Another Convent Attacked and Looted in Bihar :Center Belongs to Sisters of Charity of Nazareth

PATNA, India, JUNE 22, 2005 (Zenit.org).- A few days after the Indian Catholic episcopate appealed to the authorities for protection against attacks on Church personnel, another convent came under siege in the state of Bihar.
Early Tuesday, 10 assailants armed with guns and other weapons attacked the Chetanalaya Center run the by Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in Rajgir, a tourist township in the Nalanda district in central Bihar, some 100 kilometers (62 miles) from Patna, the state capital.

According to the women religious, the looters took valuables and about $560 in cash.

"I was sleeping on the terrace along with 11 handicapped girls, who had stayed back during vacation," said Sister Rose Plathottam, directress of Chetanalya. "At about 11 p.m. some 10 youths carrying guns and other weapons entered our convent … after climbing a wall."

"Seeing nobody downstairs, they ransacked the convent in a bid to get hold of the keys to the rooms. Later they came up to the terrace, threatened me with a gun and dragged me to the ground floor," said the woman religious. Then they asked her for her mobile phone and cash, she added.

Intimidation

Frightened, Sister Rose, who was alone at the time of the attack, opened the room and allowed the youths to take her phone and the money. They then forced her to another end of the building and demanded more money.
Meanwhile, the other gunmen ransacked the entire center, including the dispensary and school. Others intimidated the girls, ages 5 to 14, covering their faces with blankets. The assailants then fled with their loot.

"It appears that the marauders knew the place. Otherwise they would not have managed to sneak inside so easily," provincial superior Sister Teresa Kotturan told SAR News, confirming that the police were notified the same day.

There seems to be "a pattern in all these recent attacks on convents in Bihar," she added. "Convents are vulnerable places where greedy gangs can get away with the money."

In fact, on June 9 two other convents in Bihar were attacked -- one of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in Sokho, Diocese of Bhagalpur, and the other the convent of Notre Dame in the Diocese of Bettiah.

On June 12 the state of Rajasthan was the scene of an attack on the convent of the Franciscan Sisters of Our Lady of Graces, in Bhiwadi. Nuns were injured and their belongings were looted.These and other attacks were reported by the Indian episcopate on Saturday, which requested the central government and state governments to take quick action against the attackers.

Pair of Convents Attacked in Bihar

BETTIAH, India, JUNE 13, 2005 (Zenit. org).- Two nuns were injured in apparent robbery attempts at two convents in the Indian state of Bihar. The attack occurred around midnight last Thursday. An elderly nun
was hospitalized with serious head injuries after a gang of 15 men attacked the Notre Dame convent at Raxual. The convent comes under the Diocese of Bettiah.

The same night, the convent of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth at Sokho in the Bhagalpur Diocese was attacked. No further details were available on that incident. A Sister Manjula of Notre Dame was with two other nuns and their maid when the assailants entered the convent, breaking open the gate and doors.

"They asked for money," Father Henry Fernando of the Diocese of Bettiah told the newspaper Indian Catholic.
He said that the assailants beat the elderly nun so severely that they broke one of her ribs. Bishop Victor Thakur of Bettiah visited the convent and the injured nun in the hospital, according to the priest.

Another woman religious sustained minor injuries, added Father Fernando. Diocesan officials have filed a complaint with police. The attack on the convents is the latest in a series of assaults on priests and nuns working in Bihar. Last April, Father Matthew Uzhuthal, 72, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Patna, was stabbed. He died of his wounds May 1

HINDU EXTREMISTS ATTACK, BEAT VILLAGE CHRISTIANS IN INDIA

Hindu extremists physically attacked 11 Christian families from Jamanya village in India on May 16, when they refused to give up their faith. Problems began May 15, when village officials summoned the families to a community court. The families were accused of bringing bad luck to the village after embracing the Christian faith and were asked to renounce their faith for the common good of the village. Officials from Jamanya and other villages threatened the Christians until mid afternoon, attempting to persuade them to renounce their faith. At about 3:30 p. m., according to one witness, a mob began chasing the Christian men out of the village.

As they were running, the mob caught and beat some of them with heavy sticks. When some of the men returned to their homes after dark, they found groups of villagers outside each home, armed with weapons. The men fled again, this time to other villages where they sought shelter. On the following day, a witness reported, the mob targeted the woman..

Hindu zealots killed Hyderabad pastors: police

Hyderabad, June 25 (IANS) In a breakthrough in the investigation of the murders of two Christian pastors here, police say religious fanaticism drove three Hindu rightwing activists to abduct the victims and kill them.

Cyberabad Police have arrested prime suspect Goverdhan and are looking out for two others, saying they carried out the murders to stop evangelical activity by the victims. All the three are activists of the Hindu Vahini organisation.

Hindu Vahini has, however, denied that it was involved in the murders and accused the police of torturing its activists.
The mutilated body of pastor K. Issac Raju, 45, was found at Golconda on the city outskirts June 2. He had been missing from his house in Raidurgam area May 24.

Earlier, pastor K. Daniel, 35, was found murdered at Shamshabad, also on the city outskirts May 20. He had been abducted from his house in Asifnagar a day earlier.

