September 7, 2008
Dear All,
Today morning 20kms from Devangere, Karnataka a Church was attacked and burnt down.
I had reported the following incidents to various people in the central government but nothing seems to be moving to sop the madness in Karnataka. Please act, do whatever you can to pressurise the central Govt to move before it also becomes a situation like Orissa.
Shabnam Hashmi
Davangere:
The Christian community especially the Pastors have been at the receiving end of a relentless campaign of hate and misinformation carried out by two Hindu fundamentalist groups, Hindu Jagran Vedike and Sriram Sene in Davangere. What is also important is the complete failure of the local police station, K.T.J. Nagar police station, and their superiors to maintain law and order by taking action against these groups and persons. Their role has been very partisan and in total support to these groups and persons. This support of the police has given the members of the Hindu Jagran Vedike and Sriram Sene the licence to torment, verbally and physically abuse and violently beat up members of the Christian community and their pastors, and to criminally trespass into and damage the churches there. Sadly even the district administration, it appears, is also supporting these groups and persons. All this in the name of supposed false conversions.
There have been about 50 incidents of violence against the community here. Swamis and others frm these two groups have held dharnas outside the churches, prevented Christians from going in, disupted prayer services, beaten up members of the congregation and the Pastors, stoned churches, etc. All this while the police provides cover and support to the miscreants. The police has gone to the extent to file several false cases against the Pastors due to which they are forced to run from court to court for bail. Further in a "Police Notice" dated 30.08.2008 issued by Police Sub-Inspector, K.T.J. Nagar Police Station it has directed that all the Churches should be immediately shut down since they apparently did not have requisite documents. The Tahsildar has issued notices to them under Section 311 CrPC as well.
Christian institutions across the state and country were closed for a day on 29th August as a mark of protest against the violation of human rights of the marginalized communities in Orissa.
The Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Government of Karnataka immediately condemned this act and isued the following statement that was reported in the front page of The Hindu, 30th Aug 2008 where he had said: "It is wrong to close schools without getting permission from the educational authorities concerned. I have directed the Deputy Directors of Public Instruction to initiate action against the protesting Catholic Schools in their jurisdiction over the unauthorized holiday granted by them on Friday. The DDPIs would serve notices to them seeking an explanation. As the Education Minister, I am concerned over the violation of norms in this regard. It is the duty of these schools to inform the Government and also take its permission to declare holiday as most of these schools are either receiving government grants or have obtained clearances from the Government to run their institutions".
Some educational institutions in Mangalore, Davangere and Shimoga, were attacked on 30th August, and Priests and Nuns were harassed in a violent and forcible manner by the Hindu right wing groups.
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