A catastrophic flood across the northeast Indian state of Bihar has displaced tens of thousands of people and caused untold damage to the meagre property and livelihoods of some of India's poorest citizens. The challenges of delivering aid and protecting the health of those affected by this emergency - which is spreading to the state of Assam and across the border to Bangladesh - are immense. But alongside this natural and humanitarian disaster, another less visible crisis has been unfolding: attacks on India's Christians in parts of the impoverished eastern state of Orissa.
Jacob Ignatius is an Indian who works in Britain as a software engineer.
On 29 August 2008, 45,000 Christian schools were closed across India to protest against the anti-Christian violence that had affected (mainly) the Kandhamal district of Orissa in the previous week. This was unprecedented in the history of independent India, for never before have Christians felt so compelled to stand publicly and unitedly against the forces of communalism in India. Moreover, the impact of this response is heightened by the fact that Christian schools - which provide education to both Christian and non-Christian children - form a significant part of India's education system.
The unrest in the state of Orissa started on 23 August 2008 after the murder of a 90-year-old rightwing Hindu nationalist leader called Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati; four of his associates were also killed in the attack. Although the police suspected Maoist guerrillas for the murder, members of the radical Hindu group Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) blamed Christians and went on the rampage - killing several people, and destroying a Christian missionary-school, house-churches and other buildings. The Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) estimates that fifty people (most of them Christians) have been killed. Thousands of Christians have fled their homes to seek shelter in the forests or government camps. The murder of the Hindu leader is clearly reprehensible, but this is a matter for the judicial authorities and - even were the culprit found to be a Christian - would not justify what effectively became an assault against an entire local Christian community.
Among openDemocracy's
articles on Indian politics and democracy:
Rajeev Bhargava, "Words save lives: India, the BJP and the constitution" (2 October 2002)
Rajeev Bhargava, "The political psychology of
Hindu nationalism" (5 November 2003)
Antara Dev Sen, "India's benign earthquake" (20 May 2004)
Rajeev Bhargava, "India's model: faith, secularism
and democracy" (3 November 2004)
Meenakshi Ganguly, "India's Dalits: between atrocity
and protest" (9 January 2007)
Ajai Sahni, "India and its Maoists: failure
and success" (20 March 2007)
Sumantra Bose, "Uttar Pradesh: India's democratic
landslip" (29 May
2007)
John Elkington, "India's third liberation" (21 August 2007)
Kanchan Lakshman, "India in Afghanistan: a presence
under pressure" (11 July 2008)
Ajai Sahni, "India after
Ahmedabad's bombs" (29 July 2008)
Paul Rogers, "China and
India: heartlands of global protest" (7 August 2008)
Antara Dev Sen, "
India at 61:
here's looking at you, kid!" (19 August 2008)
An area of tension
The latest trauma is part of a history of Hindu-Christian clashes in Orissa over the last decade. In January 1999, the Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons were burned alive while sleeping in their jeep. Around Christmas 2007 there were Hindu-Christian clashes that have some parallels with the latest events. The main conflict then was between two communities: Kandh tribals (who are mainly, though not exclusively, Hindus) and Dalit Panas (many of whom have converted to Christianity over the years). Christian missionaries have been active in the area for many years; with the entrance of radical Hindu groups, vehemently opposed to the conversion of Hindus to Christianity and cow slaughter, the potential for communal tension has deepened.
Muslims have traditionally borne the brunt of attacks by Hindu extremist groups but since the late 1990s there has been a marked increase in the number of attacks on Christians. Between 1950 and 1998, only fifty anti-Christian attacks were recorded. In 2000, the figure shot up to 100, and then rose further to at least 200 incidents annually in 2001-05; perhaps it was no coincidence that this came after after the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power at the federal level (until their defeat by the Congress-led coalition in May 2004). In 2007, the number of attacks on Christians exceeded 1,000 for the first time.
Hindu radicals often make the allegation - in part-excuse for the actions of extremists - that Christians are forcibly or fraudulently converting Hindus to Christianity. There probably are some erring missionaries who are attracting converts by false inducements, but to imply that all do so is inaccurate and unfair (see Subhasis Mohanty, "Fire in Kalinga", The Pioneer, 2 September 2008). Many missionaries do great charitable work, often providing a helping hand in areas deeply affected by poverty.
