Christian prayer meetings disrupted in Chhattisgarh; bid to burn pastor foiled

In two separate incidents, Hindu hardliner groups have attempted to burn a pastor and have disrupted a Christian prayer meeting, assaulting the believers in Chhattisgarh.

In the first incident, about 25 Dharma Sena activists raided a believer's home in Kosa Nala in Bhilai, disrupting a prayer service, and began thrashing Pastor D. David Raj of Hossana Church and his wife.

The activists then dragged the pastor outside and placing an old tire round his neck, abused him and tried to set him on fire.

"All of a sudden around 25 men entered the Church. They went straight to the Pastor and started beating and abusing him. They snatched the Pastor's Bible which also contained Rs. 3000 and his mobile phone," Pastor Swami, a local Pastor said describing the incident.

According to witnesses, the pastor was paraded before being dragged to the Supela Police Station where the Hindu activists filed false complaints of forcible conversion against the pastor and his wife.

"The police flouted all the rules while arresting her. She was arrested by a male policeman late in the night; they put her in the police van and brought her to the police station." Arun Pannalal, General Secretary of the Chattisgarh Christian forum said.

Besides being charged under the state anti–conversion laws, the pastor and his wife have also been charged under the Indian Penal Code for disrupting social and communal harmony and outraging religious feelings of others.

According to news sources, the police have extracted false evidence from other believers against the couple in their attempt to implicate them under anti–conversion laws.

However, following the filing of a complaint and pressure brought about by Pastors Fellowship in Bhilai and Chhattisgarh Masih Samiti, the police arrested three leaders of Dharam Sena – Vice Chairman Gulshan Dindhe, District Coordinators Rajendra Naik and Sudhanshu Singh on the ground of breaking peace.

A pastors' delegation also met the Governor of Chhattisgarh who has assured them of looking into the matter personally.

The Pastors Fellowship of Bhilai and Chhattisgarh Masih Samiti would soon meet to discuss the release of the Pastor and his wife. They would also discuss the possibility of filing murder charges against the attackers.

Christians continue to live in fear in Chhattisgarh where people from the minority communities are persecuted by hardliner Hindu groups almost everday. In spite of several petitions for help and protection, the state government continues to remain a mute spectator and rather has mulled making the existing anti–conversion laws more stringent in its bid to curb activities of churches and missionaries.

Following a recent inspection visit to Chhattisgarh, a member of the National Minority Commission, H.S. Josh had expressed his concerns over the atrocities faced by Christians and other minority groups in Chhattisgarh.

In a separate incident, about two dozens Dharma Sena activists barged into a Christian home in Bothli village, Gurur tehsil, Durg district of Chhatisgarh, disrupting a prayer meeting and began assaulting the believers who had assembled there.

In the melee, an eight– month pregnant woman was severely injured and had to be rushed to hospital after she complained of terrible pain. However, as the hospital did not have adequate facilities, the authorities expressed their inability to provide treatment to the injured woman, terming her injuries as 'internal.'

According to news sources, the police took advantage of the statement made by the hospital authorities that it was minor internal injury and refused to take action against the culprits as the injured woman was discharged from the hospital soon.

The Chhattisgarh Christian Forum, which has been protesting against the increasing violence against the Christian community in the state has protested against the manner with which the case of the injured woman was handled.

Concerned that the state authorities are colluding with the extremist outfits, allowing the latter to carry out wanton acts of atrocities and violence, many Christian groups in the state along with the Congress Party's youth wing, National Students Union of India and Brahma Samaj have voiced their protests. The Communist Party of India (CPI) has also called for a meeting to discuss the rapidly deteriorating law and order situation in the state in the light of the attacks on the Christian community.