Violence in East India

[Myth_buster_1]

Newer forms of violece target camps, women

NEW DELHI (ICNS): Christian groups say the two-week long Hindu fanatic violence against Christians continues in Orissa, taking newer forms of attacking relief camps and sexually assaulting women.
Ecumenical Fellowship of India reported a series of incidents including poisoning drinking water, women attacking relief camps, taking away food materials, and publicly molesting Christian women.

Six Christians fell ill after their drinking water was poisoned in the Government Relief Camp at Vijay High School Raikia, Kandhamal on Sept. 3.

Another attempt to poison the drinking water source of the relief camp in Habaq High School at G. Udayagiri, Kandhamal was foiled by an alert security guard on Sept.2.

On Sept 4th a group of nearly 2,500 extremists barged into the Relief Camp at Tikabali Government High School shouted at the Christian refugees and took away supplies meant for Christian refugees, while police were silent spectators to the event.

In another incident over 300 fanatic-incited tribal women attacked a relief camp for the Christian riot victims in Tikabali in Orissa's riot-hit Kandhmal district on Sept. 4 demanding food and employment.

Kandhamal, the epicenter of violence, is boiling endlessly with news pouring in of Christian women being sexually assaulted in brutal display of aggression, the Fellowship said.

The women armed with lathis descended on the relief camp demanding food and relief for non-Christian population, who they say has been starving following the 12-day old curfew in the district.

Some 90 people including women and children from Kandhamal have trekked to Cuttack covering around 200 kilometers, fleeing from the torture at their own villages.

In Penagopri village in Tikabali, Kandhamal, about 35 Christian families were driven out. Even as they were taking refuge in the jungle they were lured back to the village by VHP led goons. Once they came back to the village they were held hostage and been given a chance to reconvert to Hinduism or face death.

Home of Pastor Sikander Singh of Nakeiguda, Bhavani Patna in Kalahandi was ransacked and looted. Even as they were running for their lives, one Hindu from the same village, B. Senapati gave refuge to the family and hid them until their attackers fled.

 

[Myth_buster_1]

World Christian leaders seek peace in Orissa

NEW DELHI (ICNS): International Christian leaders have intervened to ask Indian government to take steps to end violence in the Orissa, where tension continues after a two-week long anti-Christian violence.
The World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) have jointly called on the Prime Minister of India requesting his intervention to end the violence in the state of Orissa.

The WCC also invited its member churches to join a call from Christians in India to hold a Day of Prayer and Fasting for peace and goodwill on Sunday, 7 September.

In a joint letter issued today, the WCC and LWF general secretaries, Samuel Kobia and Ishmael Noko, called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to intervene and "ensure an immediate cessation of violence, the restoration of law and justice, and sanctuary for the displaced" in Orissa.

The Eastern Indian state has seen "indiscriminate killing, burning of church buildings and destruction of institutions" over the last ten days. "We are aware that it is the most vulnerable sections of the population who are worst affected by the violence," the ecumenical leaders say.

Pope benedict XVI and Vatican officials were the first to urge the world leaders and Indian government to work to end violence soon after it began on Aug.24.

Geoff Tunnicliffe, International Director of the World Evangelical Alliance, wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressing concern on the still continuing carnage against the Christian community.

He said for the “last several months, the government of Orissa has allowed some fascist and fundamentalist forces to terrorize the poor, the marginalized and the minorities of the State. These forces have carried on their virulent propaganda and their violent acts with apparent immunity.”

He wanted Singh to ensure that an adequate “compensation is given to those affected by this man-made tragedy” and to take all necessary action to ensure the protection of the religious minorities in India.

Reverend Kobia in a separate pastoral letter expressed the solidarity of the Global Ecumenical Community to the Christians and Churches in the district of Orissa affected by the anti-Christian violence.

 

[Myth_buster_1]

US agency wants India to quell violence in Orissa

NEW DELHI (ICNS): The US agency monitoring religious freedom across the globe says Indian government should “develop preventive strategies” to ensure that religious violence does not repeat in the country.
The statement of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) comes in the wake of continuing anti-Christian violence in Orissa that began Aug. 24.

