[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 12 (Monday, January 26, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E112-E114]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
LIST OF INCIDENTS TARGETING THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY IN INDIA
______
HON. JOSEPH R. PITTS
of pennsylvania
in the house of representatives
Monday, January 26, 2015
Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, the following list of incidents of religious
persecution targeting the Christian community in India was compiled by
the Evangelical Fellowship of India, a charter member of the World
Evangelical Alliance and an accredited NGO with the Economic and Social
Council of the United Nations.
The Evangelical Fellowship of India expresses concern at
the alarming rate at which the Christian community is being
targeted in India. The EFI's Religious Liberty Commission
recorded more than 38 incidents targeting the Christian
community in November-December 2014, with 31 incidents taking
place in December alone. The incidents range from physical
violence, false accusations, disruption of church services/
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Christmas functions, to the hate campaigns and the pressure
to convert to Hinduism that the Christian community is facing
almost on a daily basis in India.
List of Incidents State wise
Uttar Pradesh--13 incidents
Madhya Pradesh--8 incidents
Chhattisgarh--4 incidents
Delhi--4 incidents
Punjab--2 incidents
Bihar--2 incidents
Tamil Nadu--1 incident
Karnataka--1 incident
Assam--1 incident
Andhra Pradesh--1 incident
Gujarat--1 incident
Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh (4th November 2014)
Members of Bajrang Dal attacked 7 Christians including one
Pastor from Mumbai, beat them up and got them arrested in
Bhopal. The Christians were stripped and beaten mercilessly
by fists and belts, causing internal injuries.
Indore, Madhya Pradesh (7th November 2014)
A Christian was falsely accused, detained and later
arrested on allegations of forced conversions in Indore.
According to reports from local sources, Hindu extremists
threw cross necklaces in the house where the Christians had
gathered and then stormed inside alleging forced conversions.
A police complaint alleging that the Christian was forcing
them to wear cross necklaces and hence converting them was
filed at the local police complaint. The Christian was
detained for over four hours at the Chandan Nagar Police
Station post the incident and was released later.
Udumalpet, Tamil Nadu (16th November 2014)
Over 100 Hindu extremists attacked a Christian community in
Udumalpet, Tamil Nadu. The community was attacked when they
were participating in a prayer service. The attackers not
only beat the Christians present but also burnt more than 20
vehicles belonging to the Christians. They desecrated Bibles,
burnt the altar of the Church and destroyed Church property
including musical instruments. The Christians were threatened
even when they were being treated for injuries at the local
hospital.
Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh (16th November 2014)
Members of the VHP and the Bajrang Dal stormed the Sunday
worship service of the Masihi Aradhna Church in Rajnandgaon,
Chhattisgarh and beat the Church members up. The attackers
were looking for the Pastor who was hidden by the Church
members as there was a threat to his life.
Kolar, Karnataka (23rd November 2014)
Hindu extremists attacked the Calvary Apostolic Church in
Bangarapet, Karnataka. They beat up Church members resulting
in eight church members seriously injured. Two members among
the eight injured suffered broken legs.
Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh (26th November 2014)
Media reports carried the news that under pressure from the
VHF, the Catholic missionaries in Bastar area of Chhattisgarh
state have agreed that the principals in their schools.
normally referred to as ``Father'', would now be addressed as
``Pracharya'', or ``Up-pracharya''. or ``Sir''. The reports
also mentioned that the missionaries have also agreed to put
up photographs of ``Maa Saraswati'' and ``great personalities
who have worked for national interest'' in their educational
institutions. Local Catholic sources have denied such an
agreement and complained of pressure from the VHP.
Assam (26th November 2014)
Pastor of the Believers Church in Moran Amguri, Sivasagar
District of Assam received threats from local Hindu leaders
to vacate the building that the congregation uses for Church
services in one months time or face the consequences.