They were approached by unidentified people on the pretext of solemnising marriages, police said. Both were garrotted with a rope.

Though Cyberabad police have not made a formal announcement about the breakthrough in the case, police sources said auto-rickshaw driver Goverdhan had confessed to the crime.He has been taken to Shamshabad and Golconda to reconstruct the sequence of the crimes.Police are looking out for Satyanarayana of Hyderabad and Ganesh of Karimnagar, who allegedly helped Goverdhan carry out the killings.

The three suspects were allegedly emboldened by an Orissa High Court order commuting the death sentence for Dara Singh who killed Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons, police said.Police are also investigating whether they were also involved in the murder of pastor Yesudas in Karimnagar. Yesudas was abducted and murdered April 17.

The killings had spread panic among the Christian community. Police had formed special teams to solve the cases and had interrogated many suspects belonging to Hindu rightwing groups.

CHRISTIAN IN INDIA INJURED, ANOTHER MURDERED IN SEPARATE ATTACKS

A Christian couple in western India's Gujarat state is recovering from serious injuries received in an attack in early May. Jamubhai Choudhary was slashed with an ax, and his wife, Jathriben, suffered a bone fracture. Meanwhile, the brutal murder of the Rev. K. Daniel in Hyderabad on Friday, May 20, by pouring acid over his body has shaken the Christian community in southeastern India's Andhra Pradesh state. Law enforcement officials deny that the attacks were religiously motivated, but Christian leaders believe they are the work of Hindu extremists. "Pastor Daniel had been threatened many times by the local Rashtrya Swayamsevak Sangh," said Sam Paul of the All India Christian Council (AICC). Samson Christian of the council added, "Hindu fundamentalists have changed their usual way of attacking minorities . . . So that their attacks can be attributed to 'personal disputes.'" (Compass)

Hindu Extremists Attack Prayer Meeting in Rajasthan, India

Nine Christians seriously injured; situation tense.

NEW DELHI, August 15 (Compass) -- Hindu extremists violently attacked a prayer meeting in Rajasthan state last night, seriously injuring nine Christians, including one woman. The mob struck at midnight on August 14, during an all-night prayer vigil held in a private home in Pathda village, Banswara district, near the border between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The Christians had gathered for a three-day prayer meeting to mark India's Independence Day on August 15.

"There were about 50 people from Pathda and Piploda villages at the prayer meeting, in which prayers were offered for the nation," Patras Habil, a member of the Madhya Pradesh State Minorities Commission, told Compass.

The assailants delivered an axe blow to the head of Jeeva Badar, in whose house the prayer meeting was organized. The resulting wound required nine stitches.

"They also tried to strangle Asha Suresh, a Christian lady, which has apparently affected her vocal cords as today she is unable to speak," Habil said, adding, "Laxman Rupara received an injury to his lower back, making him unable to stand up."

The names of the nine Christians injured in the attack are Jeeva Badar, Border Dippa, Bua Rupa, Prabhu Baji, Laxman Rupara, Shandu Mangu, Khumji Hawala, Dangi Mangu, and Asha Suresh.

Tensions were still running high at press time. A mob of about 300 people went on a rampage today when representatives of Miracle Ministry, the Madhya Pradesh-based Christian organization that organized the prayer meeting, came to the local police station to collect a copy of the First Information Report (FIR).

"Seeing a 300-strong mob with sticks, the police had to escort the Christians back across the border to Madhya Pradesh in the afternoon," Habil explained. "It seems there is a threat of further attacks."

Pastor Biju Varghese of Miracle Ministry, who was at the police station, told Compass that about 20 people chased the police jeep as the Christians drove to the Madhya Pradesh border.

"We are worried about the Christians in [the area]," Varghese said. "They are not safe there."

Varghese said those who attacked the prayer meeting were wearing the typical khaki uniform of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu extremist group. A member of the Rajasthan State Minorities Commission confirmed that the border area was the center of RSS activity in the state.

But Sanjeev Kumar, police superintendent of Banswara district, denied that Christians were seriously injured in the attack or that a Hindu extremist organization was behind it.

"It was a very ordinary clash, and no one has received serious injuries," he said. "No organization was behind it. However, I have ordered an investigation and the arrest of the accused who are absconding."

The police are seeking seven men in connection with the incident on charges of rioting, house-trespass with intent to commit a punishable offence, voluntarily causing hurt, and unlawful assembly.

Banswara district, which is among the poorest in the state and is populated mainly by tribal peoples, has long been a target of Hindu extremist organizations.

In 1998, Advocate P.L. Mimorth and M.P. Chaudhry of the Indian Social Institute noted that leaders of the Sangh Parivar (a family of Hindu extremist organizations under the leadership of the RSS) had declared their intention to stamp out Christianity in Banswara district by the year 2000.

Incidents of violence against Christians increased after the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party defeated the Congress Party in the state elections in December 2003. In one recent example, extremists violently attacked students of the Emmanuel Mission Bible School in Rajasthan's Kora district on February 19.