"The continuing attacks targeting Christians represent the second major outbreak of religious violence in Orissa since December which underlines the pressing need for Indian government to develop preventive strategies," said.

Christian leaders say police and other administrative set up in the state failed to quell the violence that continued for 10 days and killed at least 25 people.

The Hindu fanatic violence also destroyed and burnt down some 40,000 Christian homes, over 50 churches and convents besides severely wounding clergy and sexually assaulting nuns.

"Both state and central governments are responsible to protect every person's right to religious freedom, including members of religious minorities, as guaranteed in international human rights instruments," Commission president Chair Felice D Gaer said in the statement.

"The current conflict shows that the Orissa government has again failed to protect members of religious minorities," said Gaer.

The violence began in Orissa's Kandhamal district following the killing of VHP leader swami Lamananda Saraswati on Aug. 23 night. Fanatics blamed the murder on Christians but a Maoist groups have claimed responsibility.

"The Commission condemns the killing of the Hindu outfit leader and the violence that has followed and supports Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's pledge to offer assistance to survivors of the communal riots," it said
.
In December 2007, religious violence against Christians has destroyed several Churches in the tribal dominated district. But the latest violence was spread across the state.

The statement also urged the US State Department to ask Indian government and its commissions for Human Rights and Minority to continue efforts to book the perpetrators of the violence.

 

[Myth_buster_1]

Radicals target priests’ families in Orissa

BHUBANESWAR (ICNS): Hindu radicals have targeted families of Catholic priests in Orissa in their drive to convert Christians to Hinduism.

Relatives of Church workers have been forced to sign documents declaring they would practice Hinduism, reports from Orissa said.

"I am being targeted because my brother is a priest," lamented Tarunakar Parichha, a Catholic of Padunbadi village in Kandhamal. Attackers demolished the village church there around 2 a.m. on Sept. 3.

Church sources say radicals also forced the father of Father Monoj Nayak to come to their village temple and sign a document promising that he would practice Hinduism.

Father Mrutyunjay Digal's brother and other male relatives were tonsured. Father Digal is secretary to the Cuttack-Bhubaneswar archbishop.

Sources also say relatives of a nun have faced similar harassment.

Hindu mobs began attacking Christians after suspected Maoists killed an 85-year-old Hindu religious leader and his four associates on Aug. 23 in Orissa's Kandhamal district. The Hindu groups allege Christians masterminded the killing.

Between 40,000 and 50,000 people fled to forests as attackers began destroying churches, priests' residences, convents, schools and health-care centers in 13 of the state's 30 districts. The violence has so far claimed at least 25 lives.

Parichcha said the extremists have set one condition for those who wantc to return from forest: they convert to Hinduism or face violence again and flee their native state.

 

[Goodperson]

Orissa similar to Gujarat 2002: Agnivesh

Do you know who is Swami Agnivesh ? A Christian ?

But you should know most powerful person in India is Christian.

 

[dr.umer]

Topic already being discussed here.

Mods can you please merge threads.

 

[dr.umer]

Do you know who is Swami Agnivesh ? A Christian ?

But you should know most powerful person in India is Christian.

Well good for him if this POWERFUL person is still alive. This powerful person was not in Orissa at the time of violence when Hindu fanatics murdered innocent christian women, men & children.

It is a fact now that Indian so called secularism has an ugly face.

 

[EagleEyes]

I have been hearing alot of about Orissa. May god help them against the Indian fanatics.

 

[Spring Onion]

Newer forms of violece target camps, women

NEW DELHI (ICNS): Christian groups say the two-week long Hindu fanatic violence against Christians continues in Orissa, taking newer forms of attacking relief camps and sexually assaulting women.
Ecumenical Fellowship of India reported a series of incidents including poisoning drinking water, women attacking relief camps, taking away food materials, and publicly molesting Christian women.

Six Christians fell ill after their drinking water was poisoned in the Government Relief Camp at Vijay High School Raikia, Kandhamal on Sept. 3.