Delhi (1st December 2014)
A Catholic church in East Delhi's Dilshad Garden area, St
Sebastian's Church, was completely gutted in a fire, in the
early hours of 1st December 2014. Later, Christians took to
the streets to protest the burning, and demanded a judicial
enquiry as foul play is suspected. The Governor of Delhi has
instituted a Special Investigation Team to probe into the
matter.
Delhi (2nd December 2014)
Four unidentified men broke into the Catholic convent in
Rohini area of Delhi. The CCTV captured the images when the
break in happened.
Delhi (6th December 2014)
Unidentified people pelted Our Lady of Fatema Church with
stones during mass at about 6 p.m in the Jasola area of New
Delhi damaging windows and causing the Syro-Malabar Catholic
congregation to rush out in alarm.
Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh (9th December 2014)
The RSS and the Dharma Jagran Manch announced that they
planned to convert 4000 Christian and 1000 Muslim families in
Aligarh on Christmas Day. BJP MP Yogi Adityanath supported
the event visibly among others. The organizers said that
Christmas was chosen as the day for conversion because the
event is a ``shakti pariksha'' (test of strength) for both
religions.
Ludhiana, Punjab (11th December 2014)
Members of the Shiv Sena attacked the Kalvari Church,
Ludhiana prompting the police to deploy heavy security to
protect the Church building. Shiv Sena members later
surrounded the local police station alleging forced
conversion.
Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh (12th December 2014)
Newspapers reported that the Dharam Jagran Samiti (DJS), an
RSS offshoot, distributed pamphlets in Aligarh seeking
donations for converting Christians and Muslims to Hinduism.
The pamphlet said that it costs Rs 2 lakh to convert a
Christian and Rs 5 lakh to convert a Muslim. The DJS had set
December 25 as the date for a major conversion ceremony and
put down an annual target of 2 lakh conversions--1 lakh
Muslims and 1 lakh Christians in the area.
Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh (12th December 2014)
Members of the Bajrang Dal stormed a Christian meeting in
Ratlam. Madhya Pradesh along with the media and the police
forcing the organizers to cancel the meeting. The organizers
and the speakers of the meeting were taken to the police
station but were later released. CSP P S Ranawat told the
media that no evidence about the alleged conversions, forced
or otherwise. was found in the initial probe by the police.
Bastar, Chhattisgarh (13th December 2014)
NDTV and other national media organizations reported that
the BJP Lok Sabha MP from Bastar, Dinesh Kashyap presided
over a ceremony that saw 33 Christian families being
converted to Hinduism. The local Christians had complained of
pressure from VHP and BJP earlier asking them to convert to
Hinduism.
Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh (13th December 2014)
Christians were attacked and beaten by Hindu extremists for
singing Christmas carols in Hyderabad, seriously injuring a
pastor and four others. The violence occurred while Pastor
Bhim Nayak of Banjara Baptist Church and fifteen church
members sang Christmas carols and visited Christian families
in the city's Singareny Colony. Local reports say that some
thirty ``Hindu extremists'' attacked the Christians and a
vehicle they had hired for the evening festivities.
Pipraich, Uttar Pradesh (16th December 2014)
Christians including 4 women were arrested from a Christmas
function at Navipur village, Pipraich, Uttar Pradesh and were
kept in custody for more than 20 hours before being released.
They were accused by Hindu groups of indulging in forced
conversion but the police let them go after a detailed
investigation.
Behraich, Uttar Pradesh (16th December 2014)
Pastor Mahendra Kumar from Behraich, Uttar Pradesh was
arrested and kept in custody for two days before being
released without any charges. He was arrested following
complaints of local Hindu groups. The Hindu groups are also
targeting a Christian social service organization working in
the area, according to local reports.
Bhagalpur, Bihar (18th December 2014)
Three Christians who had recently converted to Christianity
were forced to re-convert to Hinduism. According to media
reports the three converts returned to the Hindu fold after
they were threatened with a social boycott.
