians admitted to hospital.

NEW DELHI, September 26 (Compass) – Hindu extremists returned to the Gospel Echoing Missionary Society (GEMS) compound in Rohtas district, Bihar state on Sunday, September 25. As in a previous attack on August 31, they severely injured several Christians.

This time, one man received a spinal injury that left him partially paralyzed.

"About 16 people came from the nearby villages of Shankarpur and Bhedibigha at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday and broke open the gate of the compound," a representative of GEMS told Compass. "They pulled out some of the GEMS staff [from the compound] ... and brutally beat them. They also robbed them of their belongings before throwing them into the fields."

The mob hit a Christian doctor, Ambrose Christopher, around the head and hands, breaking one of his fingers. They took another man, Stephen Shankar, to nearby Bhedibigha village and brutally beat him before throwing him into a field. His motorcycle and other belongings were also destroyed.

Still another man was left with a serious nosebleed after being punched in the face.

The most serious injuries, however, were sustained by Kirupakaran Shankar, recently married.The extremists injured his spinal cord, resulting in the loss of movement in one leg.

At press time, all four men were receiving treatment at the mission hospital inside the GEMS compound.

GEMS, the largest indigenous Christian missionary agency in Bihar, is based in Sikaria village, Rohtas district, about 200 kilometers (124 miles) away from the state capital, Patna.

Around 100 families – and a total of 900 children – live at the compound, which contains a school, student hostel, orphanage, hospital and other social service facilities.

A mob that swelled to around 800 people had previously attacked GEMS on August 31, injuring at least 12 Christian residents and holding the compound under siege for three days. (See Compass Direct, "Hindu Extremists Surround Christian Compound in Bihar, India," September 8.)

In yesterday's attack, 16 men and women – including some who had participated in the August attack – forced the GEMS watchman to give them access to the compound on Sunday night, claiming they wanted to carry out a Hindu religious ritual at a river on the opposite side of the compound.

"When they turned back from the river, they found the gate was locked. It is normally locked at about 6 p.m. every day for security reasons," Pastor E. C. Johnson, regional coordinator of GEMS, told Compass. "Then they broke open the gate and launched an attack on the Christians."

This morning about 250 people protested outside the GEMS compound, blocking the traffic on the main road and puncturing the tires of the GEMS school buses, he said. "They also attacked a vehicle belonging to a police official."

The mob later damaged two other police vehicles, including a riot control vehicle, and broke a policeman's jaw.

GEMS has submitted a letter containing the names of the 16 attackers to the superintendent of police in Rohtas district. Policemen were called to the compound earlier today to record an official complaint.

District Magistrate Vivek Kumar Singh and Police Superintendent Batchu Singh Meena were not available for comment.

Bihar state is under federal rule, with state assembly elections scheduled from October 18 to November 19.

Two coalitions will contest the vote – the United Progressive Alliance, led by the Congress Party, and the National Democratic Alliance led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.

Election results will be announced on November 22.

Christians attacked in Jhabua again

Christians attacked and beaten up: Charged with hurting religious sentiments of Hindus.

Victims of the Shiv Idol Installation Drive

By Vijayesh Lal

22nd September 2005: Christians were beaten up and threatened in Loharia, Hira Khadan Village in Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh following allegations of hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus and desecrating their idol. At the time of writing of this report, one man was admitted in the hospital with grave injuries while another is detained in the Kalyanpura police station for more than 32 hours.

According to reports received, Prakash Ninama, a Hindu by birth who also attended Christian worship in the past, was working in his field when a stray bull trespassed his boundary. He threw a stone at the animal in order to drive it away but because Prakash Ninama was drunk, he missed his aim and his stone ended up at the Hindu idol of Nandi (Shiva's Bullock), breaking one of the idol bullock's horn.

The Vanavasi Kalyan Parishad has been carrying out a Shiva idol installation drive in the Jhabua area, in order to Hinduise the tribal population in the region and in the course of this many Shiva idols had been installed in the Village Hira Khadan too. One of these idols was placed right next to the field of Prakash Ninama and this was the idol that he hit by mistake.