In several Indian states governed by the BJP, anti-conversion laws are now in place. These laws are largely intended to prevent the flow of people from Hinduism to other faiths. Many low-caste Hindus have converted to Christianity willingly to escape the rigid and repressive caste system; the Dalit Panas of Orissa are an example. In this context the anti-conversion laws - which sanction interference in a person's right freely to choose a faith - have become a weapon used by radical Hindus to beat Christians. In areas like Orissa, the tensions that result are intermingled with disputes over land, legal status and local power (see Ravik Bhattacharya, "Down the Dark Road", Indian Express, 31 August 2008).
Christians officially constitute only 2.3% of the Indian population. Christianity is believed to have been brought to India by St Thomas, Christ's own apostle, to the shores of Kerala in 52 CE (common era). Much later, colonial powers such as the British, Portuguese, Dutch and French made strenuous efforts to convert the population. These were usually without success; Christianity has never grown to be a dominant religion in India and it is unlikely it ever will. Yet Hindu extremist groups like the VHP are fixated on the issue of conversions to Christianity - in part from dogmatic opposition to people leaving their religious fold, in part from insecurity about members of the lower castes trying to break free from the caste system. Hence, the majority of attacks on Christians are directed against the formerly low-caste converts such as the Dalit Panas of Orissa (see Biswamoy Pati, "In a crucified state", Hindustan Times, 2 September 2008).
A strategy of fear
India is a deeply religious place where the boundaries of religion and politics are somewhat porous. The country is not today blessed with philanthropic politicians of the stature of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru who always strove for communal harmony. There is a disturbing tendency among some of their successors to exaggerate the religious divide between communities in order to polarise voters along religious lines and win the votes of the majority community. This can both encourage and justify attacks on members of minority faiths, many of which are orchestrated in advance and carried out with the connivance of the authorities. In their aftermath, very few people are prosecuted (see Rajeev Bhargava, "The political psychology of Hindu nationalism", 5 November 2003).
The next Indian general election is looming - it must be held by May 2009, and could even be sooner. The BJP seems to have returned to its policy of hard-line Hindutva (Hindu nationalism) to capture votes. The ruling Congress Party professes commitment to India's famed secularism, but it often fails to match action with rhetoric (see Rajeev Bhargava, "Words save lives: India, the BJP and the constitution", 2 October 2002). This is disappointing because to break the cycle of communal violence more needs to be done than just issuing statements and pointing the finger of blame at the BJP. A good start would be consistently to bring the perpetrators of communal violence to justice.
Hindus are in their vast majority tolerant and peaceful - as are members of other faiths in India. It is political manipulation and fear-mongering that turns peaceful coexistence into terrible violence, as in Orissa. The political instigation of of anti-Christian sentiment by the Hindu rightwing for electoral gain is another danger to Indian democracy. In the interests of a peaceful, progressive and just India, it must be opposed.
Comments
This is an astonishing finding: the maths you give are that tensions are 1000 times greater than in 1948.
I note the number of Christians, are, as a percentage, similar to the number of Muslims in the UK - just less than 3%.
I appreciate that machine politics can stir things up, but what makes Indians turn to an aggressive Hindu nationalism in the first place?
sunniva, interesting statistical comparison to the uk, but i'd warn against extrapolating much further! that said, hindu chauvinism/nationalism in its more extreme incarnations (such as the VHP mentioned in Ignatius' piece) has the same insidious lure of groups in the UK like the BNP. they draw recruits from the disaffected, the recently displaced, the embittered, of which in india there is a sadly large pool.
Missionaries should stop conversion they are just making the poor people fool. In exchange of money they are converting these poor people. The missionaries are themselves converted christians for the sake of money. It is a game of money. more conversion more money for missionaries.
I just wrote a comment relating to the conversion myth at:
http://www.sanghparivar.org/forum/the-hypocrisy-and-myth-of-christian-humanitarianism#comment-1363
when was the last time you were converted of any belief let alone religious belief? How can money convert anyone? The whole conversion myth boils down to the freedom of choice - some people dont want others to have alternatives. As I say in my comment, India should stop importing cars and go back to our old Fiats and Ambassadors because having good choices for cars will make us capitalistic ego maniacs and western boot lickers.
service has no religon. so, if anybody advocate the conversion in the name of service. Even Mahatma Gandhi was against the conversin. Caste system is sin. So, the practice of conversion to remove caste system is also a new caste system and that is also sin.