Another attempt to poison the drinking water source of the relief camp in Habaq High School at G. Udayagiri, Kandhamal was foiled by an alert security guard on Sept.2.

On Sept 4th a group of nearly 2,500 extremists barged into the Relief Camp at Tikabali Government High School shouted at the Christian refugees and took away supplies meant for Christian refugees, while police were silent spectators to the event.

In another incident over 300 fanatic-incited tribal women attacked a relief camp for the Christian riot victims in Tikabali in Orissa's riot-hit Kandhmal district on Sept. 4 demanding food and employment.

Kandhamal, the epicenter of violence, is boiling endlessly with news pouring in of Christian women being sexually assaulted in brutal display of aggression, the Fellowship said.

The women armed with lathis descended on the relief camp demanding food and relief for non-Christian population, who they say has been starving following the 12-day old curfew in the district.

Some 90 people including women and children from Kandhamal have trekked to Cuttack covering around 200 kilometers, fleeing from the torture at their own villages.

In Penagopri village in Tikabali, Kandhamal, about 35 Christian families were driven out. Even as they were taking refuge in the jungle they were lured back to the village by VHP led goons. Once they came back to the village they were held hostage and been given a chance to reconvert to Hinduism or face death.

Home of Pastor Sikander Singh of Nakeiguda, Bhavani Patna in Kalahandi was ransacked and looted. Even as they were running for their lives, one Hindu from the same village, B. Senapati gave refuge to the family and hid them until their attackers fled.

This horrible so now even in governement relief camps Christians are not safe from fanaticism.

 

[dr.umer]

Dance of death in Indian state of Orissa​

NEW DELHI, Sept 7 (APP): The recent carnage in Orissa state during communal violence against poor and helpless members of Christian community has sent a new wave of fears and insecurity among minorities of India. The ugly episode began following the murder of Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Swami Lakshmananada Saraswati on August 23 last which triggered horrors in the streets of Kandamal, a worst -hit district of the state where Hindu extremists including activists of VHP and Bajrang Dal went on rampage killing the members of poor community and setting on fire their churches, prayers halls and orphan houses.

The officials have put the death toll at 16 but independent sources and All India Christian Council, a body representing different Christian organizations have put the toll at more than 24.

Hundreds of churches, prayer Halls, Christian centres including a missionary-run orphan house were torched within not time in Kandhamal and surrounding districts in a bid to take revenge for the murder of Hindu leader who was reportedly killed by Naxalites.

Later, Naxalites who are active in the area took the responsibility of killing the VHP leader.

The reports from the area suggested that unaccounted bodies of members of Christian community are still lying in nearby dense jungles where the helpless community fled to escape death. They were followed and butchered there by the Hindu activists.

This region had witnessed a trail of death and destruction in the same fashion when Christians were butchered in the streets of at the hands of saffron forces when they were celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ in December last year.

This time, the “dance of death” continued for almost two weeks in different districts of Orissa state and also spilled over to border state of Madhya Pradesh when the state machinery failed to stop the onslaughts of Hindu extremists.

Thousands of Christians fled to dense jungles to escape their lives. Incidents of forcible conversion to Hinduism were also reported by Christian organizations of the area.

Reacting to this gory drama, the shocked Christian community became active and met Indian President and Prime Minister expressing their grave concerns over the safety of their religious fellows in Orissa state.

They shut down over thirty thousands missionary-run educational institutions on August 29 to protest against these attacks.

They presented a memorandum to Indian government demanding ban on Hindu outfits such as VHP and Bajrang Dal which are responsible for this violence.

The Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh described this situation as “shame on India” while Home Minister Shivraj Patil who witnessed the burnt churches and houses during his visit to the area termed it “unfortunate.”

Pope Benedict XVI has condemned this violence with “deep sadness”.

While several international human rights bodies have also condemned these wanton killings.

Christian Community approached the Supreme Court of India on Wednesday which directed the Orissa government to submit report on the steps taken to protect lives and property of Christian community.

The order was passed by the apex court on the petition filed by Archbishop of Cuttack Raphael Cheenath who pleaded that Orissa state government and its police force were not cooperating with central para-military forces to control the situation.