Hindutva extemists attacks prayer meeting at Delhi

Delhi, October 14: A group of 10 Hindu extremist attacked a prayer meeting which was going on at a community hall located at Dayal Pur, Karaval Nagar Road, Delhi.

A group of 10 people entered the community hall at 5:00 pm and started beating Pastor K Y Babu of Indian Pentecostal Church, Pastor Victor Masih of Compassion for India, Pastor Justine and Pastor Robin Masih. The main speaker Ps. K. Y. Babu was injured badly during the attack. He rushed to hospital where he got stitches on his head. Hindu miscreants also broke PA system; drum set which they were playing for the worship and other equipments. The meeting was started at 2:00 pm.

When believers went to the local police station to lodge a FIR, they met a local BJP MLA Mr. Mohan Singh along with a group of 150 people out side the police station. They threatened them to kill them if they continue to conduct prayer meetings at this locality. However, they managed to lodge a FIR at the local police station.

The meeting was organised by a Pastor Robin Masih. 2000 believers were present at the prayer meeting when the incident took place.

Three nuns attacked in Rajasthan

Jaipur, Oct 27 (IANS) Three Catholic nuns were beaten up by stick- wielding youths in a Rajasthan village that has witnessed rising tension over alleged conversion of tribals durin g a Christian function.

The incident occurred at Bhandaria village of Banswara district, over 500 km from here, Tuesday morning when the nuns were waiting for a bus for Udaipur.

"Over a dozen boys, armed with sticks, tried to attack us while we were trying to board the bus to Udaipur at around 5 a.m.," said Sister Rosaria, one of the victims."I was beaten and hit with wooden sticks," she told IANS on phone from Udaipur.

"Sister Flora, aged 65, was pushed down while 62-year-old Sister Auxilia was beaten badly," Rosaria said.

According to the victims, supporters of the Sangh Parivar allegedly perpetrated the attack.

Kushalgarh in Banswara district is a tribal-dominated area of Rajasthan bordering Gujarat. Tension has been brewing in the district since Oct 16 after the Sangh Parivar objected to a function organised by Catholics to mark the end of the Eucharistic year.

The Sangh Parivar had alleged that the function was organised to convert tribals.

Parbat Singh, a police official in Kushalgarh, said: "We were told of this incident and a complaint has been lodged. We have asked the nuns to come here so that a formal first information report (FIR) can be filed."

Singh said police were investigating the incident, but did not give any details.

Violent attack on minority Christian community and Vankar community

[By Ex-President of Taluka Panchayat of Congress.]

Christian members have been admitted in Civil Hospital of Nadiad. On behalf of Christian Community, All India Christian Council protested and demanded to arrest the culprits immediately.

National Executive Member and Joint Secretary of All India Christian Council, Mr. Samson Christian states in his Press- Release that Bhoomas village is in Mahudha Taluka in Kheda district of Gujarat State.

This village has population of absent 3000 including Thakore, Patels, Vankar, Christians, Harijans, Vaghari as well as Muslims. But among all Thakores are in majority. The incident took place while celebration of New Year,
during night on 02/11/2005 and on 03/11/2005 morning as Thakore community was playing 'Bhavai' by erecting shamiyana. This was cultural programme so, the members of minority Christians community and of Vankar
community went to watch this programme on 03/11/2005, together. At that time the Thakores of the village attacked on Christians and Vankars with swords, sticks, sickle type instruments, pipes. They used dirty Language in the name of religion "Dhedao, why have you come?" saying this they pelted stones heavily, hurt the members of minority community, snatched ornaments, beat up in public. The attackers was a mob of 100 to 150 persons.

To save lives the Christian members ran to their houses. The attackers were led by Ramanbhai Sanabhai Patel, Ex-President of Congress-Nadiad Taluka Panchayat. The main leader of this attack was Ramanbhai Sanabhai
Patel who led the Thakores to attack. The Christians ran to save their lives but the attackers were not satisfied so under the leadership of Ramanbhai Sanabhai Patel, the mob came to Christian street of Bhoomas village, beat up the women, young girls and young boys in public, behaved badly pelted stones.

A youth Babubhai Jethabhai and Kashiben Ramanbhai were hurt more and were admitted in Civil Hospital, Nadiad. In regard of the above incident Shri Hanokhbhai Somabhai Vankar of this village took the people who become prey of this incident to Mahudha police station on 03-11-2005 the same day at 12.00 noon to file police
case. But the police on duty did not take the complaint so Hanokhbhai Somabhai Vankar went to District Superintendent of Police of Kheda District in Nadiad and gave complaint in person. So, D.S.P. phoned to Mahudha police station. So, the Police Inspector of Mahudha Police Station had to take complaint. The complaint was taken on 03-11-2005 at 2.25 noon.

So, in Mahudha police station F.I.R. No. 152/2005 according to IPC 337, 504, 394, 147, 148, was filed and according to Atrocity Act 3(1), 10, 3 (2),5 the crime was registered. In spite of registering the crime as per Atrocity Act regarding this serious attack on 03-11-2005 and inquired by Deputy Superintendent Of Police of Kapadvanj Shri R.F. Singada the culprits including congress leader having strong political position have
not been arrested by police and the people who have become prey have not been given justice.

