The Scenario

The present situation in most of villages is like a man-made desert. Everywhere there are heaps of ashes, charcoal, and broken pieces. People cannot believe the VHP’s:-

• well planned attacks
• organized vandalism
• pre-planned looting, arson & robbery
• meticulous destruction
• local police as silent spectators
• sheer devastation
• quick destruction
• barbaric mutilation
The situation looks like after a war. During the winter Christians had been deprived of a roof above their heads. If you make a round through the villages, you will feel & hear testimony from victims that one of the following things are true:
➢ India is not a democratic country or
➢ There is at least no rule of law in this place
➢ Hindu fundamentalists are on the ruling throne of the nation

Many are still in hiding or missing, and there is still much fear. We appeal for assistance and justice in light of this horrible events. But the justice has been delayed and equally denied.
The allegations for hate are: the Missionary convert the masses to Christianity, Christians receive foreign funds for the conversion.

Is spreading faith a crime?

Attrocities against the Christians

Says Fr. Santosh, “It all started when, on 24 December 2007, our permission to celebrate Christmas in the town square was revoked. Our stall keepers arrived and were told that they had to go back home. There must have been tensions as well. Then two hundred men armed with clubs suddenly emerged from the forest and the violence erupted to torch Christians in Kandhamal district, Orissa. The Police and Government officials stood by as the Churches, houses and businesses burned. Burning, looting and deaths went unchecked for weeks. 1400 houses burned, 70 houses looted and destroyed. Thousands left homeless, hungry and hiding in the jungles. Forest was the only refuge for them. On return, they were forced to forsake faith. There was a ceremony of burning the Holy Bibles, hymn seats and Christian booklets. No Christian leader was allowed to visit them and no Christian Organization were permitted to do relief works.

The Christians were blamed for the killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, who instigated the attacks and carefully targeted Christians throughout Kandhamal District, Orissa.

The Christians were murdered without mercy as a reason of Swami Laxmanananda`s death which was not the only reason but the true hidden agenda is: in may of 2009, general elections will be held in India. The BJP – the Hindu nationalist party, defeated in 2004 by the alliance of the Congress Party and the left – is aiming at a comeback. And as the violence against the Muslims in Gujrat demonstrated in 2002 – inciting tension among religious groups is the most effective way to consolidate the ranks.

Christians in India

From when onwards the Christians are in India ?

How it is that in 21 century there are martyrs in India?

For understanding this we must take a quick view of the past.

According to the tradition, St. Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ, came to India in 52 A.D., and landed at kodungallur on the Malabar (presently Kerala). He preached the Gospel to the Brahmin families of Kerala, many of whom received the faith and through his preaching the Church of Siro-Malabar was born. It is also a tradition that he frequently visited Malayattoor hills for Prayer. Later, he moved on to the east coast of India. He was martyred in 72 A.D. by a fanatic at Little Mount (near Madras) and his body was brought to Mylapore (near Madras) and was buried there. His tomb is venerated until this day.

At the St. Thomas Day celebration in New Delhi on December 18, 1955, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the then President of India, said: “St. Thomas came to India when many of the countries of Europe had not yet become Christians, and so those Indians who trace their Christianity to him have a longer and a higher ancestry than that of Christians of many of the European countries.

It would be appropriate to cite here an extract from the radio message of Pope Pius XII on 31 December, 1952 on the occasion of the 19th century celebrations of the arrival of the Apostle in India: “Nineteen hundred years have passed since the Apostle came to India.

Christianity in India is the third-largest religion, with approximately 24 million followers, constituting 2.3% of India’s population. Around 70% of Christians in India are Roman Catholics and the rest mainly Protestants Orthodox.

The Christian presence in India is most visible in the form of educational institutions, social services and the hospitals run by Christian organizations. If the christians have been in India from the beginning of the Christianity and their presence is visible in good works and for the welfare of the people of India then why this flood of hated against Christians this moment. why the fanatic hindus wants to do away with Christians, why they say Hindu, Hindu Bhai Bhai and Christians why. There is a saying in India, "Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Issai, Hum hai sab Bhai Bhia. The reason is that the Christians are converting the masses but Christians working for the uplift of the downtrodden.

The Freedom of Religion

In accordance to the guidelines laid down by the preamble the office of the Chief electoral Officer envisages to secure for the state a free and secular system of democratic regime as advocated for by the constitution of India and to provide for its inhabitants-justice, equality, liberty and fraternity.

When we walk on the roads of any city of India one thing is very evident that the Indians are very religious people. In fact, the four great religions of the world were born here: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. Christianity and Islam arrived in the beginning of the first millennium after Christ and thus rendering the religions various cultures and religious expressions. The great majority of religion is Hinduism (Hindu 80.5%) after comes Islam (13.4%), and Christians among the minorities are (2.3%), Sikhs (1.9%) , others 1.8% ( this is according to the census of 2001).

With many religions and cultures how the Indians are able to live together?

In fact, it is not very easy. In the last few months we have seen a flood of violence in India in which Christians are persecuted not only for the cause of their faith but also for the cause of good works they offer to our poor brothers and sisters in India.

Uploaded on authorSTREAM by ahangharii

With billion people, the Republic of India is the world’s largest democracy. With a population nearly four times that of the United States. Though the majority of the people are Hindu, (Hindu 80.5%, Muslims 13.4%, Christians 2.3%, Sikhs 1.9% , others 1.8% (2001), India is a secular nation with constitutional freedoms of speech and religion and , generally speaking , the government works to protect those freedoms.

The caste system is deeply entrenched in Indian society. Until the middle of the twentieth century, “The Untouchables” were for centuries regarded as the refuse of society. In 1950, their name was changed to “Dalits” and they given a “Scheduled Caste” status. While most upper caste opinions remain the same to this day, the 1950 law guarantees a certain quota of Dalits in specific societal institutions. However, Dalit converts to other religions lose their Scheduled Caste status. Thus denying them basic human rights in many cases.

Christians have often faced oppositions due to the deterioration of freedoms under the influence of militant Hindus at the federal level . Despite the changes in the federal government, however, persecution is far from over. Contrary to the action taken in Tamil Nadu, which was the first of several states to adopt anti-conversion legislation under the BJP, was also the first to repeal that law when the government changed hands. Anti-conversion laws remain in place in seven states (Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Arunachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh), giving support to militant groups and resulting in ongoing violence against Christians.