The Archbishop submitted that attacks on churches and other properties belonging to the community ware a well orchestrated conspiracy. He pleaded that the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) be asked to conduct a probe to find out which organisation was behind the Kandhamal violence. He held Orissa government responsible for the violence.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Christians in different cities across India took out processions to protest against these attacks. They demanded to allow raising private army to protect their life and property. They said the Hindu groups which favour a “Hindu Rashtra” have made Orissa their laboratory, as they earlier did in Gujarat.

An Indian leading English daily “Tribune” in his report on Orissa situation published on Sept. 6 said “officially speaking, the anti-Christian violence in Orissa has claimed 14 lives. But anyone who has travelled the tribal heartland of Kandhamal post-August 23 can tell that this place has seen more blood than the world will ever know.”

The report further said in relief camps “People are still recounting with horror how their family members were axed and beheaded, torched and blown up with LPG cylinders in kitchens. Others had to run for life to the jungles, while the rioters had savage fun. Hundreds of bodies, claim the survivors of communal violence, are still ******* in the forests, with no search operations being conducted. Most such killings are not reflected in official figures with families unable to furnish proof of alleged murders.”

 

[Spring Onion]

Another Church set on fire


Church set on fire in MP, probe ordered

Manoj Ahuja & Kishore Joshi, Hindustan Times
Email Author
Ratlam, September 08, 2008
First Published: 00:07 IST(8/9/2008)
Last Updated: 00:09 IST(8/9/2008)

Print



Vandals set fire to St Bartholomew Church in Ratlam after breaking into it in wee hours of Sunday.

The incident that took place between 2 am and 4 am destroyed the documents, religious books, and furniture kept inside the 86-year-old church located in Railway Colony. The administration has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident, which has shocked the local Christian community.

Talking to HT, Ratlam DIG Varun Kapoor said, “The church was set on fire and there is evidence of vandalism. Police is investigating the matter and questioning people, but no one has been taken into custody as of now.”

Ratlam Collector Mahendra Gyani also admitted that the fire was not accidental. “It appears the church was torched, as locks of boxes inside the church were broken and documents were scattered. We have ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident.”

Church set on fire in MP, probe ordered- Hindustan Times

 

[dr.umer]

Shame on this kind of democracy where hindu fanatic militants are at large...

 

[Pankaj]

The Dalit Christians to stop fraudulent conversion in India
Sunday 20 July 2008, by Dalit Christians

The Dalit Christians on Friday asked the Church leadership to stop fraudulent conversion in India among Dalits and Tribals. And it further demand that the foreign funds received by the church be used for the welfare and upliftment of the poor Christians who are suffering from the discrimination. The convention strongly urged the Govt of India not to appoint Bishops, priests and nuns in the government commissions and committed but instead it should appoint ordinary Christians. These and many other demands are raised in a resolution adopted at the national conventions organized by the Poor Christian Liberation Movement (PCLM) headed by R.L.Francis.

POOR CHRISTIAN LIBERATION MOVEMENT Co-office : A-163, DDA Flats Gazipur, Delhi - 96 Office : IIIA/ 145, Rachana, Vashali- 201 010 (NCR) Telefax : 95120-2772449 Mob. 9810108046 E-mail : francispclm@yahoo.com

New Delhi, 12 July, 2008 : The Dalit Christians on Friday asked the Church leadership to stop fraudulent conversion in India among Dalits and Tribals. And it further demand that the foreign funds received by the church be used for the welfare and upliftment of the poor Christians who are suffering from the discrimination. The convention strongly urged the Govt of India not to appoint Bishops, priests and nuns in the government commissions and committed but instead it should appoint ordinary Christians. These and many other demands are raised in a resolution adopted at the national conventions organized by the Poor Christian Liberation Movement (PCLM) headed by R.L.Francis.

The convention urged the “Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) and the National Christian Council of India (NCCI) to set up a 1000 crore “Dalit Christian Development” fund to ensure integrated social and economic development.