The main thing is to be noted that during 1986 the Thakores and Patels of the village had attacked and Patels of the village had attacked and pelted stones on Christian street by making issue of filling water. At that time Rameshbhai Sanabhai Patel of Congress had taken leadership of the attack. At that time the Christians asked police protection so, Mahudha police rushed immediately to the village. The Thakores and Patels had pelted stones on police vehicle and the vehicle was damaged heavily and the police vehicle was over turned. In this way police was attacked by Thakores and Patels. So, S.R.P. force was called and the situation was brought under control. At that time S.R.P. arrangements was remained in Christian street for six months. Thakores threaten Christians to burn alive and kill.

It is our strong demand to arrest congress leader Rameshbhai Sanabhai Patel under PASA and other attackers according to police complaint and give enough police protection to the Christians as minority Christian
community is becoming more unsafe in Gujarat State., taking serious note of the above incident.

AICC alert -Chhattisgarh :Pastor Masih Das Rai arrested

PERSECUTION:

Pastor Masih Das Rai was arrested in Palari, Chattisgarh under the Freedom of Religion Act for allegedly forcibly converting Hindus. The arrest took place after charges were levied against him by the Dharam Raksha Sena (DRS). The DRS, a wing of the RSS, arrived at the spot where Pastor Masih was conducting a baptism ceremony on 10th November 2005 and brutally attacked those present. The new converts were then coerced into stating that they were forcibly being converted to Christianity. Rai is presently in Baloadabazar Jail, Chattisgarh.

Efforts are in progress to file a bail application in the sessions court. Please pray for his early release.

OM team attacked in Maharashtra

http://www.aiccindia.org/news/om_team_attacked_in_maharashtra.htm

A media team working with Operation Mobilisation India (OM) was attacked in Pune, Maharashtra on 10 November 2005.

OM's Media team along with another Christian organisation MUST organised the screening of an Indian version of Jesus film "Dayasagar" on the night of 10 November 2005 at Kothrud, 20 km from Pune. There were around 250 people to watch the film.

After the film show, the four team members were returning home around 9.30. While waiting for a bus, they were surrounded by half-a-dozen youth, en! quiring about their whereabouts. While the team members were explaining to them, a mob of over 25 people belonging to the Siva Sena joined them. Besides abusing them in foul language, they manhandled the team members, hitting them on their faces.

Later they dragged them to police station and complained that the team was involved in forceful conversions of Hindu families to Christianity. They also brought a false witness who testified before the police that the team had asked him to leave Hinduism and become a Christian, promising handsome rewards. The mob also amaged the film equipment costing more than Rs 100,000.

Later the police inspector called OM leader Deepak on his mobile on the pretext that one of his team members had met with an accident and asked him to rush to the police station. Upon arriving at the police station, the mob surrounded him and beat him up severely. Thereafter the police took the team into the station office and
confiscated their ID cards a! nd film equipment. The police also beat up the team members, resulting in serious injuries to one of them.

Around midnight Deepak rang up aicc state leader Dr Abraham Mathai, who is also former Chairman of the Maharashtra State Minorities Commission. On his intervention, the police released the team after filing a false case of using the loudspeaker in the public place without prior approval from the police.

The aicc chapter of Maharashtra is in the process of filing a case against Siva Sena activists and the police officers.

Christian converts ostracized in Andhra Pradesh village

Seven families belonging to the fishing community at Kottasathram village in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh have been ostracised by the village elders for embracing the Christian faith.They have been treated as utcasts for the last 18 months for the sole reason of embracing the Christian faith and also for refusing to take part in the Srirama Navami festival at the local temple in August 2004.

While four members of the family of Katamgari Mangamma have not been permitted to step into the village after their conversion, the other six families have been asked to leave the village.

Mangamma says she was not able to donate money for the temple festival because her husband's death had left her a pauper. "I was unable to run my family and decided to convert on the advice of some of my neighbours. I wanted to make a living with the blessings of Jesus Christ," she says.

The village elders however say only those offering prayers to Lor! d Ram would be allowed to stay on in the village. The decision soon spread and the villagers were warned not to have any dealing with the converted families. As there was no other go, the converted families left the village and constructed huts in a forest land one and a half km away.

However the villagers destroyed the tube-well dug by the families. They also reportedly persuaded the forest officials to destroy the huts built on the forest land. This left the families with a roof over their heads. "We have no idea what we should do now. The faith is something very personal. Why are the villagers so cruel, I don't understand? Is there no administration to come to our aid?" one of the converts asks in desperation.

Bible Distributors Brutally Attacked in Mumbai , India

Global council of Indian Christians(GCIC) demands Government of India to protect Constitutional right of christians to practise,preach and profess their faith in India

Mumbai, 29 Nov 05

Three Bible distributors were brutally attacked and case filed against them at the Panvel police station. The incident took place at 7 pm on Saturday 26 November. Three Malayalees- Biju Jacob, Reji Paul, and Shaji Samuel who are members of the Panvel Brethren Church were distributing Bible and Gospel tracts at a street behind the ST Bus Stand in Panvel from 5pm onwards. In the morning also they had distributed the same. At about 7 pm, a man came near their vehicle (Mahindra Bolero) from which they were giving the Bibles (for Rs. 5/-
a copy), took a copy from the stack kept on the bonnet, flipped through the pages, and said: "There is no mention of 33 crores of gods we have", and gave a heavy blow on the face of Shaji.

