Hopegivers president arrested amid protests over controversial book

New Delhi – In a shocking incident, the police has arrested the president of Christian ministry, Hopegivers International (HI), Dr. Samuel Thomas, March 16, following complaints that he and his father, Bishop MA Thomas, founder of Emmanuel Mission International (EMI) are the publishers of the controversial book, Haqiqat, that allegedly denigrates Ram, Krishna, goddess Sarawati and Swami Dayanand.

The book, written by M.G. Mathews and reportedly an analytical study on the "Bunch of Thoughts" written by RSS idealogue M.S. Golwalkar, was sold in Rajasthan but was stopped following widespread protests.

According to news reports, the police have also arrested its Hindi translator, Dennis Nathaniel.

Police have also arrested three EMI employees and have revoked the mission's charity license.

Local authorities have also sealed EMI's offices and frozen their bank accounts, claiming that they had recovered all evidence that suggest the entire exercise of publishing the controversial book was carried out by the EMI.

The arrest has been strongly condemned by several Christian advocacy groups and human rights watchdogs, including the All India Christian Council (AICC), the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) and All India Confederation of SC/ST.

“The Rajasthan Police in the most cruel manner and in violation of all established Human Rights conventions and protocol accorded to a religious leader, arrested Bishop Samuel Thomas from Noida, near Delhi this morning. By pointing a revolver at his head while arresting him the Police humiliated a man of such stature and caliber and equated him to a criminal of a dangerous character,” said AICC general secretary, Dr. Abraham Mathai.

“[Haqiqat is a book] they have neither authored nor published. It just happens to be one of the thousands of titles available at the Emmanuel Missions’ book store in Kota, Rajasthan. The police have registered non–bailable offence against the Bishop and their staff and are all out to and humiliate him and the organization,” he added.

Reacting to the arrest of Dr. Thomas, All India SC/ST Confederation president, Mr. Udit Raj said the RSS and the VHP were terrorizing and intimidating Christians with “impunity.”

He alleged that RSS activists led by Mr. Madan Dilawar, Rajasthan’s minister for social welfare, have been vandalizing orphanage, schools and hospitals run by the Emmanuel Mission over the last month.

“The BJP–led Rajasthan government has arrested [Dr.] Thomas like a common criminal instead of putting behind bars the goons who attacked the institutions for orphans and weaker sections,” he said.

Describing the arrest as an attempt to humiliate the bishop and his organization, Mr. Raj claimed that the “the book, which is accused of insulting Hindu deities and gods, has been written by Mr. M G Mathews for Truth and Life Publications and has nothing to do with [Dr.] Thomas and his father” and that it is “one more excuse to target these wonderful people who spent all their life in the service of orphans and lepers of the country.”

According to Sajan George, president, GCIC, the National Human Rights Commission in New Delhi should take "appropriate action" to ensure the safety and well being of Dr. Thomas whose life is being threatened by Hindutva extremists.

Meanwhile, Hopegivers International has sought contributions for an "emergency legal defence fund" to seek release of Samuel Thomas, head of a Christian mission in Rajashtan, who has been arrested in connection with the controversial book.

The lawyers for Dr. Thomas and Founder Bishop M. A. Thomas are also appealing to the High Court in Rajasthan's capital of Jaipur to set bond for the staff being held without charge in Kota jail.