Fr Stan Swamy: Pray for my fellow prisoners
The Jesuit priest is accused of "Maoist terrorism" because he has always defended the Dalits and tribals in Jharkhand. He is locked up in the Taloja prison (Mumbai). The ills of age (83) and Parkinson's weaken him. But his friends and cellmates take care of him. Mumbai (AsiaNews) - A prayer for his fellow prisoners: this is the request from Fr. Stan Swamy, an 83-year-old Jesuit, arrested for "Maoist terrorism", but in reality because he has been defending the life and rights of tribals in Jharkhand for years. In a letter that the priest managed to send to his friend, human rights activist Jonh Dayal, he says that his cellmates all come from "very poor families", and that they help with his daily needs. Fr Stan, in addition to the problems of age, is suffering from Parkinson's disease, which means he cannot wash or eat alone. His cellmates help him bathe, wash his linen and feed him. For the priest these are signs that "despite everything, humanity overflows in Taloja prison". Fr Stan, who was transferred from Ranchi to Mumbai, had sought release on bail for health reasons, but it was not granted. Both the Catholic church and human rights groups have petitioned on his behalf. The priest says
Christian villagers attacked by mob in India
A Christian villager who was wounded in the attack in India's Chhattisgarh state on Nov. 25. (Photo supplied) Police are investigating a violent attack on indigenous Christian villagers in India’s Chhattisgarh state in which 15 persons were injured, four of them seriously. The seriously injured have been admitted to a government hospital and the rest were discharged after receiving first aid following the Nov. 25 attack “The Christians were attacked at 2am while they were asleep after a community function in their village of Chinghavaram, under Gadiras police station, in Sukma district,” Pastor Chinnam Wycliff Sagar told UCA News on Nov. 26. “A group of close to 50 attackers armed with iron rods and lathis [sticks] attacked them without any provocation.” Police registered a case against 16 persons and began a probe into what they believe is a case of revelry that turned violent. Christian groups, however, denied the police version and said it was a communal attack on the Christians to force them to give up their faith in Christianity. “Our people were attacked for their faith in Jesus,” said Pastor Moses Logan, president of Chhattisgarh State Christian Welfare Society. “The indigenous Christians in the state are under pressure from right-wing Hindu groups and others opposed to Christianity to
Hindu fanatics attack Christian pastor in southern India
Catholics from the Syro-Malabar-Church, one of the three rites that comprise the Indian Catholic Church
Madhya Pradesh, Hindutva groups attack a Pentecostal prayer meeting
The anti-conversion law "has become an instrument in the hands of radical Hindu groups to harass Christian communities". The Church of Bophal denounces the violent violation of private property. Fr. Babu Joseph, former spokesman for the Indian bishops: "Hindu fundamentalists, capable only of creating chaos". "We Christians offer education, medical care, social apostolate, development for the poor, the marginalized, Dalits, tribals, women and children
Hindu fanatics raze Protestant church in southern India
Destruction of the under-construction church shatters a decades-long dream of the Christian community Catholics from the Syro-Malabar-Church, one of the three rites that comprise the Indian Church, observe Lent at St. Mary’s School in East Delhi in April 2018. (Photo: Bijay Kumar Minj/UCA News) An under-construction Protestant church in the southern Indian state of Telangana was demolished by a mob of radical Hindus on Jan. 20. Gethsemane Prardana Mandiram (church) in Mahabubabad was attacked by a group of Hindu fanatics headed by a leader named Bura Venakanna, said Pastor Muhammad Afzal Paul. “Local Christians believe that the main reason for the attack is that there are around 80 churches of different denominations in a radius of 10 kilometers, which the Bajrang Dal [a radical Hindu group] could not accept,” Pastor Levi of the Power of Jesus Fellowship, a Protestant church, told UCA News. “The local administration has stationed some police officers at the church attack site and it is under investigation. The church is very small with about 100 members. “A Muslim named Muhammad Afzal, who converted to Christianity and who is now known as Pastor Muhammad Afzal Paul, takes care of the attacked church. Christians are terrified but believe that the investigation will have no impact as
Police Join Attack on Christians, File False Charges, Sources Say
Officers and Hindu extremists in India threaten church members. – Police who did nothing to stop a fierce attack on a church service in Uttar Pradesh, India also beat and threatened the Christians while arresting them under false accusations of fraudulent conversions, sources said. A mob of 15 to 20 Hindu extremists earlier this month assaulted men, women and children of Heavenly Gospel Mission Church in Shahjahanpur District, with some saying, “We will continue to hit you until you abuse and curse Jesus,” church members said. After beating the seven men of the congregation with wooden batons and the 10 women and 10 children with the church chairs, they dragged four Christians and the Hindu owner of the rented building outside and threatened to kill them as they further assaulted them near parked police cars with officers who did nothing to stop them, according to a Christian identified only as Rajat in a video on social media. “We were dragged out barefoot with threats by the attackers who told us that they will break our hands and legs and kill us,” Rajat said on the video. Church pastor H.S. David told Morning Star News that the assailants did not ask them anything when they burst
