Indian cardinal assesses Hindu fundamentalist persecution
June 17, 2009
An Indian cardinal believes that Hindu fundamentalists-- whom he estimates at 11% of the nation’s population-- persecute Christians because they fear the prospects of a mass conversion to Christianity among dalits (untouchables). “In the eyes of the fundamentalists, the Muslims are also enemies of India, but Muslims retaliate so they are leaving them alone. The Christians they see as a threat they can eliminate,” says Cardinal Telesphore Placidus Toppo of Ranchi, capital of the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, which adjoins Orissa, where persecution has left 50,000 homeless. The fundamentalists’ “focus is particularly on tribe members, because the highest number of conversions takes place among them, as among the dalit, or ‘untouchables.’ Despite having undergone many persecutions throughout history, the tribal groups have maintained their own language and social system, so if they convert, they can form a middle class.”
“Obviously, if the 100 million dalits and the 70 million tribals were to convert,” he continued, “this would amount to an immense political and social shift.”
For all current news, visit our News home page.
Further information:
All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a current donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!
