Catholics to Fight Anti–Christian Campaign in Orissa

Bhubaneswar – The Catholic authorities in Orissa have resolved to appeal to the central government to halt the ongoing anti–Christian campaign that the local Hindu fundamentalists, the police and the media have surreptitiously launched in the state.

A leading Indian newspaper, The Times of India, on December 22 had reported that three Christians were assaulted on suspicions of converting residents in the village of Gopinath, Balasore district.

In another story, police reported that Christians thrashed a man who had refused to convert.

Such contradictory accounts, many Christians believe, are part of a trend targeting “conversions” and justifying anti–Christian violence.

The issue of conversion, according to Rev. Thomas Thiruthalil, Bishop of Balasore, is an easy instrument in the hands of groups and fringe extremists who want to ignite social hatred. “It is a tool easily used by extremist groups who want to arouse communal passion,” he said.

“Anti–social elements are taking advantage of the Orissa Freedom of Religion Act,” the Bishop said, “to intimidate Tribals with the knowledge and consent of the local administration”.

The Freedom of Religion Act bans all forced conversions, but the law is frequently used to threaten the tribals, most of whom are illiterate and easily swayed by fundamentalists and politicians.

Bishop Thiruthalil, who is also chairman of the Orissa Bishops’ Regional Council, said he was going to write the Home minister to urge him to investigate this matter.

John Dayal, president of the All India Catholic Union, said that while fundamentalists fabricate claims about forced conversions, the stories about anti–Christian violence are all true.

“Why,” Mr Dayal inquired, “is the Orissa police not as zealous in investigating anti–Christian incidents as it is when just the word ‘conversion’ is uttered?”

Incidentally, Orissa is under a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) administration, a party that till May of this year also controlled the Union government. It is also a stronghold of Hindu fundamentalism as groups such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), who are well known for their anti–religious minority ideology, are very active in the state.