Indian pastor injured in murder attempt by Hindu extremists

Tuesday, January 4th, 2011 at 11:12 am  
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An Indian Christian leader was almost killed in an attack Sunday night by Hindu extremists during a prayer service in the city of Davangere.

Pastor Isaac Samuel, coordinator of the Global Council of Indian Christians, was seriously injured when he was hit between his neck and shoulder with a cleaver, in front of his wife and two sons, as he led the meeting.

He was taken to Chigateri hospital where he had to undergo a blood transfusion and receive twelve stitches.

Police have arrested a man identified only by the name of Bansava, following an investigation.

Sajan George, president of GCIC, accused the attackers of having a “clear intention of killing him”, but was relieved Samuel survived and thanked God that “the blade missed his head”.

He also criticised the anti-conversion laws currently upheld in several Indian states, labeling the laws as an “excuse for anti-Christian violence”.

“The government of the Bharatiya Janata Party must realize that the anti-conversion law has a history of misuse by Hindu fundamentalists,” he said, according to AsiaNews.

Though India’s constitution provides for freedom of religion, six out of 28 states restrict this freedom with legislation that allows for punishment of religious converts who do not inform the state.

Although the laws do not exist in Karnataka in southern India where the incident occurred, there has been a strong demand to introduce similar policies.

A recent report by the Evangelical Fellowship of India shows a spike in violence against Indian Christians over the past decade, with 149 attacks in 2010.

The majority of cases took place within four states, indicating “attacks on Christians are not stray incidents but are part of a systematic campaign by influential [Hindu nationalist] organisations,”, the EFI report states.

Violence against Christians escalated in 2008 when Hindu extremists murdered 110 Christians and destroyed 170 churches and 4,500 homes following the murder of one Hindu leader.

Hinduism is the main religion in India, with around 80 per cent of the 1.1 billion people being Hindu. Christians account for 2.3 per cent of the population.

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Hindu Militants ‘Attack Christians’ As Police Watch

Sunday, November 28th, 2010 at 5:40 pm  
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By Worthy News Asia Service

NEW DELHI, INDIA (Worthy News)– A tense calm remained Saturday, November 27, in several villages of India’s troubled state of Orissa after Hindu militants reportedly attacked local Christians as police forces watched nearby.

U.S.-based Christian advocacy group International Christian Concern (ICC) said “Hindu radicals” stormed three villages in Orissa and assaulted Christians. “The attackers claimed that they were teased by Christian boys” prompting the November 7 violence, ICC said.

However, the victims reportedly said they were attacked for refusing to pay donations for a Hindu festival called ‘Druga Festival.’

ICC investigators said some 250 radical Hindus stormed the villages of Peliguda, Kenduguda and Telarai near the town of Malkangiri. “They broke into Christian homes after the Christians refused entry. The police were present at the scene but refused to protect the Christians.”

TELEVISION FOOTAGE

Police officials had no comment, but Indian television channel ETV-2 reportedly aired footage of the incident throughout the country.

The victims have complained to the police at the Malkangiri police station but police have not yet made arrests, ICC said.

Orissa has been a consistent scene of attacks against Christians, according to rights groups. In 2008, an estimated over 100 Christians were killed and more than 55,000 displaced after militant Hindus carried out attacks against Christians.

“We are outraged by these latest attacks against Christians in Orissa,” said ICC’s Regional Manager for South Asia, Jonathan Racho. After the 2008 anti-Christian violence, we hoped that Indian authorities would have taken actions to stem further aggression against Christians.

Unfortunately, the Christians continue to face violence as this and other attacks indicate. We urge authorities of India to immediately bring the perpetrators of the attacks to justice and protect Christians from further acts of violence.”

ICC said it has urged its supporters to call Indian embassies in their countries “and politely ask Indian officials to bring the perpetrators of these latest attacks to justice” in the heavily Hindu nation.

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India Hindu Militants Attack Punjab Church

Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010 at 11:44 pm  
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LUDHIANA, INDIA (Worthy News)– A major evangelical group has urged the government of India’s Punjab state to protect minority Christians after Hindu militants allegedly attacked a church and injured at least one Christian, Worthy News has  learned.

The Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) said a Hindu mob armed with sticks and swords attacked a church in the city of Ludhiana last Sunday, November 14. They also “beat up a believer and threatened him and his family with dire consequences if they (continue) to attend Sunday worship [services]” added EFI General Secretary Richard Howell in a statement.


The troubles began last month when a man, identified as Munna, attended a church service and requested Christian believer Bindeshwar to explain more about Christianity, EFI said.


During conversations at Bindeshwar’s home Munna became aggressive and after several meetings there he returned with a Hindu mob of some 40 people, EFI explained.


They allegedly beat up Bindeshwar because the devoted Christian and his family refused to leave their church. The mob also went to the church Sunday, November 14, to attack Pastor Sunil, but the church leader did not appear, EFI said.


EMBRACING CHRISTIANITY


Hindu militants allege that Pastor Sunil “offered money to Munna in exchange for embracing Christianity,” charges Christians have strongly denied.


Police soon detained three suspects, but they were released under pressure of the influential Hindu-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said EFI. BJP could not be reached for comment.


Around 50 pastors and leaders from different denominations have asked local police to launch a criminal investigation, but “police is trying to hush up the matter without taking any action,” EFI said. In a statement, police said “that an inquiry is underway.”


Howell said he has urged supporters to “kindly write to the Chief Minister of Punjab, appealing him to safe guard the rights of the minority communities…And to give protection to churches against attacks and to take immediate action against the perpetrators of violence.”


The latest attack comes amid reported growing opposition among Hindu groups against the spread of Christianity in the country, a predominantly Hindu nation of over 1 billion people.

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