Anti-Christian violence spreads across India

September 15, 2008

Twenty Catholic and Pentecostal churches were attacked on Sunday in the southwestern Indian state of Karnataka. In the eastern Indian state of Orissa, some Christians believe that Hindus, not Maoists, are behind the murder of the 85-year-old Hindu leader whose death led to widespread violence against Christians there. In the adjacent east-central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, Hindu activists temporarily forced a Catholic school principal from her position after she refuses to accede to their demands to replace a statue of the Blessed Mother with a statue of a Hindu goddess.

In a separate burst of violence apparently associated with religion, a series of Saturday-night bombings in New Delhi claimed 22 lives and left 130 injured. Within minutes after the first blast, an Islamic group called 'Indian Mujahuddin' sent emails to media claiming responsibility for the blasts, challenging the government to 'catch us if you can.' Earlier the same group had claimed responsibility for the 16 bomb blasts that rocked the western Gujarat state on July 26 that left 49 dead and over 150 injured; the Islamic militants justified the blasts as 'revenge' for the 2002 carnage against Muslims in Gujarat.

"The bomb blast in Delhi is a dastardly act by those who have scant regard for human life and its sanctity," lamented the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI). "As a civilized society, we must endeavor to defeat such nefarious designs of the misguided elements of society."

 

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Further information:

• Karnataka churches attacked; Christians accuse police of inaction (AsiaNews)
• Tension mounts with Karnatka attacks (ICNS)
• Karnatka bishops condemn violence (ICNS)
• Orissa Christians suspect Hindu hand behind Saraswati murder (UCAN)
• School brings back principal; Hindus had forced nun out (UCAN)