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Violence against Christians on the rise: archbishop

Josy Joseph in New Delhi

Violence against Christians and their institutions have increased immediately after the recent Lok Sabha election, Archbishop Alan de Lastic said in New Delhi while demanding that Year 2000 be declared the Year of Christ.

"We deeply regret that the vicious campaign has been aggravated in recent months. There has also been a rash of violent incidents in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Punjab, among other areas, immediately after the elections. We are sorry that instead of condemning these actions, some senior leaders of the Sangh Parivar have chosen to aggravate the situation," he asserted in a written statement.

He also demanded that "prompt action should be taken against those responsible for the hate campaign and the violence against the community in the last two years".

Claiming there was "some sort of discrimination" in the last BJP government's refusal of the Christian community's demand, de Lastic said, "The community also expects the government to act on its demand to declare 2000 AD as the Year of Christ, who was born on the very soil of Asia."

He also took on right-wing groups, saying their demands for an apology from Pope John Paul II during his November 5-7 visit to India are unjustified.

"They have chosen the occasion of the visit of the Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, a revered international personality, to launch a mischievous and systematic propaganda constructed on half-truths, lies and disinformation. These attempts vitiate the atmosphere on the eve of a historic visit, and threaten to tarnish the good name of the country known for its hospitality," he said.

The Archbishop called upon Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to "take necessary action to prevent anything that would mar the environment of amity in the country".

He also called on the new government not to "affect changes in education and social policies which could be seen by minorities, the working class and underprivileged groups as an erosion of their rights". There is a special responsibility on the prime minister, the archbishop said, "as head of government, and on the constituents of the National Democratic Alliance, to reassure minorities and other groups on issues of law and order, justice and development."

He said there are several long-pending demands of the Christian community for changing some laws. "The most important among them are the restoration of full rights to Dalit Christians, and urgent legislation on laws relating to Christian marriages, divorce, adoption and inheritance. The community has suffered much in the delay on these issues," he said.

On the papal visit, he said the head of the Roman Catholic Church is expected to have an hour-long meeting with leaders of various religions during his visit to New Delhi.

Meanwhile, the All-India Catholic Union, the main body of lay Catholics, said it was deeply concerned about the "statements by senior ministerial colleagues of the prime minister's Bharatiya Janata Party that the BJP has not disowned its Hindutva agenda".

"Such encouragements, we fear, are directly responsible for encouraging the spate of anti-Christian violence that has been reported from Gujarat, Rajasthan and Punjab, among other states, in the wake of the NDA returning to power after the general elections."

John Dayal, national secretary of the AICU, said the Gujarat state government has "once again been silent".

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