Even though Prakash Ninama apologized for his mistake, the Vanavasi Kalyan Parishad made a communal issue out of it, citing his Christian past. Soon the police was brought in from the Kalyanpura Police station and Christians were interrogated by the police and activists of VKP.

According to reports received many Christians were also beaten up mercilessly. Hawa Ninama is one such innocent man.

He was working in his field when police constables came and summoned him, saying that the police inspector was calling him. As soon as he reached the spot, he found activists of the VKP waiting along with the police inspector of the area. They questioned him about the stoning incident.

When Hawa Ninama denied knowledge of it, they started beating him and hurling abuses. The police inspector motioned for him to get into the police jeep which he did and was taken to the police station where he was beaten again, this time by the police. He is hospitalized now, with grievous wounds.

For two days he was lying outside the hospital with drips being given to him, but no room or a bed was assigned to him, till some Christian leaders turned up at the spot and helped him secure a room.

When we spoke to Hawa Ninama he told us that the VKP activists kept pressurizing the police to beat him, saying, "If you do not beat him, we will have to do it." He informed us that about 150 activists of the VKP and its affiliates had descended in the village in no time in order to interrogate and threaten Christians.

We spoke to the TI (Thana In charge or the Inspector) of the Kalyanpura police station, Mr. Bhuria about the incident and he at first denied any knowledge of the incident. It was only when we supplied him with some information that we knew about the case that he accepted that there was an incident like this.

Mr. Bhuria clearly said that the VKP had communalized the issue and politicized it. He said that the Christian community was not at fault in this and that the incident was a mistake caused by a drunken man. Still the religious sentiments were hurt, he commented.

When we questioned him about Prakash Ninama’s detention in the police station for more than 32 hours, which is illegal for the law provides that the accused be placed before a Magistrate within 24 hours, he denied it and provided us with the information that Prakash Ninama is already in Jhabua jail after being presented to a magistrate yesterday i.e. 23rd September 2005. The Christians in Hira Khadan however deny this, saying that Prakash is still in detention at the Kalyanpura police station.

Mr. Bhuria also denied having any knowledge of attacks against Christians and at first said that he did not know any such incident with a person called Hawa Ninama. It was only later when we pressed him for the facts that he acknowledged that Hawa had been jostled with and that there was no injury. He denied any knowledge of Hawa Ninama being in the hospital, where he is for the past two days and that too in a serious condition.

We were informed by Mr. Bhuraia that Prakash Ninama had been charged under IPC 295, which states, "Whoever destroys, damages or defiles any place of worship, or any object held sacred by any class of persons with the intention of thereby insulting the religion of any class of persons or with the knowledge that any class of persons is likely to consider such destruction, damage or defilement as an insult to their religion, shall be punishable with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both." IPC 295 is a non bailable offense, which means that there can be no bail available for the accused as long as the case against him goes on.

We managed to speak to Christian leaders in the area and one of them reported that the incident has succeeded in communally dividing the tribal community, which is animistic in the first place.

He said that the repercussion for the Christian community is already showing. Today i.e. 24th September 2005, six people belonging to the VKP threatened a Christian prayer meeting with dire consequences if they continued their prayers and worship services in the region. The attackers allegedly issued a threat to all the Christians in the region to stop all Churches and worship services in the region.

Situation is tense in the area and more violence against Christians is expected tomorrow which is a Sunday as many Christians will gather together for worship services despite warnings against it.

Jhabua district has been in focus for the crimes against the minority Christian community since 1997. The region has also been in the news following the controversial Narendra Prasad Committee report which cited census data from 1991 – 2000 and showing that the Christian population in the district had registered an 80 % growth. The report blamed Christian missionaries and government laxity for the huge numbers of conversions besides blaming Christian missionaries for last year’s confrontation between Christians and Hindu Fundamentalist groups opposing conversions in the district of Jhabua. There have been reports that the Madhya Pradesh government is considering strengthening the Dharma Swatantraya Adhiniyam (Freedom of Religion) Act of 1968.

