Hundereds of Christians move to camps to avoid attacks by Hindu Extremists

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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Christians move to camps to avoid Hindu attacks
Sunday, December 30, 2007

BHUBANESHWAR: Nearly 700 Christians fearing attacks by Hindu hard-liners took shelter in government-run relief camps Saturday after sectarian violence in eastern India left at least four people dead last week.

Authorities were providing food, medicine and security to Christians who moved into the four relief camps on Friday in the rural district of Kandhamal in eastern Orissa state, said Pradeep Kapoor, the inspector-general of police. Meanwhile, two police officers were suspended for failing to prevent violence on Christmas Eve, when long-standing tensions between the Hindu majority and the small Christian community erupted over conversions to Christianity, Kapoor told The Associated Press.

Nearly 800 police and paramilitary forces were trying to restore calm, he said. No fresh incidents of violence were reported Saturday for a second day in Kandhamal, nearly 200 kilometers (125 miles) west of Bhubaneshwar, the capital of Orissa state, Kapoor said.

The state government also transferred the top district administrator, Bhabagrahi Mohapatra, as punishment for failing to stop the fighting. Three people were killed Thursday when police opened fire on a group of hard-line Hindus who set fire to a police station in Kandhamal district’s Brahmangaon village. They said police failed to protect them after a group of Christians burned down several Hindu homes in apparent retaliation for attacks on churches, officials said. Another person also died last week in communal fighting.

About 19 churches have been ransacked and burned since Monday and several homes have been destroyed. At least 25 people have been arrested, Superintendent of Police Narsingh Bhol said. India is overwhelmingly Hindu but officially secular. ap

Daily Times

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Indian government provides protection

**Unlike other countries in the region I am glad and proud that Indian government protects all religious minorities
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Indian PM promises to protect Christians

7 hours ago
NEW DELHI (AFP) — Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has promised to protect India’s Christians in a letter to the widow of an Australian missionary killed nine years ago in a sectarian attack in the east of the country.
Graham Staines and his two young sons were burnt alive in January 1999 as they slept in their jeep in Orissa state by a right-wing Hindu mob who accused them of trying to convert the local population.
“The government will take all necessary steps to safeguard the fundamental rights and liberties of all sections of our society and protect their religious freedom,” Singh wrote to Gladys Staines, a statement from his office said.
“We will not tolerate any efforts aimed at disturbing the communal harmony or secular fabric of our country.”
Gladys Staines had expressed concerns about increasing sectarian tension in Orissa in a letter to Singh dated December 20, the statement said.
A few days later, nearly a dozen churches were damaged and a man killed on Christmas night during a protest backed by a right-wing Hindu group. Subsequent clashes between Hindus and Christians left four more dead.
Nearly 500 Hindus and Christians have since moved to relief centres for safety.
Hardline Hindus accuse Christian missionaries of aggressively converting low-caste Hindus – who face discrimination from higher castes – by force or by offering incentives such as free education.
Orissa state laws on religious freedom require every change of religion to be cleared by the authorities. Hindus say the missionaries fail to do so.
The rights group Human Rights Watch has called for an independent inquiry to identify those instigating the violence in Orissa.
The rising tensions have prompted several Indian state governments to enact anti-conversion laws.
Sectarian clashes erupt periodically in India, where only 2.3 percent of the billion-plus population are practising Christians.
A Hindu man is serving a life sentence for the deaths of Staines and his two sons as well as another Catholic priest in Orissa.
Gladys Staines moved back to Australia three years ago but continues to visit the state where her husband spent decades working with leprosy patients.

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Re: Hundereds of Christians move to camps to avoid attacks by Hindu Extremists

I’m guessing this is a continuation of this thread: http://www.paklinks.com/gs/showthread.php?t=273210

I really don’t see anything wrong in the missionaries converting low caste Hindus to Christianity. If they want to willingly convert, what’s so bad in that and there aren’t too many Christians in India anyway so a few more Hindus wanting to change their faith to christianity isn’t such a bad thing.

The few Hindu fundamentalists that were a part of the attack need to really take a chill pill and stop acting so psychotic.

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Re: Indian government provides protection

Sure, sure. Ofcourse, that's all honky dory but what happens when the secular government loses the vote and people start voting for Hindu Extremists like Modi?

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Re: Indian government provides protection

Modi is not an extremist until you can come up with some proof that he is. The very fact that Hindus and Muslims alike have re-elected him in spite of ardent personal campaign by Sonia proves that your saying so or congress saying so doesn't make him one. Obviously our electorate is a lot more intelligent than that.

the congress led government has been extremely ineffective; Manmohan Singh, though a good man, has proven incapable of holding his own within congress and its coalition partners. Plus, instead of keeping Sonia in her place, he has taken cover under her influence. Therefore I actually hope that the congress party lose.