Extreme persecution against Christians are already expected. But nothing to worry about because God is still in control of everything. He already said in Romans that all things work together for good, to them who love God and are called by God according to His purpose. He also said that before the world (meaning, the anti-Christians people) hated Jesus' followers, they have hated Christ first. But behold, Jesus has already conquered the world. To live is Christ and to die is gain.
India is a secular country and there is right for freedom and independence. Everyone has right to talk, right to do whatever they want. Even though Hinduism is the main religion of this country, there is a harmony between many Christians, Muslims and Hindus. But why the hell now a days is all these brutal killings in Orissa by ruthless brutes in Orissa and other places going on ?? This is just because of religious fanatic Zeal nothing other than that. If this kind of fanatic zeal is shown as a Fanatic for India's development zeal now India WOULD'VE TOPPED IN THE WORLD!!! Even educated people are behaving like fools by killing people and burning religious worship places. THATS WHY EDUCATED AND BROAD MINDED PEOPLE SHOULD RULE INDIA. Conversion from Christianity to Hinduism is also just like if they want they will convert and I feel that the opinion that the conversion for money is wrong in my opinion. Then everyone will convert to Christianity by leaving their own faiths and we can make more money. This doesn't make any sense. But of all India is a secular country and everyone should strive for the nation's happiness and Harmony. We all should be UNITED AS A NATION.
I think the whole issue of anti conversion/counter conversion is nonesense.Let the people think and let my people know that they have the rights to think and choose.why disterbed?
Unity in diversity,rights to religion besides my people want peace,don't disturbed and don't let them fight, they want to live hermony.'Love your neighbour as you love yourself' Jesus said.Love them and tell them what you think it is right and let him take decision.
people in Kandhamal district of Orissa are poor and illiterate.They dont get 2 meals a day till today.They dont understand the philosophy of religion.What they are interested in,is food and clothes.Whoever provides those necessities,is theirs.By the statistcs of conversion in this area,it is well understood,which factor plays role in the conversion.But,once again,I will strongly object to the violence associated with the incident of Swamy's assasination.People should stay away from the motivated political activists.Shouldn't take law to their hands.After all,people are our innocent brothers only.
Every religion has it's extremist elements. They do not and should not speak for the rest of us. To my belief, all religions condemn killing, so how can one justify violence in the name of religion? My father was in the Indian Army and we were brought up to respect all religions. The Mandir, Masjid, Gurudwara and Church were all located on the same road and we visited each of these places of worship with respect. I have married someone who is not of my religion and we are bringing up our children with a clear idea of what is right and wrong. That is the foundation of living a good life.
STOP politicizing religion! Elections are coming up.... wake up moderate Indians. Don't live up to the Jones--our very neighbour Pakistan.
Hi,
This is very bad and sad remark on the history of India.And am astonsihed to know that well educated people speak like psychic's.When one has the freedom to choose his own things why some third person to be bothered about it. when conversions are done by luring with money what good these fools going to do for the poor people? what care you take for them? Do you want them to die in poverty?starving for 2 rotis?what good these people do to them by reconverting them? what they want to protect? A religion or God ? God should save people but here some stupid's thinking other way round,they want to protect God beacuse he is helpless?what these innocent poor people did to any one?will they get money every month if they are converted?then why would any one will be lured for such small things?Is reconversion doing the justice? then what is that justice?
Pity,pity Indians,you starve for food and like a stupid listen to some maniacs words.Did hinduism said killing people is right,I have seen some dumb heads arguing that it is happening every where in the world by Muslims. If 10 people do a blunder repeatedly then will the blunder become right? Our cowrd politicians playing with human lives for money,these politicians converting people into beasts for money.And idiots enjoying killing disheartened and broken people.Never say proud to be Indian,Being an Indian am ashamed to be called so.
Indian Christians now feel themselves paralysed part of the global christian community. Every day tens of christians girls are being gang-raped by hindu extremists in different parts of whole India and all the human rights activits are watching like a funny game.
Central Government admit only a few gang-rape and Church burning cases in Orissa state but actually Anti Christian movement is spread all over India even in more lieterate areas in South. There are hundreds of incidents even not let to report with police.
During a number of gang-rape incidents the hindus called these rapes "Dharm Seva", as they believe girl pregnent by rape will born a hindu.
