Indian Christians suffer persecution on Christmas day
ICC Note:
Hindu extremists drive through state capital with 50 vehicles warning people that they were going to close down any kind of Christmas celebration.
AsiaNews (12/28/06) ย Indiaยs Christian minority ยhas been the object of various attacks on Christmas eve and on Christmas day itselfย by fanatical Hindu nationalists ยwho have prepared a hate campaign for the purpose of destroying it,ย this according to the All India Christian Council, an organisation representing all of the countryยs Christian denominations.
Arun Pannalal, general secretary of the Chhatisgarh Christian Forum, said that ยon Christmas eve some 50 vehicles carrying Hindu nationalists drove through the streets of Raipur, the capital of this central Indian state, warning people that they would close down any form of Christmas celebrationย.
Not satisfied with their action, ยthey beat up a teacher whom they accused of handing out bibles in school. Despite the fact that the accusations were false, the woman was arrested by the police on charges of forced conversions.ย
Members of a fringe Hindu group, Dharma Sena, attacked a Christian clergyman on the same pretext because he was giving some sweets to children on Christmas day. He, too, is now in prison.
In Punjab, local police arrested a pastor from the Good Shepherd Community Churches, releasing him after warning him of serious consequences ยif he celebrated Christmas speaking about Christ.ย
Two other Protestant leaders received the same treatment. They were arrested on December 23 and released the next day after they were warned ยnot to preach the Gospel anymoreย.
For the All India Christian Council, these ยare but a few examples because it is impossible to report every episode of violence and persecution that have taken place in this periodย.