And that BJP wins again. I am sick and fed up with the pandering of religious minorities for no good reason. And what is worse some of the coalition partners such as DMK have re-started insulting Hindus in general and Brahmins in particular.

Therefore BJP will win the next election and that is a good thing.

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Re: Indian government provides protection

what proof you want? Tehelka reports.. Reports of many human rights organization... his election speeches...If you are staunch RSS supporter and are not ready to listen and see then no one can convince you..
How about a simple fact that as head of a Government where thousands died in communical right...He is responsible and should take the responsibility.

[quote]

the congress led government has been extremely ineffective; Manmohan Singh, though a good man, has proven incapable of holding his own within congress and its coalition partners. Plus, instead of keeping Sonia in her place, he has taken cover under her influence. Therefore I actually hope that the congress party lose.

[/quote]

show me a coalition goverment who did better than this government. I dont know what precisely is you beef with Congress Government but I dont see anything bad that he has done. If you are talking about problem that he has with his coalition then previous government was no better. They also had their problem with Mamtas and Naidus of world. This is how coalition works in India and so far they have managed to run Gov for more than 3 years.

[quote]

And that BJP wins again. I am sick and fed up with the pandering of religious minorities for no good reason.
[/quote]

What pandering you are talking about.I cant understand argument of RSS suckers where they complain about minority pandering and then on the grounds we see that these minorities have worst life on any socio-economic indicator you may check. How can one be accused of beneficiary of pandering and has worst life? isnt it ironic. You have been just feed this nonsense day in and day out and now you are convinced.

[quote]

And what is worse some of the coalition partners such as DMK have re-started insulting Hindus in general and Brahmins in particular.

[/quote]

Here I agree. Karunanidhi is a nutcase.

[quote]

Therefore BJP will win the next election and that is a good thing.
[/quote]

BJP has been the worst things that has happened to India in last 20 years. I hope India's urban middle class comes to senses soon, otherwise they will destroy India.I know you wont get this point right now but your Kids and Grankids will agree with it 30-40 years from now. Only usefulness if BJP has been that they provided an opposition to Congress.Otherwise India was becoming a single party democracy. I wish they had not been a communal organization.

Who do u want to lead Pakistan ?
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Re: Hundereds of Christians move to camps to avoid attacks by Hindu Extremists

It is really very sad that some Hindus have degraded to the status of some of their counterparts.
Pakistani Dragon....you must be happy that now you have got some real comparisan to make.

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Re: Indian government provides protection

Congress is worst than BJP. They were the one who started caste/religion based politics. BJP just got the idea from it and benefited.

Can you say all muslims are poor in india and all brahmins are rich?
The point is that goverment should give benefits to people based on their economic condition and not by their caste or religion. But these ***** will never understand that.
It creates more division when one gets advantage of just by belonging to a particular caste/religion.
If it would have been based on economic condition that will be best for the society but these mother**** congress wont do that else how they will play vote bank politics.
I tell you bro..congress is more evil than BJP.

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Re: Hundereds of Christians move to camps to avoid attacks by Hindu Extremists

:CareBear::lifey::shoaby::cheer::rotfl::cb::yahoo:

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Re: Hundereds of Christians move to camps to avoid attacks by Hindu Extremists

^ India is the only country in the world where atrocities are done against the majority...

breaking newssss
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Re: Hundereds of Christians move to camps to avoid attacks by Hindu Extremists

Shabaash. Yehi Sabq Hindustani Sakoolo Mein Bacho Ko Parhatay Hein.

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Re: Hundereds of Christians move to camps to avoid attacks by Hindu Extremists


There is nothing wrong in conversions even ISKCON converts people to Hinduism in west.but wat is being resented to is the way these conversions r done by bribing or by providing some material help in tribal region. Missionaries help villagers that’s one thing but saying we will help u but for that u ve to convert is not good..this is conversion without enlightenment..And regarding the present report being talked about in this thread there is more wat appears to eyes.Hope u ll dig up reports in Indian newspapers from 20th dec to read and enlighten urself and draw ur conclusions as to wat made the situation to go so worst as depicted in present reports..otherwise any thread started by PD is just to be laughed off.

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Re: Indian government provides protection

It was not congress but VP Singh who started caste based politics.
I agree with your assesment in general though but BJP took it to next level where killing others was legitimized..
They made whole conutry ransom for stupid Babri Masjid. Sadly none of the RSS/BJP supporter now ask BJP that what happened to so much hatred and killing. Where is my Ram Janam Bhoomi?