Jailed Indian Jesuit pens letter on prisoners’ plight
An image of Father Stan Swany on a sipper-cup and badges that rights groups issued as part of their campaign demanding the release of the Jesuit priest and 15 other activists accused of terror links. (Photo: UCA News) Detained elderly Indian Jesuit Stan Swamy has marked his 100 days in prison with a letter highlighting the cases of poor people languishing in jail who begin their trials without even knowing their criminal charges. In his letter to Jesuit colleagues, the 84-year-old priest also expressed gratitude for the "overwhelming" solidarity of his supporters as he completed 100 days in prison on Jan. 15. Father Swamy has been detained in Taloja Central Prison in Mumbai, capital of Maharashtra state, since Oct. 9. The human rights activist priest is charged with sedition and having links with outlawed Maoist rebels. Along with Father Swamy, 15 other activists were arrested and jailed at different times for their alleged involvement in a violent incident in Bhima Koregaon on Jan. 1, 2018, in which one person died and five were injured. As he completed 100 days in jail, rights groups across India organized peaceful candlelight marches, processions and webinars to mark his and other activists' incarceration. "First of all, I deeply appreciate the overwhelming solidarity expressed by many during these past 100 days
Shut down all churches in India’s tribal areas, Hindu group demands
Hindu devotees take a holy dip in the Narmada River on Makar Sankranti, a day considered to be of great religious significance in Hindu mythology, at Tilwara Ghat in Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh on Jan. 14. (Photo: AFP) A right-wing Hindu group has demanded an immediate shutdown of all churches built in tribal areas of the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and action against Christian priests and pastors involved in alleged religious conversion. However, church leaders denied the conversion allegations and termed the demands an attempt to terrorize and defame them by taking advantage of the newly enacted anti-conversion law in the state. Azad Prem Singh, a local leader of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) or World Hindu Council, said that in the past 70 years Christian missionaries had converted "gullible indigenous people into Christianity and built churches specifically on protected tribal land." "All the illegally built churches should be shut down immediately, and action should be taken against all priests and pastors involved in the process," said Singh, who is based in the state's Jhabua district. Along with his hundreds of supporters, including some indigenous people, he marched through Jhabua city on Jan. 11 and handed over a memorandum detailing their demands to the district collector, the highest government officer in
Hindu Nationalists Incite Animists to Attack Christians in India
Christian families were worshipping in a wood-and-hay structure in eastern India last month when an influential man of wealth wielding an axe led others in and, in coarse language, asked why they had abandoned their tribal religion. Elder Burjo Tadinji of the church in Odisha state’s Chichima village, answered, “We have known the true living God; we will not leave him. We used to indulge in fights and speak lies, but we do not do all that now. We like this faith, and that is why we follow it.” Outraged, the leader of the mob of 20-25 men from three different villages began swinging the axe on the church structure, according to pastor Bibudhan Pradhan, who normally leads the small congregation of 15 but was absent that day (Dec. 13). “They manhandled the Christians, damaged [an adjacent] Christian home, and broke the thatched structure with the axe,” Pastor Pradhan, 48, told Morning Star News. “They threatened to chase them out of their homes and the village if they reported the matter to the police.” The mob joined in, and soon the church structure was reduced to pieces, with Tadinji’s adjoining home also damaged. They tore the clothes of one Christian and with a stone
Pressure increases on Indian Christian community as prayer meetings come under police scrutiny
Indian police in Shahjahanpur district, Uttar Pradesh State, have been instructed to keep a watch on prayer meetings after five Christians were accused of trying to “unlawfully” convert people to Christianity. The order was issued by a regional police superintendent after five Christians were brought to authorities by members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), a hard-line Hindu group. The Christians allegedly violated the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, which came into force in November 2020. The new anti-conversion law prohibits “conversion of religion through: force, misrepresentation, undue influence, and allurement, or fraud, or marriage”. It also prohibits “abetting, convincing, and conspiring to such conversions”. The instructions given to police stations were to be aware of prayer meetings in their area and to “act strictly when they are completely sure that conversion is taking place in the garb of prayer”. The allegations have been contested by Christians. Local church leader Harold D’Cuhna said, “It is just an allegation from the fanatic groups and if they are sure about it, let them prove it. People are free to express their views in a democratic country.” He added that normal charitable activities of the church are being misconstrued as “allurement to conversion.” An Indian Christian leader told Barnabas Fund that
