A fresh round of violence by Hindu militants in the northern Indian state of Orissa has put Christian residents in the grip of fear.
About a dozen members of the militant Hindu movement Bajrang Dal broke into a local church in the city of Deogarh in late November. They ransacked bookshelves in the church and took out hundreds of religious books and burned them, police reported. The Bajrang Dal is known for its role in the murder of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons in 1999.
Two cases have been registered against 12 suspects in connection with the latest attacks, but police have arrested no one. “We are taking steps to nab them,” an official said.
According to police, extremists opposed the recent conversion of four tribal families in Ambulpani village under the ministry of John Nayak, a Protestant preacher. They broke into the church/residence rented by Nayak and ransacked it while he was away.
Protesters later marched to the office of district governor B.P. Mishra but failed to meet him. There, the gang members burned an effigy of Jesus Christ along with a few copies of the Bible and shouted slogans against Christians.
By noon, the mob marched to Deogarh and attacked a small church. Police said the mob assaulted a nun and broke the windowpanes of the church. Later they met another district magistrate and submitted a memorandum protesting the growing number of conversions in the area. However, police officials said Christians had done nothing illegal.
Newspaper offices received handwritten threatening statements if police fail to take action against those who are converting poor tribal members to Christianity, warning that “people may take the law into their own hands.”
The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) protested the latest attacks against Christians in Orissa, calling for measures to protect minorities from attacks by Hindu militants.
Orissa state has a population of 36 million, mostly Hindu. It is ruled by Hindu nationalists who strongly oppose the conversion of Hindus to Christianity or Buddhism. Orissa and the states of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu have laws obliging those who want to change their religion to obtain written permission from the local magistrate. Religious minorities, including Christians, have opposed the laws.
Though India is a secular country that allows citizens the freedom to practice any religion, in recent years violence against Christians in India, who make up about 2 percent of the population, has been on the rise.
So far this year, there have been more than 150 incidents of violence against Christians in India.
By unofficial estimates Hindu militants have murdered at least 16 Christian leaders and human rights activists. (BP)
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