Secunderabad, 4 December 2000

Evangelical Bishop Ezra Sargunam on indefinite hunger fast in Vyara (Surat district) protesting vandalism of Tribal church

South Gujarat tense again in Christmas Season as Sangh parivar targets minority community: Explosive situation in Chindiya village

Criminals go scot free; Tribal Christians denied right to worship in the five year old church they built with their own hands

All India Christian Council says there is a conspiracy against Church in Gujarat's tribal areas

A special investigation team of the All India Christian council led by its Secretary General John Dayal which toured the South Gujarat areas of Surat district has charged the State government and the Sangh Parivar of hatching a conspiracy against the Christian churches in the tribal areas covering the Surat and Dangs district on the eve of the Christmas season. These areas have been scene of repeated violence since 1998 when three dozen tribal churches were burnt or demolished by vandals of the Parivar. No one has yet been punished for that crime or any other anti Christian violence in the state in the last three years.

The State administration, and the local police, have been silent spectators while a group over 400 people, led by the local Vishwa Hindu Parishad president Bagu Jania ( alleged to belong to the same group which had last year staged a 'shilanyas' at the site of a Church in Halmodi, in this region) attacked the tribal Evangelical church at Chindiya in Vyara taluka of Surat district in the early hours of 26th November 2000.

Bishop Ezra Sargunam, the spiritual head of the Evangelical churches of India to which the Chindia church is affiliated, rushed to the spot on 27th November and has gone on a protest indefinite Fast against the attitude of the local police which is siding with the vandals. The bishop was injured when a policeman tried to pull him away from near the church that day. The Bishop is a diabetic and his condition is deteriorating, John Dayal and team have met the District collecter, Ms Sangeeta Singh and Surat district rural police superintendent KLN Rao.

Dayal in his meeting with the district authorities in Surat after returning from Chindia cautioned them that the situation in the village is explosive with rumor that the Sangh parivar is trying to forcibly convert the church into a temple. Expressing his concern that the police had taken no action so far against the vandals, Dayal demanded the immediate arrest of all those who are involved in the attack on the church, and whose identity is well known to the police.

The Church presents a tragic sight. The Holy Cross on the pinnacle of its roof has been pulled down and a saffron flag hoisted in its place. The iron grills on the windows, each bearing the sign of the Cross, were torn out of the walls. Inside the church, the altar was desecrated, and pictures of other gods installed. Bishop Ezra alleged that a policeman connived in the installation of a idol inside the premises of the church. Local tribal Christians had tears in their eyes as they came to the Bishop who was lying on the verandah of a believer's hut near the church.

The church stands on a piece of land which was once owned by a a Parsee absentee landlord. Some years ago, he gave away his land to a group of local tribals, including one Punyabhai. Punyabhai subsequently had the land transferred in his name in the official records. Six years ago, he and his co-owners donated a piece of the land to the tribal Christian community to which they all belonged themselves. They helped in the raising of the church together with the Pastor, Amar Singh Choudhury, also a tribal. Punyabhai had apparently been the focus of attention of the local VHP since 1998 and they were persuading him to renounce his Christian faith. A couple of months ago, they succeeded. Punyabhai reportedly said he was no longer a Christian. Egged on by the VHP, Punyabhai said he wanted the land back.

The local tribal Christian community was however been continuously worshipping in the church, a community property, for the last five years.

The Christian community was rudely shaken when on the dark hours of the 26th November 2000 a mob led by Bagu Jania attacked the church, damaged and desecrated it, and tried to immediately convert it into a temple.

The police came hours later, and has since then prevented the Christian community from coming close to the Church, or worshipping in it.

The district administration is pleading its helplessness. They say Punyabhai has a court order from the lower courts for his rights to the land. The district collector had no answer when asked if anyone responsible for the destruction, and desecration of the church, had been booked by the police. She also would not comment asked about the right of tribals to worship as the local Christian community in their Church that had been for the past five years.

John Dayal told the district collector that despite the presence of some policemen at the spot, there is no sense of confidence among the local people who allege that some local policemen are favouring the culprits. There is also an attempt to stoke tension in the village by the Parivar.

We heard reports of efforts to intimidate the Christian population. The situation is already alarming. We apprehend a rapid deterioration of the situation unless immediate action is taken.

The All India Christian Council is writing to the President, the Prime Minister and the Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission to order the state government to take strong action to ensure that no one makes an attempt to enter the Church, and that no one tries to convert the Church into a temple, as has been threatened openly.

It is the responsibility of the Government of Gujarat through the district administration to ensure the freedom of religion and worship of the minority Christian community in the state, and specially in the Chindia village of Vyara, Surat district, where it is directly under threat of lawlessness communal elements. The administration must not succumb to political pressure of the Sangh parivar.

The Special Team of the Council consisted of :Mr John Dayal, Mr Samson Christian, Mr Sam Paul, Mr Cecil Philips, and Mr Julius Engineer.