Five Arrested for Televised Attack on Preacher, Government Stays Silent

Five Arrested for Televised Attack on Preacher, Government Stays Silent

Global Council of Indian Christians

4/30/07 India (Persecution Update India) – A day after the daylight attack on Christian preacher Walter Massey at his residence in the Nandpuri area here on Monday, a delegation met Rajasthan Governor Pratibha Patil, demanding the dismissal of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Government in the State.

The delegation cited instances of attacks on leaders from the Christian community and alleged the connivance of state government machinery and ministers in such acts as a valid reason for dismissal of the Government.

The day did not find anyone from the Government forthcoming to even condemn the attack or sympathize with the victims or the terrorized Christian community, not to speak of offering any relief to the family affected. The police authorities, though reluctant to name the forces behind the attack, announced the arrest of five persons: Suresh (20), Vimal (27), Pratapsingh (40), Mukesh Singh (20) and Ganesh Singh (25), all from the slums from a radical Hindu background (VHP) whom Pastor Massey used to visit regularly.

Pastor Massey was brought home in the evening from the Sawai Man Singh Hospital in an ambulance by the time the participants of a peace march, jointly organized by various Christian groups, human rights and activist organizations from Jyotibha Phule Circle reached his residence. He was relieved from the trauma ward of the hospital following an improvement in his condition.

“The BJP Government, supported by radical Hindu groups like the VHP in the State, is promoting the communal agenda flouting all the Constitutional norms of equal rights to all citizens. In the recent past the religious persons and institutions of a particular community have been targeted in a way to promote communal discord,” said the memorandum, presented to the Governor.

The memorandum, among other things, sought adequate compensation for the victim of Sunday’s attack and inclusion of relevant clauses for “attempt to life” and “intruding into the residence” in the first information report.

The participants in the silent march, organized by Sadbhavana Manch Rajasthan, had also witnessed an unprecedented onslaught on the Christian orphanage run by Emmanuel/Hopegivers in recent times