Considering the confusion created by the propagation activities in the far flung areas the convention adopted a resolution urging the church authorities to defer the mass conversion programme. The resolution stated that, “This assembly unanimously believes that evangelism cannot be a measurement of a society’s socio-economic development. Therefore, evangelism programme should be suspended for long years and funds should be saved and utilized for the welfare of Dalits and Trible Christians and deprived sections of society for creating awareness among them.”

The resolution also demanded reservation of seats for Dalit and Trible Christians as well as other Dalits in Church-run schools, colleges, technical institutions and other vocational organizations.

Three hundred delegates from different parts of the country, who attended the convention, alleged that a handful of priests and bishops were monopolizing the Church funds and property in the country. This has led to the worsening conditions of neo converted Christians were living in a pitiable condition and deprived of the basic necessities.

In his address, the National President R.L. Francis said that the church leadership is interested only in increasing the numbers and is hardly bothering about their living conditions. The biggest proof of this was that a large chunk of foreign funds were being utilized either for purchasing land and for the luxurious lifestyles of few Christians leaders in India . Bishops are monopolizing the Church estates and treating it as their own property and are indulging in its sale-purchase without the consent of the community,” he alleged.

Mr. Jawahar Singh, President Gertor India Foundation said 90 per cent to the maids working in cantt and its surrounding areas are Dalit and Trible Christians. Their children do not even complete their primary education, he said. Mr. Singh said that when he went to the priest of the church in the area to discuss the issue of maids and their children ; he refused to say anything.

Mr. P B Lomeo, Christian activist and editor of a church newspaper, alleged that not one of the 40,000 educational institutions run by the church give admission to the children of Dalit Christians. The PCLM, which was launched to help Dalit and Trible Christians and provide them with a platform to express their grief, is the most powerful for them, Mr.Lomeo said.

Fr. William Premdass Chaudhary a catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Delhi said that “ in last two decades many poor Christians have gone back to Hinduism due to maltreatment by the church. “Even myself was treated bad fly as I am local Christian and not given any assiyment by Bishop of Delhi Catholic Archdiocese because I am a Dalit and local Priest.” he further stated.

Mr. Balbir Punj, a senior BJP think tank and member of Rajya SAbha suggested that the Church in India should honestly make a model for the progress of Dalits Christians. He also called for moratorium on conversion for the next ten years.

Raising the question of future of Christian children in India , well known human rights activist Joseph Gathia urged the Govt of India and the Supreme Court to redefine minority educational institutions. He further demanded declassification of those Christian minority institutions who do not admit Christian’s children in their schools. Mr. Joseph Gathia opposed the caste base reservation for Christian community in India as it would institutionalize the discrimination in Christianity which is against its very basic principle. Such a move would darken the future of poor Christina’s children in India .

At National Convention, Mr. Meharban James, Bishop R.B.Sandu, Mr. Ashok Bharti, P.N. Ambdker and others express their views reading Casteism in Church.. The copies of the resolution passed in the convention would be sending to the Pope, the World Council of Churches, and Hon’ble Prime Minister Dr. Man Mohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India and UPA chairperson Smt. Sonia Gandhi..

Poor Christian Liberation Movement (PCLM) Resolution for National Convention Nearly 300 delegates from different parts of the country who gather at the India Islamic Cultural Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi passed the following resolutions unanimously on Friday 11th July 2008.

I Resolution : We demand that Catholic Bishop Conference of India (CBCI), National Council for churches in India (NCCI) and other church organizations drop the demand for pushing back the poor Christians in to the category of Scheduled Caste status. The teaching of Jesus Christ does not permit to discriminate among his followers. All Christians are born in the image of God.

If the Church in India pursue the reservation for Christians on the basis of caste then it must pay compensation to the poor Christians who got converted to the Christianity long back.

II Resolution :

(a) We urge the Govt. of India to institute a law allowing the Christians minority institutions to admit 50 % student who are Christians. Any Christians educational institute claiming Minority Status be punished if they refuse admission to a Christian child. Currently there is no such provision therefore the Church educational institutions are fearless. Those not following the directive be declassified and put under the Income Tax Act as commercial venture.

