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Stop violence against Christians in Karnataka

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Continued:

Karnataka – Hindu extremists attacked the Mayer Memorial Church building and set fire to three vehicles belonging to Christians on Aug. 17 in Hubli. A Compass contact said the extremists were opposing a Christian rally organized by the church. Area Christians said they believe the attack was planned well in advance as the extremists arrived with media. The church cancelled the rally, and police provided protection to the Christian community.

Karnataka – Members of the Hindu extremist Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP or World Hindu Council) on Aug. 16 disrupted a Christian prayer meeting in Karwar, accused the pastor of forceful conversion and threatened him with violence if he continued Christian activities. The Global Council of Indian Christians reported that at 7 p.m. a church leader of New Life Fellowship identified only as Pastor Quadros was conducting a prayer meeting in a church member’s house when the extremists barged in. The intolerant Hindus accused the pastor of forceful conversion, searched the house and took Christian literature. The VHP filed a complaint against the pastor, and police ordered him to inform them about any future Christian activities.

Karnataka – Hindu hardliners on Aug. 9 disrupted the worship of Indian Missionary Service and beat Pastor V. James in Gulbarga. The Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) reported that at around 10 a.m., about 20 Hindu extremists shouting anti-Christian slogans stormed into the worship service and accused the pastor of forceful conversion. They dragged the pastor out to the street, kicking, punching and beating him. The pastor fled to Ganigapura police station and filed a complaint against the extremists, reported EFI. Later in the evening, the intolerant Hindus went to the pastor’s house and assaulted him again, chasing him, his wife and four children away from the village. The pastor has relocated to another area. No arrests had been made at press time.

Karnataka – Hindu extremists on Aug. 9 ordered 20 Christians to leave their home village of Gulbarga because they had put their trust in Christ. The All Indian Christian Council (AICC) reported that village leaders in alliance with the Hindu extremists were reacting against a recent baptism service conducted by Pastor Sukruuth Raj. AICC reported Pastor Raj, who was instrumental in the baptized person coming to faith in Christ, as saying “all the believers are from the same village, and they are going to stay there.”


Karnataka – On Aug. 7 in Haveri, a group of Hindu extremists from the Bajrang Dal accused a pastor from Every Home Crusade church of forceful conversion and threatened to beat him if he continued his ministry in the area. A church representative told Compass that about 25 extremists went to Pastor Ajit Kumar’s house at around 11 a.m., spoke derogatorily about his faith, and warned him not to conduct a worship meeting on Aug. 10 or face serious consequences. The pastor registered a case against the extremists, and the Sunday church service took place on Aug. 10 under police protection. No arrests had been made at press time.

Karnataka – Police arrested two Christians for distributing pamphlets and conducting a medical camp on Aug. 4 in Mosarukunte village, Tumkur district. The Evangelical Fellowship of India reported that Pastor M. Shivanna, Vijay Kumar and some doctors were conducting a medical camp when the Hindu hardliners along with the village head objected to their activity, claiming that they had not obtained prior permission. The extremists later filed a police complaint, accusing the Christians of distributing gospel pamphlets to forcefully convert people to Christianity. Police arrested the two Christians under section 109 of the Criminal Procedure Code to ensure “good behavior from suspected persons,” and later they were released on bail.

News Briefs
 
Two Pastors Stripped, Beaten – Then Arrested

Police refuse to book attackers; victims detained for ‘forced conversion.’

November 29 (CDN) — NEW DELHI, November 29 (Compass Direct News) – About 20 extremists in Karnataka state’s Hassan district on Sunday (November 25) stormed a worship service, dragged out two pastors and another believer, stripped them and beat them after tying them to a pole.

The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that pastors C.J. Joemon and C.J. Jojo and another believer, G. Anil, were attacked while they and about 15 others worshipped at Christ Vision Church, a house church associated with the Indian Pentecostal Church, in Balupette village in the Shakleshpur area.

“At around 10 a.m., at least 20 unidentified Hindu fundamentalists forcefully entered the house church and started abusing the pastors and believers,” Dr. Sajan K. George, national president of the GCIC, told Compass. “The fundamentalists threatened the believers and chased them away.”

After burning the believers’ Bibles, the Hindu extremists stripped Joemon, Jojo and Anil, and dragged them to the village junction about 500 meters away, George said.

“The three Christians were tied to a pole and kicked and punched by the gang,” he added.

The Hindu extremists continued to abuse the Christians till about 2 p.m., when seven policemen arrived and took the three victims to the police station.

