EFI protests attacks launched on Christians in M.P., U.P.

The Evangelical Fellowship of India has expressed serious concern and has protested against three separate attacks launched by Hindu fundamentalists against Christians on September 10.

In the first incident, a mob of around 60–70 Hindu extremists interrupted a prayer meeting and attacked four Christians including a pastor in Bharghat village in the Seoni District of Madhya Pradesh before handing them over to the police who promptly arrested them on charges of disrupting religious harmony.

"The arrested, Pastor Haroon, Mr. Sunil Singh, his wife Anita Singh and Sunitha Singh were attacked by a mob of around 70 Hindu militants when they had gathered for a prayer meeting at Pastor Haroon's home," EFI reported. "The Christians were charged under Sections 153 A, 298 A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and S. 4 of the Freedom of Religion Act which pertain to saying words which would promote enmity between religious communities."

When contacted, the Director General of Police, Swaraj Puri assured EFI that proper procedure would be followed.

In a second incident on September 10, in Balaghat city of Madhya Pradesh, a mob of 40 people attacked a group of 15 believers who were meeting together for Sunday worship in the home of a lady named Rekha Bai Kawde.

The attackers stormed into the home and assaulted the believers, severely beating two evangelists, Mr. Durga Prasad Vanshpal and Mr. Niwade.

"The evangelists and the host were taken to the police station where they pressurised Ms. Rekha into lodging a complaint stating that the evangelists tried to convert her to Christianity and to break her Hindu idols," EFI stated in its press release.

"Local sources, however, say that there has not been pressure on Ms. Rekha to convert," the evangelical body added.

In yet another incident, on the same day, around 40 Hindu activists stormed a girls convent school in Lucknow after a few terrified pupils fainted because the school allowed a man to claim Jesus had entered his body, witnesses and police said.

The activists belonging to the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the nation's main opposition party, broke windows of the school's chapel and damaged flower pots and doors in the 134–year–old school in Lucknow.

"We have already arrested three men," senior police officer G.K. Goswami said, adding further arrests would be made.

BJP activists were angered that Sr. Monica, the principal of the prestigious Loreto Convent school in Lucknow, had allowed the man to act as if he was a "medium" for Jesus Christ, causing girls to faint in shock.

EFI general secretary, Rev. Richard Howell has urged Christians nationwide to pray for the presecuted.