The Following Report is Provided by The United Christian Association, Ahmedabad. Atrocities on Christian Minorities in Gujarat: We would like to bring to your kind attention to the large-scale atrocities being perpetuated on Christians in Gujarat for quite some time. With the advent of BJP Govt. in Gujarat, the Sangh Parivar workers appears to have taken it for granted that "since our Govt. is ruling there is no one to question us if we do whatever we like". With this thinking they are taking the law in their own hand and are creating unrest in different parts of the State. Cannot communities other than Hindus at liberty to follow their own religion? There is a virtual breakdown of the Constitution in Gujarat. If the present trend continues, it will be extremely difficult for Christians to live peacefully in Gujarat. This is a mockery on the secular character of the country. The VHP and Bajrang Dal workers are perpetrating terror on all others except Hindus. It is high time to stop such activities immediately by those in power. Otherwise there will be adverse and irreparable damage to secular fabric of the country and its ongoing economic developmental programs. At this juncture we consider it our duty to highlight certain shocking incidents hereunder: Dangs In Dangs the VHP, Bajrang Dal and RSS workers took out a rally against Christian community residing in this area for several years and shouted abusive slogans and these Christian families were threatened to leave Dangs. Without any reason the VHP and Bajrang Dal sainiks reached there and threatened these people to leave Dangs in the night itself. The surprising fact is that though the local PSI was personally present there, he did not take any preventive action. On the contrary, he tried to get in writing from the Banjara families that they are leaving the area. Dharampur: In Dharampur taluka, the VHP, Bajrang Dal and RSS activists took out a huge rally and threatened the Christian communities to leave the area. Even now these families are under the shadow of fear. Vyara: Every year the Christian people of this area gather in different villages for prayer meetings during Christmas eve. During the last Christmas eve too such prayer meetings were arranged. But the RSS and VHP people also convened their own prayer meetings at the same time in front of the churches/prayer halls and created terror against the Christian community. But due to the timely intervention of the Police and the Mamlatdar (district officer) they could prevent bloodshed and further terror. Thereafter this Mamlatdar was transferred within 24 hours and instructions were given from the top not to allow this Mamlatdar to attend his office. Thus he was also relieved from his post. As a result Govt. officials of this area are also under fear because of the terror being created by the constituent elements of Govt. such as RSS, Bajrang Dal and VHP. Because if they do not perform according to the desire of these elements, they have to face similar fate. Thus they are also under fear. Naroda, Ahmedabad: In the Naroda area of Ahmedabad, a Church building was under construction. We all know that in the Naroda and Bapunagar area no construction is going according to the rules. Bungalows costing lacs of Rupees are also being built without necessary permission. Most of the societies are also coming up in this manner. Despite all these, instead of breaking any of these illegal structures the Church was singled out for destruction and the loss is estimated to Rs.25 lacs. This Church had a community centre, free medical aid centre and prayer hall. Even the Capital City, Gandhinagar, which is supposed to be a model city with the stringent construction regulations, is having more than 1700 illegal structures and blatantly flouting the building regulations. This is already reported in the newspapers. Bapunagar, Ahmedabad: In the Bapunagar area of Ahmedabad the building of Vidyalaya High School was severely damaged and cash of about Rs.1.25 lacs was burnt and some cash was also looted. The persons in this crime are none other than the VHP National Secretary Shri.Pravinbhai Togadia's own brother, who is also an active BJP worker. Instead of expressing regrets, Hon. MLA Dr. Mayaben Kodani and other MLA convened meeting at this trouble spot and delivered inflammatory speech, thereby creating terror among the minority communities. Rajkot - Desecration of the Holy Bible: Activists of the Bajrang Dal and the ABVP burnt about 300 copies of the New Testament at the IP Mission School here on Monday, 21st July 98. The activists went straight to the classroom and snatched the Bibles from the students, which were burnt. As per the news report, the Principal, Mrs. Snehalaben Desai, the activists terrorised the students and even attacked a sixth standard student, Jyoti Rathod. The Bajrang Dal and the ABVP workers shouted anti-Christian slogans and went round shouting "Bharat mata ki jai" and Vande Mataram". The principal also asked the students to return the New Testament copies, which were distributed by an International organisation, Gideon's. However, the actual cause for the activists ire is said to be a form at the end of the book which said 'Christ is my Savior' and that 'I have decided to accept it' and that the students were forced to sign it. Interestingly, not a single student was forced to purchase the book or sign