(b) We further urged the Govt hat no clergy (Bishops, priests and nuns) be appointed in Government committee, commissions etc. Instead the Govt should appointed ordinary Christians as the members such committees and commissions.. It has been observed that due to such appointments the Bishops, priests, and nuns are deviating format their original work of the Church and misusing their positions and funds.

(C) that the Government of India to introduce special laws to protect Church property and land as currently it is being misused and Sold by few interested group of people. As the land was given by the Govt of India long back on perpetual lease it is very much within the right to introduce such laws in the interest of the Christian community in India and for the betterment of the Dalit and Trible Christians.

III Resolution :

(a) We earnestly urge the Vatican to follow protest pattern in appointing the bishops in India, appointment of bishop by concesious of the local people. The Poor Christian Liberation Movement is opposed to the current procedure of appointing the Bishop in the Diocese by the top from Vatican who is not aware of the local conditions. The Vatican must follow the same law which is being followed in China.

(b) Representatives at the National Convention demand to CBCI to appoint lay people (especially Dalit and Tribal Christians) at the important positions in the institutions of Catholic Church.

(c) The Church in India is the largest employments giver after the Govt of India. Hence we demand that to solve the unemployment problem among poor Christians 50 % job reservations in Christian’s educational and medical institutions for these category be reserved in the Church institutions. IV Resolution :

(a) Churches are bringing fund from abroad and spending crores of rupees on evangelization which creates confusion among the religions and bring disunity in the country. Evangelization must be stopped. Let the population grow within the religions. Church should not criticize another religion. Let all the religions grow freely. Church leaders must spend crores of rupees for the upliftment of the Dalit and Trible Christians rather than on evangelization.

(b) The Poor Christian Liberation Movement feels that a time has come when pluralistic societies are to be accepted. It has already been done in the Western Christians countries. Therefore the focus on fraudulent conversion and only increasing number of “rice Christians” would not really serve the Lord Jesus Christ. The Church in India needs to promote multi culturalism and inter faith dialogues. . (c) In order to facilitate resource for education and training for the children of the poor Christians particularly girls a 1000 crore rupee fund be created in India by the Church. Such fund would help the Christian community to become self sufficient in the long run.

We feel that the time has come for Christians in India to suggest their Christian brethren and sisters in the West that all afforts must be made to make the community self sufficient and not dependent. We the Christians in India wish that the foreign funds must be diverted to poor people of Africa.

(d) We strong feel that the Church leaders should prove themselves as good shepherds who can lead their sheep selflessly and serve OUR LORD Jesus Christ as per his teachings. Jesus said the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to the poor.

MAY THE HOLY SPIRIT GUIDE US IN OUR ENDEAVOUR.

Dalit Christians

 

[dr.umer]

India's vengeful Christians turn to murder as Hindus step up their killing campaign - Times UK​

September 27, 2008

In the remote Indian state of Orissa your religion can cost you your life. Now a Christian mob has resorted to murder. Wielding knives and axes they have stabbed a Hindu man to death.

The killing followed a month-long campaign of murder, gang rape and arson by Hindu fanatics that drove Christians to take up arms to defend themselves, church officials in the area said yesterday. As many as 50,000 members of the minority Christian community have been forced into hiding in the jungle.

The Hindu man was killed near the town of Raikia in the Kandahmal district, which in the past month has featured some of the worst anti-Christian violence in India since partition.

“Christians have defended themselves after their houses were burnt down by Hindus. The two groups clashed,” Father Ajay Singh said from the office of the Archbishop in Bhubaneshwar, the state capital. Praveen Kumar, a senior local policeman, confirmed the account.

The Home Ministry in Delhi, which faces international criticism for failing to stamp out the violence, admitted that a situation of apparent lawlessness now reigns in the state.

Police are investigating unconfirmed reports of Christian militias being formed, with some attempting to make bombs. The reports have been denied by Christian leaders.