No doubt most of the hindus have even more ugly nature than their ugly face look.
Greetings to all,
When I think of India, I can't help to think about Love and peace, the icons, Ghandi and the Tajhmahal. I know many Indians, honest, hardworking people. Humble women and intelligent men. It breaks my heart to hear all these horrible things happening in India. Lives are taken for this reason, or that reason...Who are we to take a life? Can we give life?We give birth to life, but we don't give life. What reason is strong enough to speak about politics and religion and decide who dies and who doesn't? Which mediocre god delights in the pain and suffering of a person?What kind of human heart finds peace in the blood of another human? Shame to those who thirst blood from a slave who found the Kingdom in their heart, his soul is rich but on earth he has no treasures. I am praying for their lives and I pray for yours to be spared, that one day you might find the treasures of heaven in your soul.That one day you might know the Love of the One who gave His life for your sins, the One who gives eternal Life, no other then Jesus Christ, Lord of Heaven and Earth.
As expected one sided view with lots of facts fudged probably got all his information from the western english speaking Indian Media.
I am wondering what has sparked Hindus to attack 2.5% of the population? Surely the author will agree with me that history says the hindus have been very accomodating and tolerant.
The second thing which surprises me is the reaction from the European Union and its senoir leaders and the US? India has seen many riots, far worse! I have never seen such a quick and organized response.
The author refer to the Hindu social worker as " 90 rear old rightwing nationalist Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, but never stops to ask why so many foreign christan missionaries hanging about in orissa??
There is no mention of Flyers and books which refer to hindu gods in a derogatery and abusive way.
Also for 2.5 % of population in India there are 700 churches in just 2 districts in andhra Pradesh.
"Many low-caste Hindus have converted to Christianity willingly to escape the rigid and repressive caste system" says the author:
For the authors information cast is very much prevelent even with christans in India, not only with christans but with muslims as well. Low cast hindus have mainly been turning to budhisim not christanity.
Until recently where missionaries with money have been advocating conversion aggressively.
The root cause of the problem lies with the vote bank politics in India, and un organised Hindusim.
The political parties use the cast to divide hindus into vote bank ..first practiced by Congress , however in recent other regional parties with leaders from lower cast have hijacked this policy and caverd out their neich. Therefore the congress has been marganilized in most of the state and they have had to experiment new combinations to build their vote bank .... to the extent that they have encouraged bangladeshi migrants and given them voter ids and ration cards.
This is now common across all political parties who spend much of their times devicing their vote bank and designing policies to appease them.
Christians will always be at the receiving end in India not only because they are small in number,but they are a divided lot.Will any one be shocked if we were to state that Gandhiji,the Father of the nation was the first to offer inducement to the dalits to stay in the folds of the caste system by telling the State to offer them reservations in education,jobs etc etfc,so that they do not convert to Islam or christianity.Now in spite of losing many benifits some numbers do convert to Islam or christianity In the case of tribals who are animists they still remain tribals even if they become Muslims or christians,so the H.V.P. is worried,since then the economic benifits have to be shared with a larger number of people and this just does not suit the higher castes and the traders ,who wish these people to stay in debts,so they can make them into serfs and miserables.
India is a failed democracy.It does have the face, feature and limbs of democracy,but in practice it is a Hindu Fascist State.If one were to paint the map of India with yellow to demonstrate the position of the Yellow Party in its administration of the States that constitute the Indian Union,the larger number belong to this Party. \They do not believe in Democracy.They believe in the doctrine of one religion,one hindu code,one hindu culture.They are not small in numbers as at least 20% of Indians subscribe to their idelogy.They do not believe in the Indian Constitution,yet they are permitted to stand for election,because India is not a democracy,it is a fascist,orligarhic State.Look at the family names adorning the Assemblies since independance and one finds the ,passing of the baton from father to son or daughter or wife,and all are Hindus and are united that India must remain a Hindu State.Look at the Courts,none are functioning.It takes the minimum of 10/12 years for a simple case to go through the lowest court and then there are 3 stages of appeals.
In the case of large scale break down of the State administration as in Orissa or Karnatak,all the High Courts of these States had SUO-MOTO powers to intervene,did they do so,No,Why because it would put Hindu against Hindu?The Home Minister at the Centre is a Joke.and he knows he will fail again at the hustings. once so the less said about him the better.For Christians it is time they switched over to Madam Mayavatis Party from the dying congress Party, which in any case is the reverse side of the BJP.