Uttar Pradesh (18th December 2014)
Dharm Jagran Manch leader Rajeshwar Singh told media that
his organization plans to root out Christianity and Islam
from India by December 31, 2021, adding that Christians and
Muslims essentially have no right to live in the country.
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (19th December 2014)
Hindu extremists disrupted a Christian prayer meeting and
beat up Christians in Varanasi on December 19, 2014. Pastor
Shobhnath and local Christians were participating in prayer
and fasting in a village in Chiraigaon Block, Varanasi, when
10-12 people came in a Bolero (SUV), entered the house
forcefully, and started beating the Christians. They took
away Bible and other literature and also destroyed household
furniture. According to local sources the attackers are
office bearers of RSS and BJP. The matter was reported to the
local police.
Valsad, Gujarat (19th December 2014)
According to media reports. Vishwa Hindu Parishad
``officially brought back to the Hindu fold'' some 100
Christian tribals who had ``embraced Hinduism earlier'' in
south Gujarat. VHP activists later claimed as many as 900 had
been ``reconverted''. The 'zhar wapsi' ceremony was conducted
this afternoon at Arnai, a village in Kaprada taluka of
Valsad district. A news website called scroll.in later
investigated the issue and did not find a single convert in
the area, a far cry from what was claimed by the VHP.
Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh (19th December 2014)
A week after insisting that there was no evidence of
conversion, forced or otherwise, the Ratlam Police booked
Pastor Jose Mathews, the organiser of a Christian convention
under the state's anti-conversion law. The convention
organised by the Indian Pentecostal Church of God and the
United Christian Council (UCC) on December 12, at Ratlam was
attended by Christians and was stormed by Bajrang Dal people
alleging conversions.
Chhattisgarh (20th December 2014)
Media reports said that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA)
is getting ready to clear
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the controversial anti-conversion Bill passed by the
Chhattisgarh Assembly in 2006. The Dharma Swatantraya
Adhiniyam Act, 2006, brought by BJP's Raman Singh government
in the state says the return of a person to his ancestor's
religion or own original religion shall not be construed as
``conversion.'' The Bill also says that a district magistrate
will have to be intimated 30 days prior to the conversion and
he will be the final authority on the subject.
Punjab (21st December 2014)
In media reports, the RSS and its affiliates claimed that
they are engaged in a massive reconversion or ``ghar wapsi''
programme to get Christians back--not just to Hinduism, but
also to Sikhism, in Punjab. The organizations claim to have
helped some 8,000 people `return home' in the last three
years, some 3,500 of them over the last one year.
Delhim (21st December 2014)
RSS announced that it will organize a reconversion rally at
Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi on Christmas day with at least
25000 people in attendance.
Khargone, Madhya Pradesh (24th December 2014)
A Christian couple, Wilson and Rashmita, was taken into
custody under the state's anti-conversion law from a village
near district headquarters Khargone, Madhya Pradesh. The
couple were a part of a Christmas program held on 24th
December at Nayanagar, about 28 kilometres from Khargone,
where they live. Members of a Hindu group who alleged
conversions disrupted the Christmas program and called the
police who then arrested the couple. According to local
sources, the Hindu groups produced false witnesses against
the couple alleging that they had offered 5000 Rupees every
month to a woman if she converts to Christianity.
Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh (24th December 2014)
Akash Sisodia from Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh was attacked by
members of the Bajrang Dal while he was leading a Christmas
prayer service in Ujjain Madhya Pradesh. According to
reports, the Bajrang Dal people who were accompanied by the
police and media people produced false witnesses and got
Sisodia arrested. He was kept in custody for three days
before being released, as charges against him could not be
substantiated.
Uttar Pradesh (25th December 2014)
Seven people including two pastors were arrested on
Christmas day from Urai. Raibareily and Kushinagar areas of
Uttar Pradesh. The Christians were arrested on after BJP
members complained of forcible conversions. However according
to media reports no such conversions could be verified.
