Hindu extremists threaten to eradicate Christianity in Maharashtra

Mumbai – Lives of Christians in the village of Bivsi Dabhadi in Maharashtra continue to be in peril as some Hindu extremists announced death threats and attacked Christian converts in their attempt to “eradicate Christianity.”

According to BosNewsLife, the Washington–DC based human rights group, International Christian Concern (ICC) has reported that the village headman wanted to eradicate Christianity from the village and has orchestrated attacks on several Christian converts.

On December 10, 2005, four Hindu villagers, including the village headman, armed with sticks, stones and sickles, attempted to attack Dhakya Laksya Bhavar, a Christian convert, who however managed to escape.
Though a complaint was lodged with the local police, no action has been initiated yet, ICC has reported.

ICC has further reported that earlier on November 1, 2005, a large group of Hindu villagers led by the village headman had assaulted and beaten up two Christian converts and had ransacked the houses of six others. On this occasion too, the police did not take any action against the attackers and when confronted by an ICC representative, they feigned ignorance.

According to Friend Missionary Prayer Band (FMPB), the “anti–Christian campaign” in the village was initiated in about two years back by the village headman who began attacking Christians and demanded that they “re–convert to their original faith.”

“Anti–Christian villagers have also been trying to make the Christians go back to their old habit of drinking alcohol ever since. But, the Christians have not given in to their continual coercion,” FMPB was quoted by ICC as saying.