Minority Commission in Madhya Pradesh debunks reports of Christian persecution

The Madhya Pradesh State Minorities Commission has debunked claims of Christians being persecuted and oppressed in the state as "baseless."

The State Commission's observation contradicts a report by the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) in June 2006 whoe fact–finding team concluded that Hindu radicals had frequently invoked the state's draconic anti–conversion law as a means to incite mobs against Christians and have Christians arrested without evidence.

"The life of Christians has become miserable at the hands of miscreants in connivance with the police," the NCM noted in its report. "There are allegations that when atrocities were committed on Christians, police remained mere spectators, and in certain cases they did not even register complaints."

However, Anwar Mohammed Khan, chairman of the Madhya Pradesh Commission said that though there have been complaints about attacks against members of the Christian community, yet, the radicals have not actually "targeted Christians."

"Under Section 9(2) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, we have the power to investigate any complaint concerning minorities, and we have done that," Khan said speaking to the media. "But we don't think any special mention should be made about attacks against Christians."

According to Khan, visits of places where incidents were reported and questioning of the witnesses have revealed that "the allegations made by the Christians were baseless."

Khan also said that the state government was doing its duty in maintaining law and order. "No incident (of persecution) has taken place recently. If you know of any incident in which the government has failed to do its duty, bring it to my notice," he challenged.

However, Indira Ayengar, president of the Madhya Pradesh Christian Association and a former member of the Madhya Pradesh State Minorities Commission, said the Hindu nationalist BJP government wanted to give the impression that everything was "calm and quiet" in the state.

"About two weeks ago, Maya Singh, a BJP member of Parliament, told a local Hindi newspaper that I was lying when I wrote to the Commission and the federal government about the victimization of Christians in the state," Ayengar said, hinting that the State Minorities Commission was towing the line of ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)–led government in the state.