Pastor stripped and thrashed in Mumbai

A pastor in Mumbai was stripped and thrashed by 20 VHP activists accusing him of converting people.

Shouting Hindu slogans the angry mob on Nov. 15, injured pastor Philip Fernandes and damaged the Church of God prayer hall after confining 20 persons attending the meeting.

Raj Jaiswal (30), an eyewitnesses said, 20 people including 15 women, were in the prayer when someone knocked at the door. "We opened it presuming that more people may have come for the prayer," he said.

However it was the mob shouting 'Jai Hind, Jai Maharashtra' disrupting the prayer, accusing the Christians of conversions.

"They claimed to be from the VHP and said they had information that conversions were happening here. They hurled fithy abuses at us and beat us up," said Jaiswal.

Jaiswal who phoned a TV channel requesting help said, "The reporters came in 15 minutes with police officials from the Kanakia police chowkie and Navghar police station who resolved the matter."

Eight men have been arrested in connection with the incident, which occurred at the Navghar police limits.

Vice-chairman of the state Minorities Commission Abraham Mathai said, "This is a very shameful incident. When I spoke to a few witnesses, they told me that these hooligans were shouting about how the Christians were being taught a lesson in Orissa and how the lesson would be repeated again in this case. I am personally meeting the Deputy chief minister R R Patil on Monday and shall suggest that stringent action be taken against the accused so that such actions can be discouraged."

Voicing his concern, Joseph Dias, general secretary of the Catholic Secular Forum said: "The bogey of forced or induced conversions has once again been raised while stripping Pastor Philip Fernandes and beating him and others mercilessly. It is shocking that despite several warnings, the state government is turning a blind eye to the budding communal menace in Maharashtra."

Coincidently, last week three Christians in southern Karnataka became victims of similar such allegations that has plunked them in prison. More details