Posted on 04/01/2005 6:36:23 AM PST by wesley_windam-price
Kochi (AsiaNews) – A gaggle of Hindu fundamentalists assaulted Christians who were watching a screening of The Passion of the Christ inside the Kanai Church, the oldest church in the state of Kerala (south-western India). One Christian was seriously wounded and scores of others were beaten and injured, including women and children.
The incident occurred on Easter Eve in Chalakud Taluna when 25 militants from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)—the paramilitary wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)—disrupted the viewing of Mel Gibson’s movie and started attacking the spectators, one of whom George Kutty, was seriously hurt. Kanai Church members are followers of Canai Thoma, who reached Kerala from Persia in 425 AD.
Speaking to AsiaNews, John Dayal, president of the All India Catholic Union, said that “these anti-Christian attacks are probably designed to discredit the Congress Party” which currently rules Kerala. The Chief Minister, Oomen Chandy, is Christian.
Concern is also growing among Christians and the Church in Maharashtra, the most secular Indian state and under a Congress Party administration, where State Home Affairs Minister Sidharam Mhetre presented an anti-conversion law. It follows the main lines of a similar bill already presented in the state of Tamil Nadu.
Should it become law, the bill would, among other things, require anyone changing religion to submit an affidavit to the authorities.
Human rights activists have often said that anti-conversion laws are used by Hindu fundamentalists to persecute non Hindus.
In Tamil Nadu the anti-conversion bill has been withdrawn after a prolonged campaign by opponents.
Dolphy D’Souza, president of the Bombay (Mumbai) Catholic Sabha (assembly), said the proposal by Congress-led Maharashtra was shameful.
“The Bombay Catholic Sabha is anguished and pained at the response of Mr Sidharam Mhetre,” Mr D’Souza said.
He added that “if the government thinks it can pass a law against the people, we can tell him that we and other organisations shall launch a campaign” against the anti-conversion law.
Maharashtra’s Chief Minister had already publicly stated that such a law was not necessary. (NC-LF)
Well, at least they are bombing churches...
The ADL liberals in America did predict that the movie would produce violence.
Hey Hindus, don't have a cow.
Welcome to FR. They hated Him first.
"They hated Him first."
A very logical explaination.
It's not an original thought....but rather from the mouth of Jesus Himself. (John 15:18) I'm just repeated ultimate truth.
A gaggle of Hindu Fundamentalist is always up to no good.
are always- correction
Anyone else starting to think we need Christian paramilitary wings? I mean, everyone else seems to have them. (/sarcasm off)
LOL!!! NICE!
Apparently a Cow is sacred, but a Christian is, less than a cow. And why do they pick on the chickens?
No defense to intolerance or violence, but the above can simply shed a little light on India's militant nationalists. We have militant people in this country who are defending our heritage by opposing Mexicans flooding into our South West, and opposing teaching Spanish for fear of drowning the English language. Having said so, I am not giving an excuse to the militant Indians, I am simply thinking the Indians cannot possibly be as barbaric as the Muslims. The Muslims worldwide treat minorities like crap.
"... he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. " Luke 22:36
There is a difference between i) peaceful border patrols and protests and ii) beating people up.
"...the Indians cannot possibly be as barbaric as the Muslims..."
All the white settlers who were enslaved or raped, scalped and butchered in the 1700s and 1800s would probably disagree with you on that point.
No , muslims would have loped off some heads and raped the women and boys. This sounds like a isolated incident in a country of a few hundred million that was was more of a fight or scuffle then anything else.
There have been Christians in India for about 2000 years.
Seems Christians are not the only ones being attacked for trying to convert people to their faith...
http://www.christiantoday.com/news/sasia/175.htm
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