CPI(M): BJP-ruled states targeting Christians, Muslims

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) Saturday said Christians and Muslims were targeted in states ruled by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

While addressing the inaugural session of the 3-day Central Committee meeting, CPM general secretary Prakash Karat said the BJP-run government in Gujarat, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh were attacking minorities, mainly Christians and Muslims.

"They are being deprived of their rights as Indian citizens," he said.

He criticized the BJP for its "Hindutva ideology" which he said was "injurious to India and her unity."

Referring to the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case, he said the Gujarat government has staged encounter killings as a cover-up to its crimes.

"This is a chilling reminder of what is in store for the country if such forces come to power," Karat said.

The CPM leader urged the Central Government to never compromise with violence "wherever it comes from".

The states governed by BJP are without question witnessing a surge in communal incidents targeting minorities.

In Karnataka, fringe radical groups backed by the BJP and RSS is on a violence spree, attacking pastors and churches.

In a very recent case, an incident that transpired yesterday, a 30-year-old pastor was attacked by a group of Bajrang Dal and Sri Ram Sene activists in Karnataka.

According to the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), a group of 20 persons barged into the church of Pastor Hema Naik in Chitradurga and attacked the pastor and believers during the Sunday worship.

"Some pastors and believers, who visited the police station, were also beaten up by the Hindu radicals. Six of them also sustained minor injuries," GCIC said.

The Bangalore-based group has uploaded a video on its website that showed the pastor being beaten and dragged to the police station.

Last year, GCIC recorded 72 attacks on Christians in the state.