Similar tensions are simmering across India, where at least 45 Christians have died at the hands of Hindu fanatics in recent weeks, according to the Roman Catholic Church. Government officials, who in some areas have been accused of being complicit in the tragedy, have put the death toll at 27.

An estimated 4,000 homes have been razed, crops have been spoilt, livestock slaughtered and possessions looted. Witnesses have described Christians being forcibly converted to Hinduism while axes were held to their throats.

David Griffiths, of Christian Solidarity Worldwide, a campaign group, said: “Christians going back to their homes are facing violence or coercive conversion to Hinduism. And yet the state government continues to claim that everything is normal.”

The Rev Harish Arisalya, the regional secretary of the All India Christian Council in Orissa, said: “Perhaps Christians should have defended themselves since the beginning of the attacks, but they chose to avoid conflict. Now Christians are being killed every day. The situation is going from bad to worse.”

There were further reports of trees being felled across roads to prevent security forces from reaching remote regions.

The unrest is thought to have been spearheaded by the Bajrang Dal, an influential extremist Hindu youth organisation. “They are highly communal and fascist in their approach.

The Government must move strongly against them,” a spokesman for Congress, the leading party in India's coalition Government, said. Amid signs that the violence was spreading across the country, President Bush was urged this week to exert pressure on the Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, to take firmer action.

Felice D. Gaer, the chairman of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, said: “If India is to exercise global leadership, Prime Minister Singh should demonstrate his Government's commitment to uphold the basic human rights obligations to which it has agreed.”

The criticism followed condemnation from the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Government has promised to send thousands of troops to Orissa and the Home Ministry in Delhi has rebuked the regional state government — but itself faces widespread criticism for failing to act effectively.

Concerns are now mounting that, without international pressure, attacks against religious minorities will increase as Hindu extremists seek to mobilise voters before general elections in India, which must be held before May.

In the past two weeks more than 20 churches have been attacked in and around the southern city of Bangalore, the centre of India's flagship IT industry. Anti-Christian violence has also erupted in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Kerala.

The violence was prompted by the murder on August 23 of Laxmanananda Saraswati, a figurehead of the extremist Vishwa Hindu Parishad — VHP, or World Hindu Council — in Orissa, who had campaigned against the alleged forced conversion of Hindus to Christianity by foreign-backed missionaries.

India's Naxalite movement, a faction of armed Maoist militants that holds sway over large parts of eastern and central India, claimed responsibility.

The VHP, which is closely linked to the Bajrang Dal, blamed Christians.

The anti-Christian violence now threatens to feed into wider religious clashes across India.

A series of bomb blasts that killed 22 people and injured 100 in Delhi earlier this month stoked fears that the country faces a newly emboldened faction of home-grown Muslim militants.

Several major cities have been hit by elaborate bombing campaigns that have claimed more than 150 lives over the past five months. The Indian Mujahideen, a previously unknown Islamist group, has claimed responsibility.

In one e-mail purportedly sent by the Indian Mujahideen, the terror cell warned its “Christian brothers” to stay away from rallies held by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), India's main opposition. “Our main objective is to blow LK Advani [the BJP leader] into pieces,” it read.

Conversion of the lower castes

— Christians make up 2.3 per cent of India's population after colonisers spread the religion largely among the poverty-stricken lower castes

— Hindus allege that conversions by the Christian missions are forcible conversions, which are illegal under the Orissa Freedom of Religion Act of 1967

— According to the 2001 Census, there are 897,861 Christians, compared with more than 34 million Hindus in Orissa

— Hindus burnt to death Graham Staines, an Australian missionary, and his two sons in their car in 1999

— Violence broke out between Hindus and Christians in December 2007 over Christmas decorations, resulting in an attack on the property of a Hindu leader and the burning of 19 churches

— Further violence occurred during the last week of 2007, driving 1,200 people into camps

Sources: Human Rights Watch, Times of India, Indian Census

---------------------------------

May be Delhi Bomb are a reaction by Christians.

 

[Goodperson]

May be Delhi Bomb are a reaction by Christians.

That is least possible no one believes that, Delhi is not a trouble region where conversions have created animosities. Christians never do such things in India.