Madhya Pradesh, anti-Christian violence. Police "accomplice" of Hindu nationalist
Mumbai (AsiaNews)
- "Police in Madhya Pradesh is complicit in the violence against the
Christian community", denounces Sajan K George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians
(GCIC), in the latest case of persecution in the state. About
20 members of the Rashtriya Sawayamsevak
Sangh (RSS) have made false allegations of forced conversions against some
Pentecostal Christians in the district of Ratlam. One
of the pastors present (see photo) was beaten up by activists RSS and rushed to
hospital. The
incident occurred on November 30 last.
A week ago, the Rev. Govind, pastor
of the Gospel Church, called on the Rev. Sarath
to take part in a prayer meeting in the village Boothpada. Shortly
after the beginning of the meeting, four police officers arrived on the spot
and ordered those present to stop and leave. Then,
some twenty Hindu nationalists of the RSS appeared and threatened religious and
faithful with insults. The
pastors Govind and Sarath fled on a motorcycle, but the attackers chased them,
stopped and beat them. Rev. Sarath
was seriously injured in his head, face and other parts of the body, and only
thanks to the intervention of some members was brought to the nearest hospital.
At
first, the police prevented the Christians at the rally from helping the pastors
to flee from the Hindu nationalists, because "nothing would happen to
them." According
to Sajan George, thanks to the anti-conversion law, which exists in Madhya
Pradesh (Freedom of Religion Act, 1968) "Hindu nationalists manipulate the
police, pushing them to act against the Christians." On
paper, these laws prohibit conversions that occur "through force, coercion
or fraud," and thus allow the government to investigate. In
reality, they are applied only in cases of Hindus who switch to another
religion. Since its
implementation, conversions have decreased.
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09/03/2021 15:54
