Violence against Christians in India: Difference between revisions

{{Mergeto|Religious violence in India|Talk:Religious violence in India#Proposed merge in of Anti-Christian violence in India|date=December 2007}}

There have been multiple incidents of '''anti-Christian violence''' throughout the [[history of India]].<ref name="MANAS">{{cite web|title=Anti-Christian Violence in India|url=http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/Current_Affairs/Current_affairs.html}}</ref> According to [[Human Rights Watch]], there is large-scale violence being perpetrated by [[Hindu Nationalists]] against Christians.<ref name="HRW">{{cite web|title=Anti-Christian Violence on the Rise in India|url=http://hrw.org/english/docs/1999/09/30/india1626.htm}}</ref> According to the author Vinay Lal, the increase in anti-Christian violence in India bears a direct relationship to the ascendancy of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] ([[Bharatiya Janata Party|BJP]]).<ref name="MANAS">{{cite web|title=Anti-Christian Violence in India|url=http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/Current_Affairs/Current_affairs.html}}</ref>

==History==

Anti-Christian sentiment in India dates back to the colonial period when successive [[Portugal|Portuguese]], [[France|French]] and [[United Kingdom|British]] forces made attempts to convert portions of the Indian population. Some Hindu groups view these actions as direct attempts to exploit low-caste poor Hindus.<ref name="MANAS"/> These views prevail in a large portion of Hindus who bear anti-Christian sentiment. In more contemporary periods, partisan politics and Hindu extremism by various Hindu organizations is a cause behind anti-Christian violence.

From 1964 to 1996, 38 incidents of violence against Christians were reported. In 1997, 24 such incidents were reported. Since 1998, Christians in India faced a wave of violence.<ref name="NYT">{{cite web|title= Pope Lands in India Amid Rise in Anti-Christian Violence|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9807E4DA163AF935A35752C1A96F958260}}</ref> In 1998 alone, 90 incidents were reported.<ref name="MANAS">{{cite web|title=Anti-Christian Violence in India|url=http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/Current_Affairs/Current_affairs.html}}</ref>

==Overview==

Incidents of violence against Christians have occurred in many parts of India. It is especially prevalent in [[Gujarat]], [[Maharashtra]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[Madhya Pradesh]] and [[New Delhi]].<ref name="MANAS">{{cite web|title=Anti-Christian Violence in India|url=http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/Current_Affairs/Current_affairs.html}}</ref> The acts of violence include [[arson]] of churches, distribution of threatening literature, burning of [[Bible]]s, forcible conversion of Christians, destruction of Christian schools, colleges, and cemeteries.<ref name="MANAS">{{cite web|title=Anti-Christian Violence in India|url=http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/Current_Affairs/Current_affairs.html}}</ref><ref name="HRW">{{cite web|title=Anti-Christian Violence on the Rise in India|url=http://hrw.org/english/docs/1999/09/30/india1626.htm}}</ref>

In 1997 in Gujarat 22 churches were burnt or destroyed, and another 16 damaged.<ref name="MANAS">{{cite web|title=Anti-Christian Violence in India|url=http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/Current_Affairs/Current_affairs.html}}</ref> On [[5 November]] [[1999]], 26 students of St. Joseph’s Evening College in [[Bangalore]] were attacked by VHP activists for converting Hindus to Christianity.<ref>[http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2000/01/04/stories/05042524.htm Caste as vested interest] ''[[The Hindu]]''</ref> Jamuna Bhen, an agricultural laborer in [[Dang district]] in Gujarat told [[Human Rights Watch]]:

:"The Hindus removed the ornamentation from our church on December 25, 1998. They threatened us by saying that they will set the church house on fire. Then they started taking down the roof tiles…. There were one hundred to 200 people who came from other villages. They said, ‘We will burn everything.' We begged them not to. We said, ‘Don't do this,' and said we will become Hindu." <ref name="HRW">{{cite web|title=Anti-Christian Violence on the Rise in India|url=http://hrw.org/english/docs/1999/09/30/india1626.htm}}</ref>

In June 2000, four churches around India were bombed. In [[Andhra Pradesh]], church graves were desecrated. A church in Maharashtra was ransacked.<ref name="MANAS">{{cite web|title=Anti-Christian Violence in India|url=http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/Current_Affairs/Current_affairs.html}}</ref>

==Murder of Graham Staines==

A well-publicised case, [[Graham Staines]], an Australian missionary, was burnt to death while he was sleeping with his two sons Timothy (aged 9) and Philip (aged 7) in his station wagon at Manoharpur village in Keonjhar district in [[Orissa]] in January [[1999]].<ref name="HRW">{{cite web|title=Anti-Christian Violence on the Rise in India|url=http://hrw.org/english/docs/1999/09/30/india1626.htm}}</ref>

In [[2003]], the Hindu activist [[Dara Singh (murderer)|Dara Singh]] was convicted of leading the gang responsible.<ref name=frontline> [http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2021/stories/20031024003902400.htm The Staines case verdict]

V. Venkatesan, Frontline Magazine, Oct 11-23, 2003</ref>

==Politics==

[[Vishva Hindu Parishad]] ([[Vishva Hindu Parishad|VHP]]), [[Bajrang Dal]], and [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh]] are the most responsible Hindu organizations for violence against Christians.<ref name="HRW">{{cite web|title=Anti-Christian Violence on the Rise in India|url=http://hrw.org/english/docs/1999/09/30/india1626.htm}}</ref> [[Sangh Parivar]] and local media were involved in promoting anti-Christian propaganda in Gujrat.<ref name="HRW">{{cite web|title=Anti-Christian Violence on the Rise in India|url=http://hrw.org/english/docs/1999/09/30/india1626.htm}}</ref>

==Response from US State Department==

In its annual human rights reports for 1999, the US [[United States Department of State|State Department]] criticised India for "increasing societal violence against Christians."<ref name="Expressindia">{{cite web|title=US rights report slams India for anti-Christian violence|url=http://www.expressindia.com/news/ie/daily/19990227/ige27064.html|date=1999-02-27|accessdate=2007-12-17}}</ref> The report on anti-Christian violence listed over 90 incidents of anti-Christian violence, ranging from damage of religious property to violence against Christians pilgrims. The incidents listed in the report were attributed to local media reports and information gathered by Christian groups in India, and was not independently verified.<ref name="Expressindia"/>

==References==

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==See also==

*[[Religious violence in India]]

*[[Christianity in India]]

[[Category:Christianity in India]]

[[Category:Religious violence in India]]

[[Category:Christianity in Asia]]

[[Category:Christianity]]