“However, instead of protecting the Christians, the police charged the pastors with ‘forced conversion,’” George said, adding that officials refused to give medical aid to the Christians until the GCIC intervened.

The two pastors were later released on bail.

Asked why the attackers were not booked, Constable Krishna Gowda of the Shakleshpur rural police station pleaded ignorance, saying the sub-inspector handling the case was not available.

The Christians refused to press charges against their attackers, saying they had forgiven them. Joemon is 22 years old, and Jojo is 25. The house church started in the area three months ago.

Persecution High in Karnataka

In a similar incident, a mob of Hindu extremists on June 8 beat Pastor Laxmi Narayan Gowda, an independent pastor and representative of the GCIC, in Hessarghatta, about 30 kilometers from Bangalore, the state capital. (See Compass Direct News, “Hindu Mob in India Beats, Strips, Parades Pastor,” June 12.)

The attackers tried to set the pastor on fire before parading him naked in the area.

George said the incidence of anti-Christian attacks was highest in Karnataka. “The GCIC has documented atrocities against Christians in the last 20 months, according to which Karnataka has the worst record in this period with 87 cases,” he said.

He added the attacks were linked to the Bharatiya Janata Party, which in coalition with the Janata Dal-Secular or JD(S) took power from the Congress Party in February 2006. The coalition government, however, could not last its term, and a state assembly election is expected soon.

Two Pastors Stripped, Beaten
 
haha thats funny :woot: am just giving the required reference you want , accept it or not upto you.

Strangely the choice that you are extending seems quite akin to the heliocentrism options to Galileo. This art of yours is something that must have been perfected with achieving extreme adeptness of logic and common sense. The research though based on the references that you have continually provided is flawless. Please accept my congratulations.
 
now lets get back to real topic "Stop violence against Christians in Karnataka"
 
o yeah read carefully what Veda says genius who put these things in veda?

The problem is we don't agree with your interpretation. In any case, we are willing to condemn any such work regardless of their area of presentation. Are you willing to do the same with your religion?
 
Continued:

Karnataka, November 29 (Compass Direct News) – Four Karnataka state police constables beat Indian Mission Society (IMS) evangelist Solomaon Nayak in Savalgi village, Bagalkot district, on November 23, according to Dr. Sajan K. George of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC). At about 12:30 p.m., as Nayak and four Christian volunteers were making arrangements for the inauguration of the Sanjeevani Rehabilitation Centre (SRC) run by the IMS, four constables posted at the Savalgi police station came to the SRC and began rudely questioning Nayak, George said. “The police accused them of setting up the SRC with the intention of alluring villagers to covert,” he said. “The police slapped Nayak and repeatedly hit the volunteers on their backs and limbs with their batons.” Laxman Narayan Gowda, GCIC regional coordinator, told Compass, “The police left after an hour of angrily questioning and abusing the Christians, and with a stern warning that the SRC would be closed down if there was even the smallest complaint from the villagers.”

Karnataka – Police arrested five Every Home Crusade evangelists for alleged conversion by allurement on November 18 at the state-run ESI hospital, Indiranagar, Bangalore, Karnataka. Dr. Sajan K. George of the Global Council of Indian Christians said that the Christians, identified only as Manjula, 48, Pal Santhosh, 27, Chandru, 24, Chandran, 38, and Prasad, 30, were praying for the recovery of hospital patients at about 8 p.m. when some patients alerted Dr. Anand P.S., the casualty medical officer. Shortly afterward a large group of Hindus interrupted the ministry and informed police. Officers seized two bags of pamphlets and many blank Bible Training Centre for Pastors forms, reported the Deccan Herald News Service on November 19. Dr. Anand registered a complaint at the local police station against the Christians for “illegally” converting patients to Christianity, the report stated. The Christians were charged with “communal disharmony” under Indian Penal Code, section 153-A, and were released on November 19, said George.