Christians account for just 170,381 of 60.3 million residents in Madhya Pradesh according to the 2001 census.

Preacher arrested in Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh

20th September 2005: Om Prakash Pandey, an evangelist was arrested and detained at Bikapur Police station, Faizabad district, Uttar Pradesh.

He had gone to the village to preach but was arrested and detained by the police following complaints against him by the locals. The police confirmed that some locals had also tried physically harming the evangelist.

The SSP of Faizabad reported that Pandey was arrested under section 151 of the Indian Penal Code, which says, "Whoever knowingly joins or continues in any assembly of five or more persons likely to cause a disturbance of the public peace, after such assembly has been lawfully commanded to disperse, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine, or with both."

Unconfirmed reports say that Pandey has been released on bail on the 21st September morning.

Christian preacher arrested in Indore

19th September 2005: Deda Ram, a Christian preacher was arrested in Indore after Hindu extremists accused him of trespassing and suspicious movement in the Jeet Nagar area of the city.

He was taken to the Bhawankuan police station where he was confined for a couple of hours and later on arrested under section 109 of the IPC (Indian Penal Code). Section 109 of IPC is a bail able offense and states, "Punishment of abetment if the act abetted is committed in consequence, and where no express provision is made for its punishment".

The police reported that one of the residents' of Jeet Nagar had complained about his suspicious movement and did not like him frequenting the house of Bhagwanti Bai, a converted Christian from a Hindu background.

Town Inspector of Indore, Mr. Parihar said "The neighborhood complains about his whereabouts and that he does not reveal his address". He further stated that the two addresses that they have at the SDM (State District Magistrate) office are both incorrect.

Deda Ram is an evangelist from Rajasthan and is new to Indore. He had gone for prayer and tract distribution to Jeet Nagar, which is a sensitive area and his leaders do not dismiss the RSS and VHP activists' involvement in his arrest.

On the 20th evening, Deda Ram was finally granted bail but he had to spend the night in the prison as it was late in the evening for all the formalities to be through. He was supposed to be released on the 21st September morning.

Grace and Jagdish Nayak from the same area of Jeet Nagar are facing much opposition and pressure from the government authorities and Hindu extremists for the last 2 months.

VHP for common civil code in country

Tuesday September 20 2005

MYSORE: All India Secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishat (VHP), Mohan Joshi said on Monday that the VHP would launch a massive campaign against religious conversion across more than two lakh villages.

"Educational institutes and orphanages run by Christian organisations has become big business in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and other states," Joshi alleged.

Addressing the media here, he noted that conversions were against the sovereignty of the country, and Parliament and State Assemblies should soon effect a law to ban it.

Criticising American evangelist Benny Hinn's convention held in Bangalore recently, Joshi said that such events gained momentum after the UPA coalition took charge at the Centre.

More than 4,000 foreign Christian missionaries are involved in conversion activities across different states.

He said that according to a 2001 census, there were about 2.34 Christians in India. They had been given adequate representations as five chief ministers in Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh belonged to the community, he said, ridiculing the demand for more representation.

He came down heavily on Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh for his proposed move declaring 50 per cent reservation for Muslim students in Aligadh University.

The AP Government had also declared 5 per cent reservation for Muslims in education and services.

The UPA coalition is planning to extend such steps throughout the country, and such measures would create more caste divisions, he warned.

He urged the Centre to abolish the minority commission and effect the Common Civil Code law.

No democratic country in the world had ever given special rights to minorities, he added.

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Persecution in Junnardeo, MP, Prayers needed

Note: This is a letter recieved and is being reproduced exactly as it is for prayer.

INCIDENCE OF PERSECUTION IN JUNNARDEO: Urgent Prayers Requested.

