Hindu fanatics attack women missionaries in Haryana

Four women missionaries of the Gospel for Asia serving in Thosam, Bhiwani district, Haryana, were attacked and severely beaten in their home on February 4 by radical Hindu groups.

Two pastors of the same organization were also injured in the attack.

On February 4, a mob of Hindu radicals confronted the missionaries and ordered them to vacate their residence immediately as they were being suspected of forcibly converting innocent Hindus to Christianity.

The radicals also ordered them to call their supervising pastors.

When the pastors, Vijaya K.P. and Raj Kumar, arrived, the mob went berserk and stormed into the house and began accosting the women and beating up the pastors. According to local sources close to the development, the believers were slapped and a local police officer, Birendra Singh, who was a part of the mob used his baton to beat Pastor Vijaya who suffered severe injuries on his head.

Later, after the attackers left, the missionaries sought refuge in the GFA–affiliated church in the neighborhood.

"News of the attack, including photos of the injured women and the pastors were published on February 5 in the Dainik Jagran, a leading Hindi daily," the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) reported.

When the Christian Legal Association of India (CLAI) contacted the coordinator of the Gospel for Asia, he mentioned that no FIR had yet been filed though they had met with the Superintendent of Police.

"Hindu religious fundamentalists have been making every possible attempt to stop all Christian work in this state for some time," said Dr. K.P. Yohannan, founder and president of Gospel for Asia. "These fundamentalists routinely target Christians, and now they are even attacking women."

Though public attacks on women are rare, the latest incident has stirred the concerns of GFA leaders.

"This is too much!" said Bishop Simon John, a GFA senior regional leader, who has reported it to the State Minority Commissioner.

GFA is certain that the Sangh Parivar, a group of organizations that promote Hindu ideology through repression of other religious ideologies, are behind this attack.

Meanwhile, Birendra Singh has denied the allegation that he participated in the attack. He said he had only told them to vacate the house based on the charges levelled against them by the Hindu fanatics.

Christian advocacy group, the All India Christian Council (AICC), has condemned the Hindu radicals for attacking the women missionaries and also for levelling false allegations that they were converting Hindu children under the pretext of giving tuitions.

The Council has also appealed to the higher authorities to take action against Birendra Singh for beating the hapless believers.