Seven Christians Are Seriously Injured in an Attack in Central India
07/25/2023 India (International Christian Concern) – In a brutal attack against Christians in a central Indian state, seven people—including three women—sustained life-threatening injuries earlier this month. The atrocious incident took place in the village of Bhaganpal in the Baster district of Chhattisgarh state. All seven victims were rushed to the public hospital in Jagdalpur. “Christians in Bhaganpal village have been harassed since March this year,” a local pastor said when speaking to an ICC correspondent. The pastor added that, “The Christians were summoned at the village gathering twice in the last two months, to persuade them to reconvert back to their previous religion. Things are becoming increasingly difficult for Christians to practice their faith.” As 60 Christians gathered for a Sunday service, a mob of around 15 radical Hindu nationalists burst into the congregation and began to beat the worshippers, another source said. The mob attacked the congregants with sharp stones and heavy bludgeons, leaving seven people seriously injured, including one whose hand was fractured, one who needed stitches, and another who was unconscious for four hours. The victims are frightened and taking shelter in a different village at a Christian house, cared for by fellow believers. “Their lives are under danger if
Indian pastor, six others arrested on ‘conversion’ charges
The police in northern Uttar Pradesh state arrived during the Sunday service and also sealed the prayer hall Seven Christians, including a pastor and a woman, were arrested and their prayer hall was sealed by police in a northern Indian state for alleged violation of the stringent anti-conversion law. Police in northern Uttar Pradesh state interrupted a Sunday prayer service on July 23 at Badesar village in Ghazipur district. They took the pastor and six others to the police station, where they were retained for a night. All seven were presented in a local court on July 24 and were remanded in judicial custody. “It is totally a false case against our people,” said Vikrant Kumar John, son of arrested pastor Vinod Kumar James, who heads the Protestant James Prarthana Bhavan (Prayer Hall) at Badesar. >John told UCA News on July 25 that a 50-strong police team came during the Sunday service. “They rushed inside the church and stopped the prayer service, accusing us of conducting religious conversion,” he said. They also seized copies of the Bible and other Christian books, he added. Nearly 700 people were attending the service. They arrested the pastor and six others and allowed the others to go home. "The police seemed to be acting as
Indian-Americans hold protests against Manipur violence in 3 US states
Indian-Americans and allies held protests in US states of California, New Jersey, and Massachusetts throughout the weekend to condemn the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur, which has left hundreds of people dead and thousands displaced. The protests were in part a response to a horrific video last week, showing two young tribal women being paraded naked while being molested by a group of men in the violence-hit state. In California, Indian-Americans and allies gathered on the steps of Oakland City Hall for a protest organised by several advocacy groups, including the North American Manipur Tribal Association (NAMTA), Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), and Ambedkar King Study Circle. “They chased us out of our homes. They burned our homes, our properties. They looted, they killed, they raped, they immolated, they beheaded, they’ve left us broken and everything we own reduced to ashes,” said Niang Hangzo, founding member of NAMTA. “This is the butchery being done to the Kuki-Zomi… How long will the world stay silent? We want the House to bring this issue and discuss it like the EU (Parliament) has done.” T he European Parliament had adopted a resolution earlier this month, calling on Indian authorities to take “all necessary” measures to stop the violence
Clergy abuse ‘swept under the carpet’ in Indian Church
Indian Christian nuns and Muslim supporters demand the arrest of Bishop Franco Mulakkal, after he was accused of raping a nun, outside the High Court in Kochi in the southern Indian state of Kerala on Sept. 13, 2018. Rape charges were officially filed against him in April 2019. (Photo: AFP) On June 1, the Vatican accepted the resignation of Indian Bishop Franco Mulakkal, almost five years after police arrested him on charges of raping a nun. The Vatican “requested” his resignation, said a statement from the apostolic nunciature in India, adding that this action should not be seen as a “disciplinary measure imposed upon” the bishop. The Mulakkal case has once again revived the demand for speedy and transparent action into allegations of clerical abuse in India as delays can lead to embarrassment for Christians, who make up 2.3 percent in the Hindu majority nation of 1.4 billion people. The Vatican's move in the Mulakkal case came 18 months after a lower court acquitted him, and when an appeal against the acquittal is pending in a higher court. Mulakkal is the fourth Catholic bishop to resign over allegations of sexual abuse in India — all in the past 15 years. In all four cases, the hierarchy
Manipur: Catholic Bishops’ Association Calls Upon ‘Governance System’ to Uphold Secular Fabric
Not for the first time have concerns been expressed over attacks on churches and violence against women and children. New Delhi: The Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) has called for immediate initiation of dialogue between all the concerned stakeholders in Manipur so that peace can return in the state which has seen ethnic violence since May 3. A delegation of the CBCI visited the state recently. The team visited conflict-ridden areas of Kakching, Sugnu area, Pukhao, Canchipur, Sangaiprou, according to the statement issued on July 24. In the aftermath of the visit, the group has expressed surprise at the “prolonged silence” and apathy of the law enforcement agencies. “It is our earnest appeal that the governance system should uphold the secular fabric of our country, reinforce constitutional values and cultivate an environment of peaceful co-existence of various communities,” it said in the statement. The Christian body expressed deep concern over attacks on its religious institutions, places of worship and assault of women and children. During the trip, the team said that it found that the houses of people living in various relief camps have been totally destroyed. The team recorded that St. Joseph’s Higher Secondary School and Parish, which rendered educational, social and developmental
