VHP and Bajrangdal activists allege Churches in India of "forced conversions". Arvind Narrain and Cliftord d'Rozario argue in their column in Hindu (26/10/2008), "The bogey of forced conversions", how false these allegations are. As they argue, if these allegations are true why Christians are only 2.4 crore (2.33%) of 102.8 crore Indian populations even if Christianity came to India many centuries before it entered Europe?
Read the full article in the following link.
http://www.hindu.com/mag/2008/10/26/stories/2008102650150500.htm
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
AP Church News - October - 2008
Andhra Pradesh Christians Demand New Anti-Violence Law And Compensation
On 2008-10-24
HYDERABAD, India (UCAN) -- About 10,000 Christians in Andhra Pradesh state have applauded calls for new legislation that would help prevent attacks on religious minorities and compensate the victims of such attacks.
At a meeting following a three-kilometer peace march on Oct. 19 in the state capital Hyderabad, 1,500 kilometers south of New Delhi, they clapped to show they agree that the state government should be pressed to enact such measures.
Archbishop Marampudi Joji of Hyderabad urged all attending the gathering to pursue Christian principles of peace and legal actions to stop violence.
The next day, Christian leaders delivered the set of petitions that the meeting participants approved to N.D. Tiwari, the state governor.
The petitions call for a new law on "prevention of atrocities on minorities" that would force the government to pay compensation up to a million rupees (US$22,725) per death in situations involving violence against minorities. The government also would be compelled to pay compensation of 200,000-500,000 rupees per injured person, depending on the severity of the injury.
The petitions also include other demands, such as one for funds to rebuild damaged churches, schools, orphanages and homes for victims of communal violence. Another is to ban groups spreading sectarian hate, and to arrest and prosecute culprits responsible for violence against Christians and Muslims.
Yet another demand is for a high-level judicial inquiry into the recent violence against Christians and Muslims, as well as a 24-hour toll-free help line for religious minorities.
The Andhra Pradesh Federation of Churches, the All India Christian Council and other regional groups jointly organized the Oct. 19 street program to show solidarity with victims of anti-Christian violence in various parts of India.
The Scheduled Castes and Tribes Act, a law enacted in 1989 to protect tribal people and lower castes, was designed to punish all who verbally or physically offend or attack such people in India. Tribal and lower-caste people accounted for nearly one-fourth of the country's population in the 2001 census.
However, several speakers at the meeting demanded an entirely new law to protect Christians and other religious minorities from Hindu radical forces.
During the public meeting, Joseph D'Souza, president of the All India Christian Council, presented a summary of recent incidents of violence against Christians, especially in Orissa state, northeast of Andhra Pradesh.
The violence that began there on Aug. 24 and lasted for seven weeks claimed at least 58 lives. In Kandhamal district, the most affected area, Hindu fanatics destroyed 4,500 houses and more than 100 churches, houses of prayer and Christian institutions. About 50,000 people had to flee their homes.
The speakers also condemned attacks on Christians in other states, including Karnataka in southern India and Madhya Pradesh in central India.
Most speakers noted that Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa report anti-Christian violence regularly. Those states are ruled by the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP, Indian people's party). BJP is considered the political arm of groups whose goal is to make India a theocratic nation.
Bal Reddy, a Catholic leader, told UCA News the rally and meeting were "a show of strength" and unity by Christians in the city. Reddy, president of the Catholic Samakya (unity) association in the state, said the event helped generate a sense of responsibility toward suffering fellow Christians.
James Sylvester, general secretary of the Catholic Association of Hyderabad, told UCA News the program helped educate local Christians about the challenges they face. The Catholic leader said his association would develop protests in parishes until the authorities deal with problems confronting Christians.END
Article printed from Union of Catholic Asian News: http://www.ucanews.com
URL to article: http://www.ucanews.com/2008/10/24/andhra-pradesh-christians-demand-new-anti-violence-law-and-compensation/
On 2008-10-24
HYDERABAD, India (UCAN) -- About 10,000 Christians in Andhra Pradesh state have applauded calls for new legislation that would help prevent attacks on religious minorities and compensate the victims of such attacks.
At a meeting following a three-kilometer peace march on Oct. 19 in the state capital Hyderabad, 1,500 kilometers south of New Delhi, they clapped to show they agree that the state government should be pressed to enact such measures.
Archbishop Marampudi Joji of Hyderabad urged all attending the gathering to pursue Christian principles of peace and legal actions to stop violence.
The next day, Christian leaders delivered the set of petitions that the meeting participants approved to N.D. Tiwari, the state governor.
The petitions call for a new law on "prevention of atrocities on minorities" that would force the government to pay compensation up to a million rupees (US$22,725) per death in situations involving violence against minorities. The government also would be compelled to pay compensation of 200,000-500,000 rupees per injured person, depending on the severity of the injury.
The petitions also include other demands, such as one for funds to rebuild damaged churches, schools, orphanages and homes for victims of communal violence. Another is to ban groups spreading sectarian hate, and to arrest and prosecute culprits responsible for violence against Christians and Muslims.
Yet another demand is for a high-level judicial inquiry into the recent violence against Christians and Muslims, as well as a 24-hour toll-free help line for religious minorities.
The Andhra Pradesh Federation of Churches, the All India Christian Council and other regional groups jointly organized the Oct. 19 street program to show solidarity with victims of anti-Christian violence in various parts of India.
The Scheduled Castes and Tribes Act, a law enacted in 1989 to protect tribal people and lower castes, was designed to punish all who verbally or physically offend or attack such people in India. Tribal and lower-caste people accounted for nearly one-fourth of the country's population in the 2001 census.
However, several speakers at the meeting demanded an entirely new law to protect Christians and other religious minorities from Hindu radical forces.
During the public meeting, Joseph D'Souza, president of the All India Christian Council, presented a summary of recent incidents of violence against Christians, especially in Orissa state, northeast of Andhra Pradesh.
The violence that began there on Aug. 24 and lasted for seven weeks claimed at least 58 lives. In Kandhamal district, the most affected area, Hindu fanatics destroyed 4,500 houses and more than 100 churches, houses of prayer and Christian institutions. About 50,000 people had to flee their homes.
The speakers also condemned attacks on Christians in other states, including Karnataka in southern India and Madhya Pradesh in central India.
Most speakers noted that Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa report anti-Christian violence regularly. Those states are ruled by the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP, Indian people's party). BJP is considered the political arm of groups whose goal is to make India a theocratic nation.
Bal Reddy, a Catholic leader, told UCA News the rally and meeting were "a show of strength" and unity by Christians in the city. Reddy, president of the Catholic Samakya (unity) association in the state, said the event helped generate a sense of responsibility toward suffering fellow Christians.
James Sylvester, general secretary of the Catholic Association of Hyderabad, told UCA News the program helped educate local Christians about the challenges they face. The Catholic leader said his association would develop protests in parishes until the authorities deal with problems confronting Christians.END
Article printed from Union of Catholic Asian News: http://www.ucanews.com
URL to article: http://www.ucanews.com/2008/10/24/andhra-pradesh-christians-demand-new-anti-violence-law-and-compensation/
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