Meanwhile, Biju and Reji came out of the vehicle. Soon over 30 young people began to beat all the three. Shaji and Biju fell to the ground. Shaji was also booted. The beatings took place for over 15 minutes. Then the three were put in an auto-rikshaw and the attackers escorted them to the Panvel Police station where they were
kept waiting for a few hours, and FIR made. Shaji's thumb impression was taken, as he was unable to talk or breathe properly. After some time, seeing blood coming out of Shaji's mouth, the inspector ordered them to be taken to the Panvel Municipal hospital. The municipal hospital after giving some first aid directed them to go
to some private hospital.

As they were proceeding to a private hospital in Thane, they were called back by the police to the station. Biju returned to the station and was interrogated till 1.30 am. Shaji was admitted at Thane Lok hospital. Reji after fist aid treatment went home. On Sunday, a police constable met Biju in a hospital in Panvel and took signature on some statements.

Biju and Reji are engineers by profession. Shaji is an evangelist with the Brethren church.

"We have been distributing Bibles for several years. And this is the first time we were attacked in Panvel. No one is compelled to buy it. We are sorry that the attackers have misunderstood us as anti- nationals. As Indian citizens the constitution has given us rights to 'profess, practice and propagate' our faith. We are doing it like
any other religious groups. Though we were brutally attacked, we have no hatred toward any one. Neither we had made any complaint to the police. We forgive the attackers, like Christ who said on the cross: Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing," said Shaji from his hospital bed. Shaji added that the documents of the vehicle including RC book are missing from the vehicle.

31 Christian homes torched in Orissa

Thirty-one homes in the village of Gandahati in eastern India's Orissa state were destroyed by fire on Sunday, Nov. 20. The incident began as Christians and Hindus were discussing their religious beliefs. Local sources said some of the Hindus became angry and set fire to the home of one of the Christians. Since the homes in Gandahati are close together, the fire quickly spread to other houses owned by both Christians and Hindus. Six Christians received minor injuries and were treated at a local hospital. Police have set up a camp in the village to monitor the situation.

GCIC condemns attack on the Church in Krishnagar

New Delhi, December 5, 2005

The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) expresses its deep concern at attack on Church in Krishnagar and desecration of Holy communion by the introducers. This is a matter of great shame to our country where
followers of all religions enjoy equal rights to practice and preach their religion.

It is learnt that a group of youngsters avenged a Catholic Priest's campaign against their alcohol abuse and eve-teasing by vandalizing a Church in Krishnagar diocese in West Bengal. The incident occurred on Saturday night at the Church in Nadia district's Jalalkhali village of West Bengal.

A group of young people burnt the host and pages from the Bible after ransacking a storeroom adjacent to the Church. They also took away a silver crown, 10 silver cross chains and other with silver pendants according Fr.
Antony Kariyattil, who had launched a campaign against some of their activities.

Fr. Kariyattil told reporters that some youth from nearby used to get drunk and trespass into the Church compound to frighten the church authorities.The local police has assured the Church authorities that the culprits would be soon brought to the book.

The incident takes place as the Christians in the country are in spirit of celebrating Christmas which is three weeks away from now.

The GCIC urges the State and the District authorities to take a stern action against the culprits and bring them to the book. It appeals for security of the Church personnel in the country as well as in Krishnagar which is latest target of violence.

Letter to the Prime Minister:

Global Council of Indian Christians(GCIC) urges Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan singh to direct the Chief Ministers to extend protection to the Christian community. The serial attacks by neo fascists against Christians are
more prevalent in Congress ruled states New Delhi, 7thDecember , 005

(GCIC) has urged the National Commission for their active intervention to protect Christians in who are victims of attacks in the latest series of violence against minorities.

Pastor Yesupadam was forcrefully taken by Loknath One Radical Hindu Organisation's ring leader to Road 3 Banjara Hill police station Hyderabad on 3 rd November at 3pm and kept him there for more than 6 hours . The
police officer of the road 3 Banjara Hill police station Mr Sudershan Reddy joined the ring leader Loknath and demanded Pastor yesupadam to stop fasting and prayer which he was leading on Fridays and Saturdays. This
week's fasting and prayer meeting was mainly for victims of natural calamities and for their families for peace and tranquility.The police officer joined the Loknath and threatened him with death if he continue to worship Jesus Christ. They told pastor Yesupadam to worship other Gods to save himself from further attacks.They also told him that he should remember about the fate of Pastor Issac Raju and Pastor Daniel who were killed for not heeding the similar counsel given by radical Hindus's in May 05.( Pastor Issac Raju and Daniel were brutally murdrerd by Radical Hindus lead by Govardhan under inspiration from Graham Staines killer Dara Singh).

