NEW DELHI — India’s national capital witnessed two incidents of anti-Christian violence at the end of February, including an attack Feb. 28 on a relief organization official by a large mob of Hindu extremists.
In New Delhi’s Kalyanpuri area, a worker from Gospel Mission of India (GMI) was helping unload a truck carrying gift packets for poor children when a crowd of Hindu nationalists led by a councilor from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) approached, charging GMI with conversion by allurement. Peter Banerjee, state coordinator of GMI, said that when he arrived at the police station to answer the charges, the mob there began beating him.
Police managed to protect Banerjee as the crowd swelled to more than 500 and did not file a complaint against any Christians. On Feb. 24, about 30 extremists suspected to be from the Hindu extremist group Bajrang Dal pelted St. Sebastian Church with stones and vandalized vehicles of church members in New Delhi’s Dilshad Garden area. Bajrang Dal leaders denied members of their group took part in the attack.
The BJP is gearing up for legislative elections later this year, and a representative of the Christian Legal Association said the recent attacks might be linked to forthcoming polls.
Share with others: