Arrested pastors released on bail by Karnataka court

A Karnataka court Tuesday granted bail to eight pastors arrested on cooked up charges of religious conversion last week in Dharwad.

The pastors were arrested while attending a teaching program organized by the Seva Bharat (Mission India) and Evangelical Church of India on August 12.

On allegations of conversion, Hindutva activists barged into the meeting and attacked the organizers and participants, subsequently calling the police and press with malicious intentions.

Christian groups had condemned the incident and demanded swift action against the culprits.

The All India Christian Council, an ecumenical group with nation-wide alliance of Christian denominations, mission agencies and federations, earlier criticized the police for taking action against Christians to please the Hindutva elements.

The attackers took all copies of the Bible and set fire to them publicly and warned them of severe consequences if they continue to have programs of this kind, the council had reported.

Similarly disapproving the incident, Bangalore-based Global Council of Indian Christians appealed to the Governor of Karnataka, the Home Minister of India and the National Human Rights Commission for speedy release of all the illegally detained pastors.

GCIC refuted all conversion allegations and apprised that the groups involved in the case were known or their humanitarian service provided to Northern Karnataka for the past nine years.

Karnataka, once a peaceful state and melting pot of various religions, with rise in violence, has indubitably lost its sanctity and peace. A Hindu nationalist party rules the state.