The evangelical Christian Ministry of Junnardeo (Chhindwara Dist.) in many senses was pioneered and established by Pr. Jacob George some 10 years back. The circumference of Junnardeo city has very less native Christians. This areais known for its coal mines.

Pr. Jacob George also a Junior leader of IET worked very hard and tirelessly inthe city of Junnardeo and in the remote suburb. He covers a wide range of more than 50 kms for evangelism and establishment of the church of Christ traveling through cycle, trucks, buses and scooter. In the consequence of his efforts a huge church in this city has come into existence as well as many daughter churches.

Three more missionaries are assisting him from some time. Sister Usha Gaidhane and Pr. Vinay Kumar David are helping him for the last 3 years. And recently Pr. Joby Joseph a fresher has also joined him for 2 months. They are sincere workers committed to the gospel ministry.

We need prayer: The ministry over here is going beyond the climax these days. Even the severe persecution is coming from the police officials the ones who are regarded as the protectors of the citizens.

On 31st August 2005 the two brothers, Bro. Vinay and Joby were witnessing at the railway station of Junnardeo in the afternoon. They were making personal communication and distributing the tracts and gospel packets among the public. The people were very receptive. Mean while the Railway Protection Force personnel watched it and blamed the evangelists tat they persuading the people to change their religion. They took them to the police office.

Junnardeo has a very small railway station. Only two up and down trains makethe arrival and departure over here. The time the two brothers were ministering was not a train arrival time. The police just misused their authority against Christianity.

The police harassed and tortured them very badly. They used every kind of vulgar words speaking against Christianity. They imprisoned them in the cell for many hours on the pretext that they are making the investigations. They were so harsh and were not willing to listen to the any requests of the brothers. After many hours of torture they sent them to Bhopal jail. Bhopal is at a distance of overnight journey from Junnardeo. When they were carried away their hands were tied with fetter like the culprits.

After a long time Pr. Jacob George came to know about this incident through some resources. By that time they had been sent to Bhopal. He had to go Bhopal for their acquittal. Even in Bhopal Pr. Jacob George and the two brothers were treated badly.

Both the brothers had been imprisoned in jail without any charge. When Pr. Jacob George tried to contact the senior officer of the jail he was forcibly prohibited. After great efforts, heartrending request and after paying a penalty of Rs. 1200/- they were relieved from the prison. Even the receipt of Rs. 1200/- was not given. When asked they were threatened of a more bigger punishment.

It is very tough to think why such kind of persecutions and harassments arehappening off and on. Perhaps because the whole state is under BJP's rule.

In this regard the earnest request is made to kindly uplift us in prayer.

Pr. Shaji Varghese
Co-coordinatorBhopal Division.

Sangh's new Kumbh to take Hindutva offensive to the Dangs

To tackle threat of conversions, says Sangh; five lakh people expected, activists say it will be threat to environment

MANINI CHATTERJEE

JARSOL (THE DANGS), SEPTEMBER 20

Far away from the national limelight in this interior village in south-east Gujarat, the RSS and its affiliates are making preparations on a mega scale for the holding of 'Shabari Kumbh mela' early next year.

The mela—expected to be attended by around five lakh pilgrims from across the country - is part of the RSS offensive against Christian missionaries and an attempt to establish Hindutva in this adivasi-dominated district, Sangh activists at the site said.

The Dangs had hit the headlines following attacks on churches and missionary schools in December 1998. Since then, no open violence has taken place but the RSS and its affiliate organisations-notably the Hindu Jagran Manch and the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram-have been steadily working to "Hinduise" the Bhils, Konkanis, Varli and other tribes that live in the heavily forested Dangs region.

And just like the Ramjanmabhoomi movement in the 1980s, here too the legend of the Ramayana is being used to invent a new tradition. The RSS outfits have hit upon the figure of Shabari - the adivasi woman who offered 'ber' to Rama and Lakshmana when they were searching for Sita in the forest - to bring the adivasis into the Hindutva fold and counter - efforts at alleged "conversion" by Christian missionaries.