Barloi, Mau, Uttar Pradesh (25th December 2014)
Police stopped a Christmas function in Barloi village of
Uttar Pradesh following objections by Hindu groups. Local BJP
leader Dr. Alka Roy was also accompanying the police as they
forced the Christians to stop the Christmas function.
Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh (25th December 2014)
Police in Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh, stopped a Christmas
celebration following complaints by Hindu groups alleging
conversions. However according to media reports, no evidence
of any conversion was found after investigation. The
Christmas celebrations were organized at the home of one
Shankar Lal Verma in Kharagjeet Nagar, Mainpuri. After Hindu
groups complained the police reached the spot, stopped the
celebrations, dispersed the gathered people and arrested
Shankar Lal. He was later released as the charges against him
were not proved true.
Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh (26th December 2014)
Christians were attacked during a Christmas celebration in
village Coloni near Khandwa. The mob cornered the Christians
just about they were going to have lunch and threw stones at
them. Later the police came and arrested 13 Christians
including three very young children, 8 months, 4 years and 7
years and took them to Borgaon police station where they were
charged under IP 295 A. The Christians including the children
were in police custody till 31st December 2014 till their
bail was secured. Earlier Hindu groups in the district court
also roughed up a lawyer who appeared for the Christians. The
groups told the lawyer to get off the case and not represent
the Christians anymore.
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (27th December 2014)
Police arrested Pastor Ashok Prajapati from Varanasi
following allegations of forcible conversions. According to
reports, Hindu groups as well as the police threatened him
and asked him to stop holding prayer meetings in the area. He
was released in the evening the same day.
Amethi, Uttar Pradesh (27th December 2014)
BJP leaders and Bajrang Dal people threatened Pastor
Ramchand from Amethi, Uttar Pradesh of dire consequences if
he carries on with worship services in the area. The pastor
left the village keeping in mind his own security and has
approached the local police for protection.
Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh (27th December 2014)
More than 25 members of the Youth wing of the BJP and other
Hindu groups stormed into the Sam Higginbottom university
alleging conversions. The attackers tore banners with Bible
verses written on them, shouted anti-Christian slogans, burnt
the effigy of the vice chancellor of the University, Dr. R B
Lall, and entered into a fight with the security personnel.
Two of them were caught and handed over to the police.
Gaya, Bihar (28th December 2014)
Christians in Gaya, Bihar sought police protection after
several outfits of the Hindu right-wing threatened them of
dire consequences if they do not convert to Hinduism. In a
petition containing two pages of signatures, given to the
police, the Christians accused the VHP, the RSS and the
Bajrang Dal of indulging in intimidation and force.
Indore, Madhya Pradesh 128th December 2014)
Hindu extremist groups forcibly took two Catholic
missionaries to police station after disrupting an interfaith
meeting organized at the Geeta Bhavan. Indore. Madhya
Pradesh. The activists of Bajrang Dal and Dharma Jagran Manch
accused Father Prasad and Brother Sleeva of trying to convert
Hindus to Christianity. They demanded that the police arrest
the missionaries, after registering a First Information
Report against them. The missionaries were however, let off
as charges against them proved to be frivolous. The next day
the Hindu groups proceeded to purify Geeta Bhavan by pouring
milk and cow urine on the place where the missionaries had
been participating in the interfaith meeting.
Deoria, Uttar Pradesh (28th December 2014)
Members of Hindu Yuva Vahini and the police disrupted a
Christian worship service at Salempur, Deoria district, Uttar
Pradesh. Jaswant Masih and his wife Suman, who have been
conducting prayer services for many years in their own home,
were arrested and taken to the police station following
complaints by the Hindu groups that the couple were involved
in forcible conversions. Later, Police, denied any incident
of conversion. ``A Christian family has been organising
prayers for past many years and people go there. It is just a
matter of faith and nothing else,'' said inspector Ram Yadav.
____________________