By Abu Zafar, India Tomorrow,
New Delhi, 18 March 2014: An umbrella body of Church in India on Tuesday alleged that in three states Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka, Christians have faced more targeted violence in 2013. Women, rural pastors and home church were main target of communal forces which usually led by Sangh Parivar, it alleged.
According to a report compiled by Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI), during last year at least 154 such cases were reported from these three states with 42 cases reported from Andhra Pradesh, 28 in Chhattisgarh and 27 in Karnataka.
EFI claims that about 4500 churches are associated with it.
Vijayesh Lal, national director of EFI thinks that these incidents of violence are politically motivated.
“There are lots of propaganda against Christians regarding conversion but not a single fraud and forceful conversion has been proved till date,” Lal told India Tomorrow.
“They want to fabricate enemies for their vote bank politics,” he added.
The report says that there are lots of such complaints received from other states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Gujarat.
The report alleges that Tribals in Gujarat are compelled to fill their name in official papers as Hindu.
“Most of these pertain to Tribals being deprived of their land f they convert to Christianity. In Gujarat, the computerized registration systems have been so engineered that Tribals have mandatorily to fill their religion as Hindu,” a press statement from EFI reads.
“This is in violation of the Constitutional provisions for Scheduled Tribes. The matter is to be taken to the High courts of the respective states,” it further reads.
EFI stresses on need of an anti-communal riots law which is pending before parliament since long.
“We had hoped that Parliament would pass the Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Bill in the last session. It did not happen. We hope that the government formed after the 2014 General elections will take it up in earnest.”
According to Lal other communities who are facing same violence should unite over the issue.
“Muslims and Christians should come forward together to demand government to pass anti communal violence bill,” he demanded.
“We have done it in past and we should do it now as well,” he added.
