Anti–Christian atrocities on the rise in Punjab

In an incident that has sent shockwaves throughout Punjab, three pastors have been arrested and sent to judicial custody for reportedly trying to kill a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP or World Hindu Council) activist.

Trouble began brewing, March 10, when fifteen women were having a prayer service in Pastor Amit Sidhu’s home in Bathinda, Punjab and were confronted by a group of VHP and Bajrang Dal activists who ordered them to stop. Accusing the believers of forcibly converting local Hindus and creating disturbance in the neighbourhood, the Hindu fundamentalists began shouting anti–Christian slogans and manhandling them.

When the women cried for help, some local Christians came to their rescue and in the scuffle that ensued, a VHP activist was severely injured.

Taking advantage of the situation, other Hindu extremists immediately called the police and accusing Pastors Kulwan Raj, Chootta Singh and Harfool Singh of trying to murder the injured activist, had them arrested.

The following day, Vijay Bhardwaj, general secretary of local VHP unit, and Sumit Kumar, co–coordinator of Bajrang Dal, led a mob of 50 Hindu activists and attempted to storm Pastor Amit Sidhu's house and attack the occupants. However, a police unit that was guarding the house, sensing trouble, resorted to lathi–charge to disperse the crowd and in the melee, some of the Hindu activists were injured.

According to media reports, Gurjit Romana, Station House Officer (SHO) of city police station, who protected the Christians from VHP and Bajrang Dal activists, has been suspended. The Government of Punjab has also transferred both DSP and SI for providing protection to Christians.

The accused three pastors have been sent to judicial custody for nearly a month after producing them in the court March 12, 2007.

"Christians have been targeted because they exercised their voting rights, and VHP and Bajrang Dal activists were angry that Christians voted against their political alliances," one believer said, requesting not to be named.

Meanwhile, a complaint has been registered against the activists for verbally abusing and molesting the women believers.

Investigations are going on and no one has been arrested on the basis of this complaint yet.