Earlier in this weekthree Bible distributors were brutally attacked and case filed against them at the Panvel police station in Mumbai. It isalleged that the attackers have threatened the Bible distributors to harass
them more in near future. The incident took place at 7 pm on Saturday 26 November. Biju Jacob, Reji Paul, and Shaji Samuel from Kerala who are members of the Panvel Brethren Church were distributing Bible and Gospel tracts at a street behind the ST Bus Stand in Panvel from 5pm onwards. In the morning also they had
distributed the same. At about 7 pm, a man came near their vehicle (Mahindra Bolero) from which they were giving the Bibles (for Rs. 5/- a copy), took a copy from the stack kept on the bonnet, flipped through the
pages, and said: "There is no mention of 33 crores of gods we have", and gave a heavy blow on the face of Shaji. Meanwhile, Biju and Reji came out of the vehicle. Soon over 30 young people began to beat all the three.
Shaji and Biju fell to the ground. Shaji was also booted.

The beatings took place for over 15 minutes. Then the three were put in an auto- rikshaw and the attackers escorted them to the Panvel Police station where they were kept waiting for a few hours, and FIR made. Shaji's thumb impression was taken, as he was unable to talk or breathe properly. After some time, seeing blood coming out of Shaji's mouth, the inspector ordered them to be taken to the Panvel Municipal hospital.

Christians are increasingly becoming soft targets for the radicals and the law enforcement agencies are not interested in providing justice to Christians as they wouldn't pose any law and order problem even in the
face of brutal murder We urge the Prime Minister to direct the states to extend protection to Christian Minorities in India.

PRESS STATEMENT (All India Catholic Union)

November 27, 2005

BJP-planted officers sabotage Dalit Christian cause UPA, Socialists support Dalit rights in Massive rally in Hyderabad, meetings in Delhi

A set of hand-picked bureaucrats planted by the Bharatiya Janata Party regime before it lost power to the Congress in 2004 has so far successfully stonewalled and sabotaged the Indian government's efforts to restore full legal rights to Dalit Christians snatched from them in 1950.

This was revealed by senior political leaders and others in a weekend of major political advocacy in the country in support of Christians who converted from the former Untouchable Castes and continue to be victims of caste oppression and State neglect.

A massive public rally in Hyderabad on Saturday organised by the All India Christian Council and its Dalit partners, and two conclaves in New Delhi organised by the Catholic Bishops Conference and the Hyderabad-based National Coordination Committee for Scheduled caste Christians saw all political parties, barring the BJP, put on record their support to legal and Parliamentary action to give Dalit Christians the rights that Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh Dalits enjoy today.

These rights include the important political right of contesting Central, State and village elections from Dalit constituencies, protection of Law against untouchability, and affirmative action in welfare, land, education and government employment. The Dalit question comes up once again before the Supreme Court of India on Monday, 28th November through the Public Interest Litigation writ filed by former Indian Law Minister Shanti Bhushan and other appeals by Dalit Christian groups. The Central Government has asked the National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities headed by former Chief Justice of India Rangnath Mishra to also enquire into the issue.

The Union Cabinet, which introduced a Bill for Dalit Questions in Parliament in 1996, is understood to have again considered the matter seriously but its decision has been thwarted by a bunch of senior Indian Administrative service officers who are dead set against the Dalit community. These revelations were made at the CBCI-organised conclave on Friday held in the National Commission for Minorities. Support for the Dalit cause has come from the ruling United Progressive Alliance include the Left parties which have been the most forthright in their demand that government immediately enact suitable legislation.

Senior advocates such as Mr. Ram Jethmalani, a former Law Minister, Mr. Prashant Bhushan and Civil society groups have also supported the demand. The speakers at the Delhi conclaves included National Integration
Council members Archbishop Vincent Concessao, Dr John Dayal and Rev Valson Thampu, Catholic Bishops Conference Dalit Commission head Archbishop Chinnappa, Delhi Bishop Karam Masih, Minority commission
member VV Augustine, Tamil Nadu Minorities Commission chairman, CPI leader D Raja and MP Appadurai, Kerala Congress MP PC Thomas, Congress MPs Seelan and others including CBCI executive secretaries Philomin
Raj and Babu Joseph. Former Law minister Ram Jethmalani, CPI leader D Raja, Dalit leader Brother Jose Daniel and several senior leaders spoke at the consultations held in the YMCA. The meetings called for mass grassroots mobilization in a sustained action programmme, a nation- wide prayers as also coordinating with Civil society groups and non-Christian Dalit leaders and organisations.

