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CHRISTIAN SOLIDARITY WORLDWIDE
Press Release - 10th October 1999
FEARS OF A NEW WAVE OF PERSECUTIONS OF INDIAN CHRISTIANS AFTER BJP VICTORY IN THE INDIAN ELECTIONS
Just a day after the announcement of the victory of the ruling BJP
party
and its coalition, a serious attack on a Christian gathering has left
two
church leaders with serious injuries. It is feared to be the beginning
of a
new wave of persecution.
In the latest incident, a group of Christian leaders from the
Filadelfia
Fellowship Church of India, a registered denomination, were attacked by
members of the Hindu fundamentalist party, VHP (Vishwa Hindu
Parishad), on 8 Oct 1999 in the town of Dahod in the North East region
of the state of Gujarat. Rev.Punnoose and Paul Mathews suffered head
and stomach injuries in the attack. Nine Christian leaders, who were
arrested immediately following the incident, have been charged for
converting Hindus to Christianity.
The incident took place when a mob of religious fanatics belonging to
the
VHP stormed the building as the Christian leaders met for a leadership
seminar organised for local Christian pastors. Accompanied by
members of the local police, the Hindu militants shouted "Jai, Shri
Ram"
(victory, to Shri Ram, one of the Hindu Gods) as they began pushing and
slapping the assembled believers, forcing them to chant anti-Christian
slogans, tearing their Bibles away, and beating them with sticks. The
mob
shouted all kinds of threats and curses at the gathered Christians.
Finally,
nine of the Christian leaders were dragged into a police van which was
waiting outside, and taken away. They are believed to have been charged
with 'trying to convert Hindus to Christianity'.
In an interview with CSW, one of the victims, Paul Mathews, described
his ordeal in the following words. "After they attacked us, we were
taken to the police station for no apparent reason. We did not even try
to resist when we were attacked because we knew the police were with
them. In the police station we were not tortured, but cramped in a cell
with no food or water for 8 hours. No explanation was given of the
offence we were booked under, and before releasing us on bail the
station officer asked us to sign papers we were not allowed to read.
He wanted us to say that we were trying to convert Hindus during the
meeting which everybody knows is not true at all."
When family members and friends of the Christian leaders went to seek
bail at the police station the official informed them that the
detainees had
been taken away to other place - but would not say where. As it
transpired, they were held in a cell in the police station for 8 hours.
Bail
was finally granted, but charges of converting Hindus and involvement
in
anti-national activities, under a yet unknown offence of the Indian
Penal
Code, still stand against them, and they have been asked to appear in
court.
India's Christian leaders have claimed police connivance in the
majority
of incidents of persecution of Christians in the Gujarat state in the
last 2
years. These claims have been repeatedly refuted by the BJP leadership.
This latest incident, which took place with the active participation of
police, reveals a more worrying agenda. Many Indian Christian leaders
feel that the BJP's recent victory will result in another wave of
attacks
against Christians in Gujarat, similar to the one witnessed on the eve
of
Christmas last year in which more than 20 churches were destroyed and a
number of Christians injured. It is reported that immediately after the
election victory VHP activists in Gujarat began celebrating by
shouting,
"We will, by all means, wipe out Christianity!"
Dr Simon Qadri of CSW adds, "The BJP leadership needs to be held
directly responsible for any attack or maltreatment of Christians, as
they have consistently failed to take adequate measures to protect
religious minorities in the country."
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