Violence against Christians on the rise as Police look the other way

It is pronounced in BJP-ruled States, says Evangelical Fellowship report At least 131 instances of violence against and persecution of Christians occurred across the country in 2012, according to a report released by the Evangelical Fellowship of India. It says Karnataka has the highest number of hostile cases (37). Chhattisgarh comes next, with 21 recorded instances, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 18. In almost all cases, the complicity or tacit cooperation of the local police resulted in violence or vandalism, said Indian Christian Voice president and former Maharashtra Minorities Commission member Abraham Mathai. He said the list was not exhaustive as the cases highlighted pertained only to incidents on which an FIR was lodged. “Many incidents go unreported and hence, undocumented…but that does mean that an atrocity is not taking place,” he said, alleging that a significant number of these hostile attacks were primarily carried out by Hindu extremists in States ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party. Adivasi Christian Sainath Umbaraote, who hails from Tamsai village in Maharashtra’s Thane district, claimed that despite police assurances of protection, the personnel were turning a blind eye to the incidents and often did not register complaints. Incidentally, Tamsai was the scene of a communal conflagration a fortnight ago when tribals were beaten up by local extremists for daring to worship Christ. “The atmosphere in the village continues to be tense. While community prayers have stopped, tribals who have accepted Christianity are compelled to pray surreptitiously,” said Mr. Umbaraote. Likewise, Chintaman Salve rued the climate of repression in Mokahada taluk in Thane district where, he said, even women were manhandled and their chains with the Cross were snatched when they went out to wash clothes. Source: The Hindu