In the historic Hyderabad rally jointly organised by the All India Christian Council and Mr. Udit Raj's onfederation of Sc and ST Organisations, AICC president Dr Joseph D Souza who has spearheaded an international campaign on the Dalit cause, said grass roots Dalit Christians had now mobilized themselves. "It was historic because we bluntly laid down our position for the UPA government and the Congress Party that Don't count on the political support of the Dalit Christians if you are not willing to support us on this matter. The AICC
president said, "the time of waiting is over - 50 years is long enough. We as Christians need to stand and up act. And this rally is the beginning of our public agitation and movement Dr D'Souza said the Congress party's State President K Keshava Rao was compelled to make a statement because of the open statements from
representatives of the major parties who were on the dais including the CPI(M), the DMK, TDP, Bahujan Samaj Party, Janata Dal, Dalit Panthers of Tamil Nadu and of course the Congress. Rao said the Congress had
been supporting the cause of Dalit Christians for over two decades but the demand needed to be handled carefully as it had constitutional ramifications.

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and state Secretary B V Raghavulu, AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi, BSP Southern Region Coordinator Prof Suresh Mane and TDP leader and former minister J R Pushpa Raj assured the Dalit
Christians of their support in the movement. Mr. Raghavulu who assured that the Left parties would put pressure on the UPA government to bring a legislation in Parliament, added that he failed to understand why
the issue had not been settled when only the RSS and BJP objected to it.

Majlis leader Mr. Owaisi said Muslims and Dalit Christians should work closely to shoulder to achieve reservation and expressed his party's total support for the cause. Mr. Mane called upon Dalit Christians to grow into a powerful political force to get reservation as the Buddhists. He said Ms Mayawati had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanding reservation to Dalit Christians and had received an assurance that the Centre would examine the demand.

Four US Missionaries to be deported for violating visa rules

Mumbai, June. 13 2005

Four US nationals, who were assaulted by a group of people in western suburb of Malad on Saturday night on suspicion that they were Christian missionaries involved in conversion, would be deported for violating visa rules, police said today. Police suspect that the four US nationals had come to Mumbai with some specific mission and "their visit to Malad to address a congregation did not appear to be as simple as it meets the eye".

The US nationals, Philip Allan, Clover Edward, Richard Jenal and an unidentified person, were questioned by the Special Branch sleuths today, before police decided to deport them for violation of visa rules.

The action came after the local police station in Malad submitted a report to the Special Branch.

"The four US nationals will be deported by the next available flight for violation of visa conditions," Additional Police Commissioner (Special Branch), Bipin Bihari, told PTI without elaborating further.A Special Branch official said that Philip Allan, one of the four US nationals, has a multiple-entry visa and frequently visited India and
neighbouring Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

"He is not a business traveller and therefore his frequent visits to India and adjoining countries raises suspicion in the backdrop of the Malad incident," the official said.

Police said the role of a school teacher from Malad, who had arranged the congregation in which the US nationals had participated, was also being probed.

Apart from these four US nationals, there were four more US nationals who were present at the congregation, police said adding that they, however, left India yesterday. "We would have questioned them too, but laxity on the part of the local police helped them to leave the country," a Special Branch official said.

The official said that prima facie, it could not be substantiated whether the four US nationals belonged to any religious organisation or had visited Mumbai to propagate their religion. "Yet, there is something fishy about their visit which needs to be probed further," the official said.

The US nationals were attending a congregation on Saturday night, when a group of people allegedly assaulted them. Two persons were arrested in this connection but were released by a local court later.

Special Branch officials, however, denied that VHP or Shiv Sena members were involved in the assault. "This appears to be a spontaneous reaction from the Malvani residents, who thought the congregation was meant for conversions," police said.

M'rashtra deports 3 US missionaries

Mumbai, June 14

The Maharashtra Government late yesterday deported three Christian missionaries from the United States, two days after they were assaulted by local residents in suburban Mumbai.

The police said the three missionaries, Philip Craig Allen, Clover Steve Edwards and Richard Wayne Jenel, were questioned for carrying out evangelisation activities while in India on a tourist visa. They were put on a US-bound flight at a.m. after they could not provide satisfactory replies to the immigration authorities, the police said.
Another missionary, who was with the three, was, however not deported,the police said.

A group of eight missionaries, including some Indians, were assaulted bysuspected Shiv Sena activists on Saturday night while they were holding Bible classes at Malvani in suburban Mumbai. The local Koli, or fisherfolk, residents of the village alleged that the missionaries were luring Hindus to convert to Christianity.

Some Christian organisations in Mumbai have demanded a probe into the assault on and deportation of the missionaries.

Hindu Extremists Launch `Reconversion' Campaign in Northern India

World Hindu Council plans to `reconvert' 80,000 Dalits.

NEW DELHI, August 8 (Compass) -- Hindu extremists have launched a mass campaign to "reconvert" Christians from Dalit backgrounds in the north-central Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

The term Dalit is reserved for the so-called "untouchables" of India, who occupy the lowest place on the caste ladder of Hinduism.
Many Dalits convert out of Hinduism to escape the social ostracism and discrimination imposed on them by the caste system. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP or World Hindu Council) says it plans to convert at least 80,000 Dalit Christians to Hinduism in the Agra division of Uttar Pradesh by the end of this year, according to local newspaper reports.

Agra division is composed of seven districts, including the tourist town of Agra where the Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, is located. The division is also home to 638,000 Dalits.

The announcement of the VHP's new ghar vapsi or "homecoming" program comes in the wake of a survey conducted by Hindu organizations in Agra division. The survey claimed that over 200,000 Dalits in the region had converted to Christianity.