Karnataka – Hindu extremists allegedly belonging to the Bajrang Dal, youth wing of the Hindu extremist Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) on November 18 stopped Christian worship at Praise of Righteous Ministry in Ananda Nagar, Old Hubli, Karnataka, and then beat a pastor identified only as Gokhavi and filed a false complaint of forcible conversion against him. Dr. Sajan K. George of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) said that Gokhavi was preaching when 22 to 25 extremists led by a local villager identified only as Raghavendra barged into the worship shouting the Hindu chant “Jai Haunman (Victory to Lord Hanuman),” slapped Gokahvi, grabbed the microphone from his hand and struck him on his head with it. “The extremists lifted up the Bible and tore up some pages while cursing the Christian faith,” George said, “and began punching and kicking the believers, flinging chairs at them.” They extremists also damaged musical instruments and the sound system, and piled hymn books and Bibles outside the Church and burned them, said Laxmi Narayan Gowda, regional coordinator GCIC. Injured were Rekha Gokhavi, wife of the pastor, and others identified only as 25-year-old Somu, 27-year-old Satish, 24-year-old Anand, and 26-year-old Shivanda. “Police photographed the burning of the holy books and took Gokhavi, Rekha Gokhavi and the other injured believers to the local police station, where the extremists registered a complaint of forcible conversion against Gokhavi,” Gowda told Compass. The Christians were released at 6 p.m., he said. George said that GCIC and representatives of the Pastors’ Fellowship in Hubli, will meet with the police commissioner to seek security for the area Christians.

Karnataka – Hindu extremists from the Hindu extremist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Bajrang Dal, youth wing of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council), broke into the house church of pastor Durgappa Gangadhar’s Resurrected God’s Ministry’ on November 11 in Malai Bennur village, Adiyara Taluk in Davangere district, Karnataka. Dr. Sajan K. George of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) said that the Christians were worshiping when about 30 extremists barged into the house shouting curses and halted the service. The Hindu extremists photographed the congregation of 70 people and threatened to harm them if they continued practicing their faith. Gangadhar told Compass, “Police Inspector Brijesh Mathew of Malai Bennur police station refused to register a complaint against the extremists – instead, he shouted angrily at me, accusing me of disrupting the peace in the village.” After the GCIC intervened, however, police accepted the complaint. On November 13, the Pastors’ Committee of Davangere met with Davangere District Superintendent of Police Ravindra Prasad to inform him about the harassment.

Karnataka – Hindu extremists forcibly stopped a Christian prayer fellowship, beat a pastor and congregants and filed a false complaint of forced conversion on November 8 at Nandeshwar, Gadag district, Karnataka state. Dr. Sajan K. George of the Global Council of Indian Christians said that independent pastor Yelumalai Nayak was at the house of Dharma and Mangalavva Singh conducting his weekly prayer fellowship attended by around 15 believers when some 25 Hindu extremists led by Shankar Tavarappa stormed into the house. They repeatedly slapped and punched Nayak and the other congregants, including women, and warned them not to conduct prayer services in their house again, said George. “The extremists then went to the Mundargi Taluka Police station [Gadag district] and filed a false complaint of [forced] conversion against the pastor and the couple,” George said. Police detained the pastor and the couple and released them at 2 a.m. the next day. Mangalavva Singh was hospitalized for internal injuries at the CSI Basel Mission Hospital in Gadag-Betgeri; she was discharged on November 10, Laxmi Narayan Gowda, GCIC regional co-coordinator told Compass. “On November 11 at 10 a.m., Nayak and Dharma Singh were summoned for questioning to the Mundargi Taluka Police station and were released at 6 p.m. the same day without any charges,” said Gowda.

Karnataka – Hindu extremists on April 22 stormed a Good Friday service at Muttaldinni village in Bagalkot district and ordered the congregation to convert to Hinduism. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that the demand by about 50 club-wielding Hindu extremists led to heated arguments, and that the assailants told pastors Gurappa Powar and Ashok Motilal Powar to apply Hindu symbols to their foreheads and offered them 10,000 rupees ($US223) to convert to Hinduism. The pastors declined, saying they believed only in Jesus Christ. The Hindu extremists beat them – Gurappa Powar later received hospital treatment for his injuries – tore Bibles and hymn books, and filed a false police complaint against them of forceful conversion. The GCIC reported that local police refused to help the Christians, but that eventually Sub-Inspector Shankar Rathode helped to bring calm.

India Briefs April 29 2011
 
The problem is we don't agree with your interpretation. In any case, we are willing to condemn any such work regardless of their area of presentation. Are you willing to do the same with your religion?

Its OK that you dont agree , i just gave point , second part of question is just epic fail.
 
Incidents against Christians in Karnataka:

Karnataka – Hindu extremists belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Bajrang Dal attacked Gnanodya Church at Yellapura, Karwar district, on Sept. 26. The All India Christian Council reported that the assailants broke into a church worship service after having filed a complaint against Pastor Shiva Ram of “forcible conversions.” In the presence of the police, the attackers started to vandalize the church, pulling down calendars and breaking furniture. Church members said their pastor was targeted because of his social service works. Police took the pastor into custody and jailed him.

