Mumbai (AsiaNews) – Four nuns and 2 brothers of the missionaries of Mother Teresa were attacked last Saturday in a remote village of Dalit (those who, in the caste system, occupy the lowest and most destitute level), in the Kozhikode district of the state of Kerala.  The nuns have been admitted to hospital.  Behind this attack, the first against nuns in this south-western Indian state, appear to be members of the Hindu fundamentalist parties, who have already been responsible for numerous attacks against Christians in the area.  Sajan K. George, head of Global Council for Indian Christians in Bangalore, has blamed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The missionaries had gone in their ambulance to the Hindu village to bring food and other assistance to the inhabitants, who are mainly Dalit living in destitution.  Upon their arrival, a group of men accosted the driver, questioning him on the reason for their presence in the village.  The men, armed with iron rods, then began to beat the driver and smashed the ambulance windows.  They then turned on the nuns, ripping the crosses from their necks and injuring the four nuns who are now in hospital.  The Hindu Dalit women present raised their voices against the aggression, thus averting a larger disaster.

Monsignor Joseph Kalathiparambil, Bishop of Calicut, visited the nuns in the hospital and assured them that he will take the matter up with the state administration.

Speaking to AsiaNews, Sr Angelette, the Regional Superior of the Missionaries of Charity in Kerala, said that the intention of the visit to the Dalit village was to bring assistance to the "poorest of the poor, these marginalized and destitute people".   Sr. Angelette added that, "even though these Dalits are Hindu, we do not make any discrimination on the basis of caste or creed."  However, for this reason, their charity work can be viewed with suspicion as attempted 'conversion'.

Police have so far arrested 15 men for the attack on the Christian Missionaries. Leftist parties in the state have accused the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government of not protecting religious minorities.  The governor of Kerala, Oomen Chandy, has pledged his commitment to contrasting extremist violence.