Hindu Extremists Targeting Indian Christians

on February 6, 2014

India has been independent from Great Britain since 1947. The Indian constitution states that the nation is a secular republic that guarantees freedom of religion.

An estimated 2.5 percent of India’s population of 1.2 billion is Christian.

Barnabas Aid reports that although the constitution of India guarantees religious freedom for all citizens, radical Hindu extremists have been targeting Christians.

Barnabas Aid cites a report put together by the Mumbai-based Catholic-Secular Forum (CSF), compiled in collaboration with other Christian organizations, including the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI), Global Council of India Christians and All India Christian Council.

According to this report, an estimated 4,000 Christians in India were targeted in acts of violence in 2013. The report documents 200 major incidents, including seven murders.

The report says most of the violence was carried out by Hindu extremists. It adds over 1,000 women and around 500 children were targeted. According to the report more than 400 church and community leaders were targeted and there were an estimated 100 attacks on churches or worship meetings.

The report also documents 200 major incidents of violence against Christians, including murder, rape and assault.

CSF says many times police fail to act on reports of violence and there is no media coverage. CSF officials also add victims are sometimes too afraid to come forward.

Many parts of India observe a caste-system, and Dalits are considered by many Indians to be the lower classes, sometimes referred to as “untouchables.” CSF says many Christian Dalits face persecution and are denied certain economic, educational and social benefits granted to Hindu, Sikh, and Buddhist Dalits. CSF says in some cases Muslims also face this type of discrimination.

The Christian Post reports a constitutional change passed in 1950 grants special rights to Dalit (low caste) Hindus but does not cover the Dalits who converted to Christianity and Islam to escape the age-old caste conversion.

The Constitution provides for affirmative action in government jobs, parliament and state assemblies, and educational institutions, as well as other benefits. However, the Presidential Order of 1950 assumes that non-Hindu religions do not have a caste hierarchy, and as a result, do not need special protection.

The All India Christian Council says even though many Dalits are Christians, they choose to identify themselves as Hindus in census records so that their families will not lose benefits.

Barnabas Aid says an estimated 70 percent of India’s 23 million Christians are Dalits.

Some Indian government officials have expressed concern that affirmative action for Dalit Christians will increase the number of Christians in India.

Sajan George, the president of the Global Council of Indian Christians says “attacks against Christian clergymen in Andhra Pradesh are on the rise and a source of concern.” In an interview with Asia News he stated the acts of violence are unmotivated. He says the attackers are attempting to “stop conversions” to Christianity.

George blames a group named Hindu Vahini, a militant group. He says this group has been responsible for several attacks in recent months.

George says last month, police in the Indian state arrested three members of the group, thought to be responsible for the murder of an evangelical pastor.

George says two Protestant leaders have been attacked in recent weeks. He says in December of last year, a group of extremists attacked a Baptist church accusing the pastor of conducting forced conversions. George says there was absolutely no evidence against the pastor.

George says with the upcoming general elections immediate action is needed. He says the groups could conduct even more brutal attacks against Christian communities in order to polarize Hindu voters. He says “such unprovoked attacks threaten India’s moral authority and secular nature.”

Morning Star News reports the police in the state of Andhra Pradesh have arrested seven of the right members of the Hindu Vahini group accused of attacking a pastor on January 10th at his home.

The Rev. Madhusudan Das of the Evangelical Fellowship of India is quoted by Morning Star News as saying the Hindu extremists were upset about the spread of Christianity in the area.

“The area where the pastor was killed was a strongly Hindu-dominated area,” Das said.”

Das also said a large group of Christians gathered at the state chief minister’s office on January 14th, protesting the killing and demanding justice. Das says police detained some of the protestors.

The U.K.-based publication Christian Today quotes research as saying attacks on Christians have increased in the last twenty years because local Christian mission groups have been helping the poor people – Dalits and Tribals – with social needs. The research shows these groups have been empowered by Christians through the gospel, education and social support, and have become the objects of attack by radical Hindu groups.

  1. Comment by hardcore hindu on February 15, 2014 at 10:41 am

    christians in india a spewing venom against hindus.
    they try to insult our religion . they killed swami laxmanananda, then only we killed christians. christians are loyal to their european colonizers and should be slaughtered.

  2. Comment by Rodrigo E on July 1, 2014 at 2:38 am

    God bless. Hindus in the West pretend like nothing’s happening while they fund these activities back home. Bring back jobs from India. Ban Hindus from Western nations.

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