[quote]

The point is that goverment should give benefits to people based on their economic condition and not by their caste or religion.
[/quote]

So true.. now tell me what ecnomic benefit has Congress given to Muslims that congress is accused of appeasing muslims for. All they have done is stupid things like Shah Bano case or Muslim personal law. None of them changes economic condition of Muslims. So what economic benefit are we talking about? What siginificant appeasement policy are we talking about..

If BJP and its croonies are really serious about issue of 'providingbased on economic condition' then they should openly oppose Mandal Commision. But guess what they dont have balls to annoy huge section of hindu votes.They also need those Backwards and ST/SC votes. Now tell me who is playing vote bank politics.

Tell us the story of your bridal jora!
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Re: Hundereds of Christians move to camps to avoid attacks by Hindu Extremists

This is gross lie. They never say that.I have lived in Tribal areas and have seen work of missionary. All they do is start school, healthcare etc and o preach their relegion which they are entitled to as per law. But never their help is based on condition of converting to christianity. They are doing great work in those areas where Government doesnt do anything. They should be praised for what they are doing. But unfortunately blind support of RSS/BJP has corrupted your mind to see the good work being done by them.

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Re: Hundereds of Christians move to camps to avoid attacks by Hindu Extremists

^^:rotfl::rotfl:
y shud i believe u?if im rss vhp yada yada then u seems to be cong sycophant.go figure out how present riots started before shooting off ur mouth here.u dont clap single handedly buddy.let me know which tribal area u worked in chattisghar,jharkhand,north orrisa.its easy to convert in tribal than a literate thats y they concentrate there.BTW Regarding ur manmohanshing luv his incompetence as PM can be told by his bungling of NUKE deal.He can be a good tecnocrat but not gud pm.Another thing read into gujrat riots history which goes back to 1793.1969 670 killed it were just communal riots ,1980.moradabad,meerut 1984 3000 sikhs killed by congress alone in delhi and no one was convicted till date.2007 nandigram the gujrat of cpi but no issyes there by u secularist.And u ve guts to talk about all this bull****.

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Re: Hundereds of Christians move to camps to avoid attacks by Hindu Extremists

worst thing that happend to india r soft leaders and pseudo-secularist like fnb nehru family and cong sycophants in last 60 yrs.and RSS bjp r its by-products.

and when fnb is cornered he says he dont support anybody he is neutral.but he carries his own hidden agenda,which can always be seen in in indo-pak matches at cricketnama when he cries like a sissy.:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

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Re: Hundereds of Christians move to camps to avoid attacks by Hindu Extremists

:CareBear::lifey::shoaby::cheer::rotfl::cb::yahoo:

agar
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Re: Hundereds of Christians move to camps to avoid attacks by Hindu Extremists

ISKCON doesn't show you money and converts, and ISKCON ppl don't chase you and tell you abt god even if you say you are not interested,
when a muslim converts is a crime then why not when hindu converts is also a crime
i got less mark in one of my graduation exam, because i refuse to listen to what my idiotic professer says about his religion,

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Re: Indian government provides protection

Congress supported caste based reservation. Can't you remember they played polictics in IIM/IIT/AIIMS.
The problem with congress is they tend to keep muslims in front rather than taking everyone equally. Just last month manmohan singh said that minorties have first right on the resources. Bjp replied that everyone has equal rights.
Now tell me who is trying to divide the society

BJP indirectly was involved in 2001 riots but congress was directly responsible for killing of thousands of sikhs in 1984 riots.

Congress has record of 0% development work. In 10 years of governance they ruined MP but in last 4 years with BJP goverment a lot of progess has been made. I can easily see a difference atleast in my city. we have new roads/proper traffic lights everywhere/ slums been moved out of the city.

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Re: Hundereds of Christians move to camps to avoid attacks by Hindu Extremists

I worked in Jharkhand if that matters to you.

I am not a Congress lover. I hate their policies as much as hate BJPs. But unlike you I dont assume one is pure clean and spot-free where as other one is evil.

Yes..Riots happened under congress and they probably supported rioters covertly but BJP has given it a new meaning. First time in India it was state sponsored.

If I am not talking about Sikh riot, it doesnt mean I condone it. It was shamless and painful things to have happened. Many congress leaders have acknowledged it and apologized and but they need to do more. Difference between BJP and Congress here is that Congress didnot contonue to have Anti-Sikh policy but BJP’s complete poltics is dependent on Anti-Muslim policies. When will Modi and Advani apologize for Gujrat?

On Nuke deal, yes Manmohan came out as meek and indecisive. But the is the politics of coalition. In democracy you need to work with consensus and he couldnot get one.It was no different than issues that coalition Government of Vajpayee faced. Sadly this is how coalition works.

Dukhi Aatmaaon ki Mardam Shumari