New report documents violence against Karnataka Christians

February 25, 2011

A senior high court judge in the southwestern Indian state of Karnataka has completed a report documenting the link between the ruling Hindu nationalist BJP party and hundreds of incidents of anti-Christian violence in recent years. Justice Michael Saldanha based his report on investigations that heard from 3,000 people.

“The Catholic Church will present the new Saldanha Report to the federal government of India, demanding action be taken against the government of Karnataka,” said Father Charles Irudayam, secretary of the Indian bishops’ commission for justice, peace, and development.

The Saldanha report, undertaken at the behest of a Christian organization, contradicts an earlier report that absolved the local government, police, and Hindu groups of responsibility for violent attacks on Christians. The earlier report led to nonviolent protests by tens of thousands of Christians.

 

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Further information:

• A new report on anti-Christian violence “re-establishes the truth”: the Church presents report to the Federal Government (Fides)
• India: 18 bishops fast to protest Karnataka commission report (CWN, 2/22)