PM Modi’s Responses to Crises Show He Only Has Time for Politics – and Not Humanity
Most recently, his remarks on the Manipur violence displayed a lack of natural human response to others' pain and suffering. There seems to be a pattern to how some political leaders are hardwired in their response to the requirements of power politics. Since India has one important state election or the other every year, the tendency to constantly address one’s voters has become a permanent feature of realpolitik. But there may be extremely adverse or tragic situations which call for an instinctively human rather than a calculated power response. Prime Minister Narendra Modi clearly displayed a lack of natural human response when he broke his silence on the Manipur violence after nearly 80 days and spoke about the strip parading and gang rape of three Manipuri women. His overall reaction may even be bordering on the lack of empathy in its manifest moral ambiguity over the overwhelming tragedy of Manipur. Modi expressed sadness and anger over the public humiliation and gang rape of the Manipuri women, but his overall statement was a loaded one which was essentially addressing power politics. Couldn’t there have been a pure human response from Modi on just this one occasion? His mention of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh along with Manipur
Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum lists 14 ‘crimes’ in Manipur, appeals for help
"The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), a conglomerate of recognised tribes of Churachandpur district in Manipur, has released a list of 14 alleged instances of crimes against Kuki-Zo women during the ongoing unrest. These include the May 4 incident of two women being paraded naked and molested by a mob, a video of which emerged last week. One of the women was allegedly gang-raped. The 16-page document lists atrocities that allegedly took place between May 3, when the violence between Meiteis and Kukis started, and July 6. Both communities have suffered in the unrest, which has claimed at least 152 lives and displaced 60,000 people. ITLF spokesperson Ginza Vualzong told The Telegraph that the atrocities had been documented and made public for possible use by those who want to support the victims, including fighting their cases or writing about their ordeal so that they receive justice. The ITLF spokesperson said that calls could be made to the number, 8826532299, or messages sent to itlfmediacell@gmail.com by those keen on helping the victims. “There were a lot of queries about the crimes committed against women after the video of the two Kuki-Zo women went viral on Wednesday. We thought it would be handy for everyone if we
Snatched from cops and lynched: Traumatic accounts spill out of violence-hit Manipur
We are in the dark about what the police and the other government agencies are doing about the Hanglalmuan’s murder, says father of the youth Manipur’s horror accounts are piling up as bereaved citizens summon the courage to speak up. Hanglalmuan Vaiphei, 21, was picked up for sharing a Facebook post in Manipur by police who got his incarceration extended by producing back-to-back FIRs. The youth was then beaten to death by a mob who snatched him from custody, his relatives told The Telegraph on Monday. Hanglalmuan, son of a daily wage earner, was picked up from his home in Thingkangphai village in Churachandpur district on the night of April 30. The young man bled to death on the roads of Imphal, around 60km from his home, on May 4, a day after clashes broke out in Manipur. “No one from the police got in touch with us
Master of the Forked Tongue, Modi Has Failed to Address Manipur Violence
Modi is a master of denial, but more alarmingly, he mobilises and leads a violent mob, attacking those who seek justice and merely want to discuss the issues. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, once again, revealed the vileness of the politics he represents and has become synonymous with. It would be incorrect to say that he broke his silence on the majoritarian violence in Manipur. In fact, in his dog-whistle style, he instigated his supporters to target opposition-ruled states, accusing them of not acting against sexual violence cases. He conveyed to his followers that they need not recognise the violence faced by the people of Manipur or feel guilty; instead, they should go on the offensive against the opposition. Following his statement, BJP leaders and his social media army began attacking Congress leaders, questioning why they weren’t speaking out against violence towards women in Congress-ruled states. This, when the world was shocked by the images of mass brutality that the Kuki women were subjected to. The issue of nearly three months of majoritarian violence faced by Manipur’s Kuki people was overshadowed and reduced to a matter of violence against women. Such violence is an everyday reality for women across all states in India and
US Concerned About ‘Brutal’ Sexual Violence Incident in Manipur
New Delhi: The United States on Sunday said it was deeply concerned about reports of sexual violence coming out of Manipur, including the viral video that made headlines across the world and forced the local authorities into action. A US State Department spokesperson called the incident “brutal” and “terrible” and said the United States conveyed its sympathies to the victims, Reuters reported. The incident in question occurred on May 4. Three Kuki women were paraded naked and sexually assaulted allegedly by a mob of Meitei men. An FIR was filed on May 18, but the police and state government jumped into action only after the video of the incident went viral last week. Six arrests have now been made. Multiple incidents of sexual violence have now been reported from strife-torn Manipur, which has been seeing ethnic violence since May 3. About 150 people have been killed and tens of thousands displaced since the violence began. Earlier, US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti had said that the US was willing to help India deal with the violence “if asked”. “When you ask us about the concern of the United States, I don’t think it’s a strategic concern. I think it’s about human concern… You don’t have