In October 2004, a grand Shabari Mata Mandir was inaugurated atop a hill near a place called Subir, 33 kilometres from the district headquarters of Ahwa. The temple supposedly commemorates the "exact spot" where Rama and Lakshmana met Shabari. Several top BJP and RSS leaders including RSS chief K.S. Sudarshan and Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi have been regular visitors to the temple.

To follow up on the success of the temple, RSS affiliates decided to hold a 'Shabari Kumbh mela' at a little natural pool formed by the Purna river which they claim is the same 'Pampa Sarovar' mentioned in the Ramayana.

The ideological 'guru' of the movement is Swami Asheemananda, a saffron-robed Bengali "saint," who arrived in the Dangs region in 1997. Speaking to The Indian Express outside the Shabari Mata Mandir, Asheemananda made no bones about the aims of the 'Shabari Kumbh Mela.'

"Hindu samaj faces two big challenges - Islamic jehad and Christian conversions. We need to confront both these threats on a global scale," he said. The four traditional kumbh melas (held at Prayag, Hardwar, Nasik and Ujjain) had begun when "Hinduism was under threat". "We thought it was time to start a fifth Kumbh to meet the threat posed by conversions in this region," Asheemananda said.

Proudly taking credit for inspiring the 1998 attacks, Asheemananda, who holds the post of Shraddha Jagran Pramukh of the All India Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram (the RSS affiliate which converts tribals to Hinduism), said over the last seven years, thousands of Christian converts in the region had "returned to the Hindu fold." The Shabari Kumbh Mela, scheduled to be held for the first time from February 11-13 and then every four years, would end missionary activity in the Dangs and establish it as a key pilgrimage centre of India, he maintained.

Activists belonging to the RSS, VHP, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram and other affiliates are working round-the-clock to make that a reality. A camp site has been set up at a clearing in the forest, and a kilometre-long road is being constructed from the camp to the Pampa Sarovar site.

Busloads of Gujarati tourists as well as RSS swayamsevaks have already started coming to Pampa Sarovar. At the camp site, a meeting of 'karyakartas' was being held when the Express team visited the spot. The model of 'nagars' (townships) that will soon be constructed to house the kumbh mela pilgrims is ready. A total of 40 nagars, each housing 5,000 persons, will be constructed. Apart from 'pucca' arrangements for two lakh pilgrims, tents and other facilities will accommodate another couple of lakhs, said local activist Shambhu Chavan.

Swami Asheemananda said while food and shelter would be "provided by us", the government would help in transport, medicine, water and electricity.

While Christian missionaries are keeping silent about the RSS' "peaceful offensive," adivasis in the villages around the temple and mela site as well as local activists are far from happy.

Laxman Bagul, who lives in Kangariyamal village opposite the Shabari Mata Mandir, said the villagers had already suffered because of the temple. The Kumbh Mela would make things much worse. "We are harassed by forest officials even if we cut a single tree. But over 700 trees were cut to build the Shabari temple. And thousands more will be destroyed to build the 'nagars' near the Pampa Sarovar."

Ghulabbhai Pawar of the Dangi Lok Adhikar Sangh said the Kumbh Mela posed a threat not just to the indigenous beliefs and lifestyle of the adivasis but also spelt an ecological disaster. "The entire population of the Dangs is just 1.86 lakhs. The biggest mela we have is the Dangi darbar (when the five traditional Bhil rajas are given government pension every March) which is attended by just around 10,000. A Kumbh mela with lakhs of pilgrims will completely destroy the environment of this region."

The adivasis of the district, activists said, are too poor and ignorant to resist the Hindutva offensive. And though the Dangs is dominated by the Congress - the MP, MLA and majority of sarpanches belong to the party - there is no political movement yet against the long-term implications of the Shabari Kumbh Mela on the culture and ecology of the Dangs.