Karnataka – Karnataka police on Sept. 26 arrested a Pentecostal pastor, Shivanda Siddi, on false charges of “forceful conversions” in Mundgod. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that at about 11 a.m. five Hindu extremists from the Bajrang Dal stormed the church building while Christians were praying and began arguing with the pastor. They beat him, stripped him of his clothes and took Bibles from those present. The extremists later telephoned police in Yellapur, about three kilometers away (less than two miles), and an inspector arrived and took the pastor, seven women and two young children to the police station. The extremists continued to threaten the Christians in front of police, who watched in silence. With GCIC intervention, police released the women and children without charges, but Pastor Siddi was charged with “defiling a place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class.” He was put in Uttar Kananda’s Sirsi prison.

Karnataka – On Sept. 19 in Santhemarnalli, police led by Inspector Madhava Swamy threatened a pastor with harm if he did not stop alleged “forceful conversion” activities. The All India Christian Council reported that police threatened Pastor Mhades of Good Shepherd Community Church after Hindu extremists filed the complaint against him. Police barged into his church, questioned him and told him that they would take action against him if he did not stop trying to convert people. Area Christian leaders claimed that there was no case of forceful conversion, and that Christians were only conducting their regular worship services.

Karnataka – Police on Sept. 1 stopped a pastors’ meeting in Mysore, claiming that they were being trained to “convert people,” though conversion and persuading to convert is legal in India. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that the Mysore Pastors Association organized a two-week pastoral training program with about 50 local church leaders and evangelists in attendance. Police arrived and ordered the organizers to vacate the premises by the next day. Even though such trainings are legally permitted in India, the Christians called off the meeting.

Recent Incidents of Persecution
 
The really silly point is that all BH can do is to search & scour the web & drag in old articles, all of whom refer to some beating, disputes & an occasional stabbing (Karnataka). The references to Hindu groups is never proved, merely an opinion of the blogger, The reference to the RSS is a dead giveaway. The RSS almost never involves itself directly in any action, an allegation against an affiliate organisation might make more sense. In any case, people must read the morning papers or watch TV News in their own countries to educate themselves on the proper meaning of violence. A beating here, a thrashing there, a bit of vandalism somewhere else, however appalling hardly constitutes grievous violence.
 
The really silly point is that all BH can do is to search & scour the web & drag in old articles, all of whom refer to some beating, disputes & an occasional stabbing (Karnataka). The references to Hindu groups is never proved, merely an opinion of the blogger, The reference to the RSS is a dead giveaway. The RSS almost never involves itself directly in any action, an allegation against an affiliate organisation might make more sense. In any case, people must read the morning papers or watch TV News in their own countries to educate themselves on the proper meaning of violence. A beating here, a thrashing there, a bit of vandalism somewhere else, however appalling hardly constitutes grievous violence.

The articles give in-depth details of each & every incident that has happened. If you want to live in denial, you are free to do so.
 
Incidents against Christians in Karnataka:

Karnataka – Hindu nationalists on Oct. 20 burned down a house church in Bellakatte village, near Chitradurga. The Global Council of Indian Christians reported that Pastor Mallappa Hanumanthappa Andrew of Samadhana Prayer House and his brother were walking on a village road when six area extremists waylaid them and began slapping the pastor, falsely accusing him of forcible conversion. They also slapped and shoved his brother when he tried to come to Andrew’s aid. Cursing, the extremists then burned down the house used for worship. Baramasagara police arrested four extremists identified only as Manjunath, Parashuram, Ramanna and Devaraj, charged them with unlawful assembly and released them after two hours.

Karnataka – Police detained a pastor identified only as Surendra for more than three hours on Oct. 15 after Hindu nationalists disrupted the worship of Calvary Assemblies of God Church and beat him in Boothanhalli Kaval, near S. Bidra village, Chickmagalur district. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that at 7:30 p.m., as the pastor was leading worship in another Christian’s house where 15 others had assembled, nearly 25 cursing extremists stormed in, chased them out and repeatedly slapped and punched Pastor Surendra. A GCIC coordinator told Compass that the extremists dragged the pastor outside, ripped his shirt off, took away his mobile phone, and telephoned police that “conversion activities” were taking place. Conversion and “conversion activities” are legal in India. Police arrived at 9 p.m., arrested the pastor and interrogated him. With GCIC intervention, Surendra was released at 12:30 a.m. without being charged.

