Hyderabad, April 25, 2000

CMs Culpable for Anti-Christian Violence, aicc Tells PM

The All India Christian Council and All India Catholic Union have said that the Prime Minister must tell the Chief Ministers that they will be personally responsible for the spate of anti-Christian violence in their states. In a joint statement today, the aicc and AICU expressed deep concern at the attack on nuns in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the eve of Easter, as well as the burning of copies of the Holy Bible in Agra and attacking a group of Hyderabad Christians who were celebrating Good Friday and Easter with their church in Agra. They expressed concern of the vicious anti-Christian mood fermented by the local Bajrang Dal and Sangh Parivar.

The aicc and AICU sent a team of academicians and human rights activists including John Dayal, and Jesuit Fathers Jacob and Sebastian to Mathura to assess the situation in western UP. The aicc/AICU statement reminded authorities that though each incident of violence had its own genesis, they were knit in a pattern because of the campaign of hate and openly declared mission of the Sangh Parivar that they will oppose missionary activity in the country using force if required. In the latest incident in Haryana 3 nuns of the FMM order going to the midnight Easter mass at the Rewari Catholic Church were stalked and attacked by unknown men on a scooter on Saturday/Sunday midnight. The condition of one of the nuns is serious. She has been admitted to the intensive care unit of the Holy Family Hospital where she was rushed from Rewari yesterday. This is the fifth case of attacks on nuns and priests in Haryana this year. In neighboring UP, 7 such attacks have taken place in the last few months bringing to 12 the attacks on Christians and religious institutions since the new year in 2 states. The aicc/AICU statement said that it would not suffice to make polite noises and that an environment has been created in which anyone with criminal intent or political motive can attack the minorities, especially helpless nuns and priests and terrorise the entire community. The malicious violence takes place in the back drop of the continual hate campaign of the Sangh Parivar against minority communities, particularly Christians.

The small Christian community of Mathura district, among them families of soldiers in the cantonment areas and employees of Mathura refineries celebrated Easter, the day of the resurrection of Jesus Christ with solemnity and joy in catholic and Protestant churches in the city. The shadow of the violence that has stalked the state since the beginning of the year was palpable and was referred to in homilies and prayers during the ceremonies.

The western region of UP has seen 7 cases of violence against Christians in recent weeks. On March 12, a technical training institute run by the Carpuchin Fathers in Surya Nagar was attacked and ransacked followed by an attack on another Carpuchin institute in Ghazidabad on March 31. Next, on March 6 a mob of thugs and some disgruntled parents attacked the Sacred Heart School along with Maria Parera the principle. On April 10 the Assistant Parish Priest of St. Dominic Church in Mathura and the principle of St. Dominic school, Father Dabre were also assaulted. A day later Father KK Thomas was beaten close to death with hand rods and two nuns were brutally wounded on attack on a school and the Sacred Heart convent in Kosaikoan, also near Mathura. In the most recent case on April 16 a convent was attacked in Bijnor.

It is not surprising that violence again Christians takes place with such regularity in UP as the criminal intentions of the current government is obvious and in statements of ministers, keeping watch over Christians schools and Muslim madrasas. The statement pointed out that the UP education minister spelled out his 6 month program of keeping watch on Christian schools. Such legislation and pronouncements encourage criminal elements, and coupled with the unending hate campaign of the Sangh Parivar make it inevitable that there is violence against minorities.

Statement given by Joseph D'Souza, chairman, All India Christian Council and John Dayal, National Secretary for Public Affairs, All India Christian Council.