The answer is for Christians to tabulate all the facts,and continue to focus these before the world and then appeal to the E.U to send a fact finding committee to India and thereafter get the criminals extradicted for trial at the Haague for crimes against humanity.We will never get justice in the Fascist Oligarhic .Naturally the Hate funds being collected by these criminals in Europe and America will be frozen and those funding them from the Indian Diaspora can be cautioned not to be fooled into believing these are used for upliftment of the downtrodden.
After reading all the enteries, I am compelled to feel that politics and religious fanatism has become so dangerous for India that it will not spare to kill innocent people. In one of the article it was written Sonia Gandhi is CIA agent and it wants India to be a christian country. In another article one retired Chief Commissioner of Income Tax has written christianity is destroying hinduism and dangerous for India and so on. It is shocking to see that even highly educated persons spiting venom againt one religion or others. I understand 10-15 years ago conversion or reconversion was never an issue. I am of the opinion that christianity has no agenda to destroy any country or culture. Had this been a agenda, the entire India would have been a Christian country during the time when Britishers ruled this country. Had there any agend our brothers and friends of india (non christian) who are living in christian countries would not have been living there so comfortably in those countries. Barack Obama is not a white but Americans elected him as president because they love their country, they want their country to progress, they want peace and harmony in their country. Whether, we are christian or muslims or hindu or sikh if we are living in India, we are Indian first and should love India first and should not speak or do anything which destroy and tarnish the image of this country.Let us pray that good sense prevail upon each of us in India and peace and harmony returns to India.
People against Christians are ignorant of the history of India and the principles of Christianity. First of all India is not a Hindu country. It is a union of many cultures, religions, thoughts. There was nothing as Hinduism or India before the arrival of Britishers. Britishers for their administration sake they united all these diverse cultures as Indian Union. The Brahmins arrived in India through passes in the Himalayas seeking grass for their cattle ended up in the Ganges valley and they occupied all the green areas of India. They captured the culture, traditions of natives of this land and dominated every kingdoms formed in this nation as second in administration. Even in the government of the Britishers they enjoyed the second positions. They knew how to be flexible with the governing people. They skill fully destroyed everything Indian territories had before. They divided all the people of this land with caste system. They never allowed any one else to receive education or wealth. They never allowed any one to come up from their down trodden conditions. Instead they found ways to put them down by being flexible to the rulers of India. They even were willing to sacrifice their women for their cause. (gifted their women) They will never allow any one stand against manusmrithi,(the advocate of cast ism) which is called as the manu dharma. Even now their protest against Christians is an attempt to reestablish manu dharma. There is no single God to worship.. Every body can find their own God to worship. Now there is nothing to worry for the hindutva activists for people becoming christians. Accepting another God is not against the basics of Hinduism. Other wise let them tell who among their Gods is the greatest that every one in India may follow. There are 330 million gods and what is the problem if a majority start to worship Jesus or X or Y. The only problem is Christians are the ones who created awareness among the down trodden that they don't have to live the life of a fourth fifth class citizens and that they can raise to highest of standards. Because of this millions of the Dalits and the socially outcast received education and became equal with Brahmins. Now they are sharing key posts with them. Now the Brahmins cannnot just digest it. More over they are unable to find slaves to serve their purpose which helped them to live a royal life in India. All that they want is if they close india for christians they can reestablish their kingdom..
A lesson of History for all of you. India has always been a country of people belonging to Sanatana Dharma and its branches - Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains. These are the indegenous people who never attacked any other country and never forced other people to convert to another religion.
Christianity and Islam are the two religions that forced people to convert either by force or through money. They invaded India which was a peaceful country for ever. Of course just like in any other country if you mess with the majority there will be consequences and hence Babri Masjiid and the attacks on the recent Christian converts.
Let us not forget, the ONLY reason India is secular today is because majority of the Sanata Dharmis are tolerant people because Hinduism preaches tolerance towards not just human beings but also animals. In Christianity for instance there can only be one god - Jesus otherwise you go to hell.
I believe that for true peace to prospoer India should become a Sanatana state, so the majority does not feel undermined and minorities are respected yet not meddlesome and disrespectful.
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