Karnataka – Hindu extremists attacked a church building under construction at Byappanahalli village on Sept. 12 near Bengaluru, accusing area Christians of large-scale, forcible conversion. The extremists broke into the church building and tried to pull it down, reported the All India Christian Council. Police arrived in time to stop them, but the extremists filed a complaint against Pastor John Babu and other Christians for alleged forcible conversion. Under the extremists’ pressure, the police later issued a notice to the church to stop construction and issued arrest warrants against the pastor and seven others. To avoid further harassment, the Christians applied for anticipatory bails. They also filed petitions seeking court intervention to stop the extremists from further assaults. At press time the church building remained abandoned and unguarded.

Karnataka – A mob of about 100 Hindu extremists on Sept. 5 barged into the house church worship of a congregation of the Indian Pentecostal Church and beat a pastor in Doni, Gadag. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that the extremists ripped Bibles, tore the clothes of Pastor Mallikarjuna Sangalad, dragged him out of the house and beat him. Police arrived and arrested Pastor Sangalad, where they ordered him to stop leading worship meetings, according to the GCIC. Christian leaders intervened, and police released the pastor without charges.


Karnataka – Ramnagar police Sub-Inspector Babu Madhar on Sept. 3 forcefully entered a Calvary Fellowship Prayer house church meeting led by Pastor P.R. Jose and ordered him to immediately stop the service. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) reported that police accused the Christians of forceful conversion and ordered them to close down the house church. After area Christian leaders’ intervention, according to the GCIC, the Christians were given police protection for worship.

Recent Incidents of Persecution
 
The really silly point is that all BH can do is to search & scour the web & drag in old articles, all of whom refer to some beating, disputes & an occasional stabbing (Karnataka). The references to Hindu groups is never proved, merely an opinion of the blogger, The reference to the RSS is a dead giveaway. The RSS almost never involves itself directly in any action, an allegation against an affiliate organisation might make more sense. In any case, people must read the morning papers or watch TV News in their own countries to educate themselves on the proper meaning of violence. A beating here, a thrashing there, a bit of vandalism somewhere else, however appalling hardly constitutes grievous violence.

Maybe true - maybe not. It eeks people on here and is obviously a sensitive issue. One or two of our Indian friends i getting rather irate in having a go at Bilal for merely pointing out. If some of you guys that are quick to allow your blood pressures to rise and accept there is an issue here - then perhaps one could understand and move on. The stance of pure denial or "it isn't happening" doesn't wash. Whether it an opinion of a blogger or not it doesnt matter. Bottom line is its happening and no burying your head in the sand and no need for diversions.
Thanks
 
Can anyone tell me if there are actual laws in India that permit conversions in religion? If there aren't any such laws, why are Christian preachers getting imprisoned for this?

---------- Post added at 02:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:50 PM ----------

The really silly point is that all BH can do is to search & scour the web & drag in old articles, all of whom refer to some beating, disputes & an occasional stabbing (Karnataka). The references to Hindu groups is never proved, merely an opinion of the blogger, The reference to the RSS is a dead giveaway. The RSS almost never involves itself directly in any action, an allegation against an affiliate organisation might make more sense. In any case, people must read the morning papers or watch TV News in their own countries to educate themselves on the proper meaning of violence. A beating here, a thrashing there, a bit of vandalism somewhere else, however appalling hardly constitutes grievous violence.

At least I'm talking on topic. Your fellow Indians here brought Muslims & Islam (& Pakistan) into this, & talked about apostasy in Islam for about half this total thread.
 
Maybe true - maybe not. It eeks people on here and is obviously a sensitive issue. One or two of our Indian friends i getting rather irate in having a go at Bilal for merely pointing out. If some of you guys that are quick to allow your blood pressures to rise and accept there is an issue here - then perhaps one could understand and move on. The stance of pure denial or "it isn't happening" doesn't wash. Whether it an opinion of a blogger or not it doesnt matter. Bottom line is its happening and no burying your head in the sand and no need for diversions.
Thanks

Fair enough. Except that you would hardly agree to discuss supposed events that find no mention in any mainstream media, certainly not of the type of the cut & dry statements in a blog. Are such incidents happening? Possible, plenty of nutcases around. Are they widespread? Certainly not.

As for burying my head in the sand, I suggests you read up on my posts. I have no sympathy with religious bigots from any religion. However, the reference to Karnataka is quite simply a bit of a red herring. There were these incidents a year or two ago but have died down mostly. There have been no deaths attributable to any extremist violence & whatever your standards of what grievous violence means, you really have to set the bar extremely high to go overboard to classify these acts of physical violence & intimidation as serious violence.
 
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