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A HINDU leader has caused outrage by claiming that raping nuns was part of “Christian culture” as protests swelled against a brutal attack on an elderly nun at a convent school — the latest in a series of attacks against Christians in India.
Surendra Jain, general secretary of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), or World Hindu Council, rejected allegations that the attack on the 72-year-old nun in Ranaghat, near Calcutta, on Saturday was motivated by religious hatred, despite evidence that it was.
Instead, Mr Jain attacked the Roman Catholic church for its record on sxual abuse. “It is a Christian culture to exploit nuns. We don’t do such things.”
The school chapel was desecrated during the attack by half a dozen armed men who also looted it and destroyed religious artefacts.
The VHP has 6.8 million members in India and is part of the same family of Hindu nationalist organisations as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of Narendra Modi, the prime minister.
In the past, the VHP and its youth wing have been linked to the murder of Christian missionaries, attacks on churches and mosques, and the “reconversion” of members of Indian minority communities to Hinduism. The VHP maintains that all Indians were originally Hindu.
Continuing his invective against the Catholic Church, Mr Jain said: “The Vatican received 5,000 complaints of sxual exploitation in five years, prompting the Pope to appeal for legalisation of g@y sx.”
Shops and schools in Ranaghat closed for business yesterday in protest at the attack, amid growing anger that police have been slow to solve the attack on the Convent of Jesus and Mary school.
“We have called for the shutdown of businesses and shops in this town to support the nun ... and the immediate arrest of the culprits,” said Samiran Paul, a spokesman for the local business association. “We can’t imagine such inhuman torture on an elderly nun who devoted her life to the service of humanity. It’s a shame to us.”
His remarks came as Mr Modi said he was “deeply concerned” about the r@pe, and the destruction of another church in Haryana, near Delhi.
On Monday night, Christian groups across India held candlelit vigils to protest against the attacks, which most attribute to Hindu extremists.
Joseph Diaz, of the Catholic Secular Forum, said there had been a “huge spike” in the number of attacks on Christians and churches since the election of Mr Modi last May.
“They are clearly targeting the Catholic Church and clergy. This is a natural culmination of the forces which have been bred by this government. Their silence and inaction is seen as a clear signal for these groups to continue.”
The nun was still in hospital yesterday (Tuesday) and medical officials said she was making a good recovery.
Mohammed Salim, an MP from West Bengal, said: “We all feel ashamed, never could this have been imagined, we have never heard of such things. And despite that after 70 hours no arrests have been made.”
About 80 per cent of India’s 1.26 billion people are Hindus while some 15 per cent are Muslims and about 2.5 per cent are Christians.
Mr Modi began his political career with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a militant Hindu organisation. While he played down religious issues during his election campaign, several Hindu groups have viewed his victory as their chance to push their agenda.
The Times
Surendra Jain, general secretary of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), or World Hindu Council, rejected allegations that the attack on the 72-year-old nun in Ranaghat, near Calcutta, on Saturday was motivated by religious hatred, despite evidence that it was.
Instead, Mr Jain attacked the Roman Catholic church for its record on sxual abuse. “It is a Christian culture to exploit nuns. We don’t do such things.”
The school chapel was desecrated during the attack by half a dozen armed men who also looted it and destroyed religious artefacts.
The VHP has 6.8 million members in India and is part of the same family of Hindu nationalist organisations as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of Narendra Modi, the prime minister.
In the past, the VHP and its youth wing have been linked to the murder of Christian missionaries, attacks on churches and mosques, and the “reconversion” of members of Indian minority communities to Hinduism. The VHP maintains that all Indians were originally Hindu.
Continuing his invective against the Catholic Church, Mr Jain said: “The Vatican received 5,000 complaints of sxual exploitation in five years, prompting the Pope to appeal for legalisation of g@y sx.”
Shops and schools in Ranaghat closed for business yesterday in protest at the attack, amid growing anger that police have been slow to solve the attack on the Convent of Jesus and Mary school.
“We have called for the shutdown of businesses and shops in this town to support the nun ... and the immediate arrest of the culprits,” said Samiran Paul, a spokesman for the local business association. “We can’t imagine such inhuman torture on an elderly nun who devoted her life to the service of humanity. It’s a shame to us.”
His remarks came as Mr Modi said he was “deeply concerned” about the r@pe, and the destruction of another church in Haryana, near Delhi.
On Monday night, Christian groups across India held candlelit vigils to protest against the attacks, which most attribute to Hindu extremists.
Joseph Diaz, of the Catholic Secular Forum, said there had been a “huge spike” in the number of attacks on Christians and churches since the election of Mr Modi last May.
“They are clearly targeting the Catholic Church and clergy. This is a natural culmination of the forces which have been bred by this government. Their silence and inaction is seen as a clear signal for these groups to continue.”
The nun was still in hospital yesterday (Tuesday) and medical officials said she was making a good recovery.
Mohammed Salim, an MP from West Bengal, said: “We all feel ashamed, never could this have been imagined, we have never heard of such things. And despite that after 70 hours no arrests have been made.”
About 80 per cent of India’s 1.26 billion people are Hindus while some 15 per cent are Muslims and about 2.5 per cent are Christians.
Mr Modi began his political career with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a militant Hindu organisation. While he played down religious issues during his election campaign, several Hindu groups have viewed his victory as their chance to push their agenda.
The Times