the form. The ABVP and the Bajrang Dal activists accused the school authorities of encouraging conversion. In fact, there was no force or compulsion on anybody to accept the book or take a decision. These activists committed the most heinous crime that has tarnished the secular fabric of the country and flouted the religious freedom enshrined in the Constitution. Desecration of any religious scripture or worship place is to be condemned with all force and the guilty should be brought to book. Vadodara: In the first week of March '98, a Christian convention was convened and the Christians were gathered for community prayer in the Polo Ground. Necessary permission of the authorities had already been obtained. While the prayer was going on, a group of about 300 VHP-Bajrang Dal jawans descended on the ground and started beating the people gathered there. They also burnt a Maruti car and damaged musical instruments extensively. The loss comes to about Rs.5 lacs besides injuries suffered by the participants. The VHP in its mouthpiece - Vishwa Hindu Samachar of April '98 has published this incident and took pride in admiring their rank and file who were instrumental to this atrocity. Surat: A mentally deranged woman of Uchhal in Anandpur village came to the Church and behaved indecently. Upon this the priest rebuked her. Later on, when the VHP activists came to know about this incident they put pressures on the Police for recording a complaint stating that the priest had raped the woman and she became unconscious. However, the woman was mentally deranged and had two children. The Churches in this rural area are having simple thatched sheds with no walls or doors. There is no truth in the story of molestation of this woman. It was simply a figment of fabrication to tarnish the image of the local Christians. Jhankhvav, Dist. Surat: In the Jhankhvav village of Mangrol Taluka in Surat district a Christian missionary institution is existing for several years. Adivasi students are studying in it. This institution has acquired land before some years. A case for tenancy right was going on upon this land. The Mamlatdar gave a judgement in favour of farmers. This institution had sufficient opportunity for appeal against this order. In fact, they were preparing to go in appeal. No sooner the judgement was delivered in the favour of the farmers by the Mamlatdar, the VHP and the Bajrang Dal activists brought tractors and ploughed the ground and caused extensive damages to the building of the institution, leading to huge financial loss. Not satisfied with this, the VHP-BD activists influenced the Collector to take into custody the authorities of the institution under PASA. Palanpur: A united meeting of the Christian communities of Palanpur was arranged in the Municipal Hall during the Passion Week in April '98. At about 4 p.m. on 11th April '98 about 30-35 VHP/Bajrang Dal activists forcibly entered the hall from behind. They were armed with hockey sticks, cricket bats, iron rods etc. They destroyed the food, which was being prepared for about 250 delegates. They threw dirt and sand into the food making it unfit for human consumption. They also tried to molest the woman participants, taking advantage of the recess time. The mission's van was very badly damaged causing loss of atleast Rs.35000/-. Kapadwanj, Dist. Kheda: The Christian community of Kapadwanj is having their cemetery on Survey no. 643 for many years. The Govt. also had notified this land as a cemetery. On 8th July '98, a Christian died, and he was buried in this cemetery on 9th July '98. but a dispute was going on between the Vaghri people who are living nearby. In view of this, the Christians approached the Mamlatdar and requested in writing for necessary protection. The dead body was buried there and all concerned went home. Thereafter, the VHP, Bajrang Dal and RSS activists went to the cemetery and dug out the coffin and threw it on the road in front of the local Church. Upon this the Christians had no other option, other than burying the dead body on the riverbank, which they did. In this manner, by indulging in inhuman acts, the Sangh Parivar activists seriously hurt the sentiments and religious feelings of entire Christian community. Most of the Christian cemeteries are already encroached upon by the hutment dwellers who prevent the burial of the dead there. An enquiry is to be conducted to find out such encroachments on places of worship and cemeteries and steps may be taken for evicting such illegal occupants. This can prevent future recurrence of the type of incidents that happened at Kapadwanj. In this manner the VHP, Bajrang Dal and RSS activists create an atmosphere of terror and fear at different places and instigate the people to indulge in heinous crimes against opposite communities. The Police are also being put under pressure by the authorities, as a result proper recording of FIR does not take place. Christians are intimidated from filing FIRs. The ruling BJP Govt. should restrain their component units mentioned above from taking the control of the State in their own hand and the atmosphere of peace and goodwill between various communities should be resolved in Gandhiji's Gujarat. Attack on Christian Conference in Baroda Copy of the Petition Send to the Governor of Gujarat Main Page Copyright © 1998 The Concerned Christians of India e-mail:pfcii@hotmail.com