by Nirmala Carvalho

Some 40 children going to their residential school in Indore District are stopped and interrogated. For the archbishop of Bhopal, there are many anti-Christian Hindu extremists in Madhya Pradesh, but at least the government helps Christians.

Bhopal (AsiaNews) – Some 40 pupils were stopped and interrogated by Hindu extremists as their bus was on its way to the Sahara Children’s Home in the District of Indore (Madhya Pradesh), which is run by the Pentecostal Trust. The children lost parents and family in the August 2008 anti-Christian pogrom that devastated Orissa state. The incident, which occurred on 28 June, was made public only today.

Hindu extremists from the Dharam Rakshak Sena (DRS) stopped the bus on a public road, and subjected the children to three hours of intense questioning. Hindu extremists accuse Christian schools of trying to convert children from poor families. The DRS especially wants to eradicate all of India’s religious and ethnic minorities, including Christians and Muslims. For this reason, it is at war with the charity work of Christian Churches, which it views as proselytising in disguise.

Mgr Leo Cornelius, metropolitan archbishop of Bhopal, in an exclusive interview with AsiaNews, said, “It is heartening to note that officials at the Hira Nagar Police station confirmed that no conversion activities were going in the boarding school.”

“In Indore, the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) and the VHP (Vishva Hindu Parishad) are strong. They persecute minorities and vulnerable groups. However, as long as the authorities help us, we can bear witness to Christ’s love in Madhya Pradesh.”

Mgr Cornelius is satisfied with the state government’s action. Unlike other states run by the Hindu nationalist party, the Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP, “in Madhya Pradesh, political leaders act swiftly whenever there are incidents against Christians.”

Lastly, he said full of hope, “With the spirit of Christ that accompanies us we fear nothing and with courage continue our mission to establish his Kingdom of Peace, Justice and Truth.”

• india
• orissa
• madhya
• pradesh
• christians
• hindu
• extremists