"Almost 90 percent of Dalits from the Valmiki community have come under the sway of baptization [sic] drives," the daily Pioneer reported in mid July.

Indrajit Arya, regional co-coordinator of the Hindu Jagran Vibhag, an arm of the VHP, said a large number of Christian converts still followed Hindu customs even after their conversion. "The women still observe the karwachauth fast [an annual fast carried out by wives for their husbands], the cross on their neck notwithstanding," he said.

The Pioneer report claimed that the VHP had already "reconverted" more than 18,000 Dalit Christians in the region over the past year. John Dayal, a member of India's National Integration Council and president of the All India Christian Council, told Compass that he was "amused" by the VHP's goals. "Which caste will [these Dalits] profess after they become Hindus?" Dayal asked. "Will the VHP make them all Brahmins [the highest caste
in Hinduism] so they can live with dignity ... Or will they be forced to live with other Dalits in filthy ghettos?"

Contrary to the allegations of Hindu groups, Dayal said Agra had a Christian population of fewer than 100,000. "However, it does have a 400-year-old Christian tradition," he acknowledged.

He also objected to the term reconversion, a phrase that "has no legal or theological meaning in India." According to Dayal, most Dalits are traditionally animists or follow tribal religions and therefore cannot be "reconverted" back to Hinduism.

"These homecoming ceremonies are a strategy of Hindu fundamentalist groups ... based on deceit and force, and often done under the supervision of armed thugs," he continued.

"I hope some day the state and federal governments will wake up to this danger, and instead of harassing Indian-born evangelists and priests, take due action against this political brigandry."

Oppressed by higher caste Hindus for hundreds of years, Dalits generally have been responsive to the gospel. They account for approximately 60 percent of India's Christian population of 24 million, according to 2001 census figures.

Second Indian State to Strengthen Anti-Conversion Law Thirty-five Christians detained after praying for a sick villager.

NEW DELHI, August 15 (Compass) -- Attempts to strengthen the state anti-conversion law in Chattisgarh state, India, have been held up due to "technical problems," according to a government official.

"The Chattisgarh Dharma Swatantraya Adhiniyam (Freedom of Religion Act) is already in force, but we want to make some amendments in it to make it more effective," Brij Mohan Agarwal, the state law minister and former home minister, told Compass.

Under the proposed amendments, any person wishing to convert -- and any religious leader involved in the conversion -- must contact district officials 30 days in advance. Officials must approve the conversion before it takes place.

If the amendments are accepted, anyone found guilty of attempting to convert someone forcefully or fraudulently may be imprisoned for up to four years and fined up to 100,000 rupees ($2,290).

Under existing provisions, an offender may be imprisoned for up to two years and fined a maximum of 10,000 rupees ($229).

While Agarwal said the proposed changes were on hold due to "technical problems," Kaviraj Lal, a local member of the Christian Legal Association of India (CLAI), said the opposition Congress Party had objected to the changes.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), still ruling in Chattisgarh, first suggested the amendments in 2003. Chattisgarh Gov. Lt. Gen. K. M. Seth told the state assembly in December of that year that the anti- conversion law would be "stricter" under BJP rule. BJP ministers felt the existing law was not rigorously enforced and
contained too many loopholes.

As politicians clash over the bill, police officers have used other legal means to harass Christians.

According to Lal of CLAI, "In at least two recent incidents, police have used Section 151(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) to arrest Christian workers without any arrest warrant or legal formalities."

Section 151(1) of the CrPC states, "A police officer knowing of a design to commit any cognizable offence may arrest, without orders from the Magistrate and without a warrant, the person so designing, if it appears to such officer that the commission of the offence cannot be otherwise prevented."

On July 10, police detained 35 Christians, mostly women and children, belonging to the Gosner Evangelical Lutheran Church (GELC), in the town of Ambikapur in Chattisgarh's Sarguja district, on suspicion of attempted conversion.

"We were taken to the police station at about 11 p.m. after we prayed in the house of Kailash Ram," Vijay Nikunj, a 35-year old member of the GELC and one of the accused, told Compass.

Ram had hosted a small thanksgiving dinner for the Christians who had prayed for his healing from an illness several days earlier. "While the thanksgiving prayer was on, eight young men who identified themselves as part of the Judeo Sena (followers of Dileep Singh Judeo, a local leader of the BJP) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP or World Hindu Council) broke in and started manhandling us," Nikunj explained. "They also phoned the police station alleging that we had come to the village for conversions. The police came immediately and took us to the police station."

The police released the Christians on July 11 but registered a First Information Report against Nikunj and his sister, Salen Nikunj, who had both prayed for Ram. A court case is pending.

Earlier, police arrested four Christians in a village in Chattisgarh's Durg district, after local villagers accused them of attempted conversion. (See Compass Direct, "Hindu Extremists Attack Church in Chattisgarh, India," June 9.)
India's federal government created Chattisgarh state in November 2000, splitting it from Madhya Pradesh. Chattisgarh retained the Freedom of Religion Act adopted by Madhya Pradesh in 1968.