Persecution of Christians in the World's biggest democracy, India !

I recently read a report in AsiaNews about random persecution of Christians in the Indian State of Orrisa and I qoute:"Groups of Hindu radicals have burned a number of homes belonging to Christians over the night of October 19, in the district of Kandhamal (Orissa). The government of the state says that the situation "is returning to normal," but the bishops of the region, in a statement published today, say that "the Christians of Kandhamal have lost faith in the state government, and they feel that their fundamental right to live has been totally taken away by the constitutionally elected government. Christians are afraid to return to their villages as threats of death have forced many of them to flee in to the forest or to live in dehumanizing condition in state-run relief camps. The camps have become half-sized - not because the people have returned to their respective villages, but because they have migrated to other districts and other states in search of safety. Christians of Kandhamal have lost faith in the state government and they feel that their fundamental right to live has been totally taken away by the constitutionally elected government. In recent days, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has met with representatives of the World Council of Churches. He has promised them that the government is concerned about rebuilding the damaged or destroyed churches, and has decided to send a commission to prepare a reconstruction plan. Its members will include Christians. Singh's statement has been criticized by extremist groups. The group for tribal affairs in Kandhamal, connected to the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), has immediately come out in opposition to the proposal. "Not a single church on the lands of Kandhas would be allowed in Kandhamal," says Laxmikant Das, secretary general of the group." Unqoute! On reading this news report I was appalled that Hindu extremists are also "Talibanised" and have started to commit violent acts against those who do not subcribe to their point of view? The Hindu faith accepts a variety of inerpretations of the Almighty Creator! "Bande Materam," is seen to be the Great Mother of all beings! So this violence goes against the Hindu faith! India is the Country of Mahatma Gandhi, who used "AHIMSA" or non-violence to face down the greatest empire, the World has ever seen! The persecution of the Christians of Orrissa should be condemned by all, and officials should make efforts to protect the lives and property of all, without any distinction! People who believe in justice should speak up against such atrocities, before the situation totally gets out of hand!

Indian and religious conflicts are synonyms of each other.

Your concern is obvious. The racism is always a problem in India but if you try to find its real cause then its just political interest, sometimes personal interest of non-political but powerful people.

Somewhere I read ..
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It means, in the name of religion, its quite easy to make people fool and thats we see everyday. Its not just with Christians, its with other part of society too. Its like that now they have learned to live with such racism. Otherwise what are these groups are about.. shivsena, bajarang Dal.. nothing... but just trying to use people on the name of religion. Remember, it was Babari masjid case when a political party.. very little known at that time became the central power.. it was just racism.
So, political parties can't forget it that (easy and quick for them)path which took lives of thousands hence every now and then they try to move to the very same agenda of religionism to gain attention and support from particular community. Its only matter of change in focus.. now they are focusing on different community than previous one.

Moreover, now they have moved step further, now its regionism spreading. So, what else you conclude ?

Its really sad on whats happening, im not a Christan but i have words to say... Prayer,

They are alone dear Lord stay by their side in all their daily needs be their guide, grant them good health for them i pray,help them to carry on with their work from day to day,
Keep pure their minds in their throughts in their deeds, let thembe kind unselfish in their neighbours need,
Spare them from fire from flood from malicious tongues from thieves and from fear and evil ones.

I pray my lord hear my call, when they are feeling low or in despaire lift up their hearts and help them in their prayer,
They are alone dear lord and yet they have no fear beacause they feel your presence near. Amen.

hope this help. mohini

Hello friends, It has been a long time since, in many countries, the "Silent Majority" has become hostage to a small minority of political and other vested interests, who use RELIGION, as an excuse to persecute some helpless segment of society, using cruel and inhuman means ! Since such actions in and of themselves go against the tenets of the professed Religion, it becomes abundantly clear that violent acts against innocent people, carried out in the name of Religion, actually are not ends in themselves but means of fulfilling the lust for political power and/or financial or some other gain! Why and how are such political leaders and other powerful people able to do such things and get away with it too? Generally, they use their power, influence and money to buy the goodwill of needy persons, and may also indoctrinate or brainwash these little guys to carry out these actions , while they themselves continue to maintain their highly honoured social status and moral high ground etc.! The majority of people , who are mostly pre-occupied with day to day affairs, get humiliated with shame at such violent acts of their co-religionists, but keep quiet, so that they may not be considered as anti-religion! The views expressed by all in this thread attest to the viewpoint that the public at large is totally against the use of violence, in the name of religion! Some offer prayers, while others express their sympathies for the victims! As such it is high time that the powerful overlords who use needy ones to commit violent acts in the name of religion, whereas, their real creed is just greed, should be identified, brought to the Book, and given harsh punishment, under the law! Meanwhile may the Almighty protect the persecuted , and restore their lives to normalcy! So be It!!!

Nailing them is not easy, recently in India one political powerful guy made an statement which brought Regional (do not get confused with religion) violence and was arrested but on second day he got bailed out. Rather he got more publicity.. His one statement made such a disturbance that it affected transportation and business, people are afraid to go that state, most of the transport is halted from other region to that part of country.
So, it concludes that for them law and order are just other things which they can easily manipulate.

It is true that countries known as "emerging markets" such as India, have made a lot of progress during the recent years, posting double digit growth rates of the GDP, year after year since the past ten years or so! Still the fact remains that more then 50 per cent of India's people live on almost 20 cents a day! (Ref: BBC) Nearly 66 percent live on less than a Dollar a day, or below the poverty line. The middle class which was very small during the past has grown exponentially and now constitutes about 33 per cent of India's people! It is this middle class mostly from hi-tech, IT or services sector which has produced and consumes India's income! Although most of these people have to work like slaves of the banking system to pay for their fancy car and house loans, they spend the balance on buying of luxury items, of top international brands, which has made the posh areas of New Dehli, Mumbai and Bangalore, look like top metropolitian areas of the West! Nonetheless, below this thin veneer of prosperity one find a great majority of Indians living lives of "quiet desperation." This desperation is so severe that with money one can find many people who will indulge in inter-communal or other violence, or even kill themselves for the right price, indoctination and brain-washing! The one per cent, forming the top upper crust have "money to BURN" so to speak. But these feudal lords from the rural areas, or mostly business influentials from urban areas lack political power and social respectibility! So they keep on sitting idle on their ivory towers, and try to buy inflence and respectability by indulging in inhuman acts of violence and persecution. Since they are regional overlords, no local dares to give evidence against them and the State authorities find it difficult to "nail" them, so many collude with them. They way to "bust" them is by efforts of the middle class. Globalistion is the ability to get in touch with anyone one wishes to. The local people of each of an influential's region can communicate with each other and form pressure groups, which can then stop these influential wrong-doers dead in their tracks , with or without the help of governmental authorities. The "DIGITAL DIVIDE" and "SOCIO-ECONOMIC DISPARITY" should be reduced, then the little guys themselves will be in a position to bring their tormentors to the BOOK!!!