Christians Face 1,000 Attacks in 500 Days in Karnataka, Southern India
March 24, 2010 – 3:26 pmCDN:
NEW DELHI, March 22 - Minority Christians in southern Karnataka state are under an unprecedented wave of Christian persecution, having faced more than 1,000 attacks in 500 days, according to an independent investigation by a former judge of the Karnataka High Court.
The spate began on Sept. 14, 2008, when at least 12 churches were attacked in one day in Karnataka’s Mangalore city, in Dakshina Kannada district, said Justice Michael Saldanha, former judge of the Karnataka High Court. “On Jan. 26 - the day we celebrated India’s Republic Day - Karnataka’s 1,000th attack took place in Mysore city,” Saldanha told Compass, saying the figure was based on reports from faith-based organizations.
“Attacks are taking place every day,” said Saldanha. The latest attack took place on Wednesday (March 17), when a mob of around 150 people led by the Hindu extremist Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) and its youth wing, Bajrang Dal, stormed the funeral of a 50-year-old Christian identified only as Isaac, reported the Karnataka-based Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC).
The mob pulled the coffin apart, threw the body into a tractor and dumped it outside, saying his burial would have contaminated Indian soil, added the GCIC. Blaming the state government for the attacks, Saldanha said the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party had “outdone Orissa.”
Karnataka Home Minister V.S. Acharya denied the results of the inquiry. “The allegation of Karnataka having faced 1,000 attacks is absolutely false,” Acharya told Compass. “Karnataka is the most peaceful state in India, and the people are law-abiding.”
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