Are we safe ANYWHERE? Christians suffer violence in India
FREE Catholic Classes
Archbishop Anil Couto of New Delhi has urged local and Indian authorities to take more effective measures in fighting religiously motivated violence in the wake of an attack on the compound of St. Francis Xavier Church in the state of Haryana.
Highlights
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
8/11/2014 (9 years ago)
Published in Asia Pacific
Keywords: International, Asia, India
LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Vandals damaged two buses that were parked in the compound, back on August 6, and the next day, Couto issued a statement where he expressed concern over the attack and the way authorities were handling the case.
Your brothers and sisters NEED YOUR HELP!
"Reports of other attacks on Christian pastors and prayer groups are very disturbing and we request local authorities take adequate measures to bring to book the miscreants threatening to weaken the social fabric of this great nation," the statement said.
Couto also referenced an attack on a group of Pentecostal pastors who belonged to a church in the same state which occurred last year, and the statement quoted media reports which allege that a group of Hindu nationalist organizations have collected a list of people who converted to Islam or Christianity and attempt to re-convert them.
"This move by fundamentalist groups is a grave assault on the fundamental rights of individuals and peoples' groups," he said.
Throughout 2013, there were many reports of Christian persecutions across India, including the murder of seven Christians, and 4,000 who suffered anti-Christian violence.
A member of the Indian government's National Integration Council, John Dayal, reported that the government has seen a sharp rise of hate campaigns against Christians by political organizations.
"This threat of purging Christians from villages extends from Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh to now Uttar Pradesh, and to the borders of the national capital of New Delhi," he said.
Dayal said the threat from the Hindu nationalist groups were largest from 1999-2004, when the National Democratic Alliance controlled the government and was led by the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (Indian people's party), especially in more tribal areas.
"[The Hindu nationalist group] has always nurtured a deep hostility against the Christian community because of its position on the emancipation of Dalits and its empowerment of the marginalized including tribals," Dayal said. "That is why it makes allegations against Christians about conversions and then attacks churches, priests, nuns and other landless peasantry and the poor."
Dayal said that the these groups foster ideological hatred. "[They] wants India to be a Hindu nation-state with minorities taking second grade status."
---
'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'
Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online
Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.
-
-
Mysteries of the Rosary
-
St. Faustina Kowalska
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
-
Saint of the Day for Wednesday, Oct 4th, 2023
-
Popular Saints
-
St. Francis of Assisi
-
Bible
-
Female / Women Saints
-
7 Morning Prayers you need to get your day started with God
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Archaeological Discovery Affirms Biblical Account of Angelic Protection in Jerusalem
-
Altar from Christ's Tomb Discovered at Church of the Holy Sepulchre
-
Archaeologists Nearing Discovery of Jesus' Last Supper Room
-
Biblical Lost Alphabet Traced Back to Ancient Canaanite Civilization
-
What are the Health Benefits of Grass-Fed Beef for Your Body and Mind?
Daily Catholic
Daily Readings for Saturday, July 27, 2024
St. Pantaleon: Saint of the Day for Saturday, July 27, 2024
Hail Mary: Prayer of the Day for Saturday, July 27, 2024
- Daily Readings for Friday, July 26, 2024
- Sts. Joachim and Anne: Saint of the Day for Friday, July 26, 2024
- Family Blessing at a Gathering: Prayer of the Day for Friday, July 26, 2024
Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.
Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.