Stones pelted at Christian schools, churches in Madhya Pradesh (Lead)
Bhopal, Aug 29 : A group of people Friday pelted stones at a few Christian schools
and churches in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior district. The educational institutions were
closed at the time of the incident as part of the nationwide protest over violence against
the community in Orissa.
"While all Christian schools and colleges in Madhya Pradesh remained closed Friday in
protest, a group of people pelted stones at Carmel Convent School, St. Theressa School and
Church and St. Paul's Church in Gwalior," said V.K. Suryavanshi, superintendent of
police.
"However, no major loss occurred, except minor damage to the vehicles parked inside the
campus of the schools," he said.
No other untoward incident has so far been reported from any part of Madhya Pradesh,
the police said.
"The Bishop's Conference of India has given the all-India call for closure of
missionary organisations and we have supported this call," said Anand Muttungal, spokesman
of Madhya Pradesh Bishop's Council.
"All missionary schools and colleges in the state capital also remained closed, barring
the B.S.S.S. College where the process of nomination of students' council is underway,"
said Anand.
There are about 1,000 missionary organisations, including schools and colleges, in the
state.
"It is not Orissa alone where the community is being subjected to violence. Christians
have been increasingly under attack by the fundamentalists in Madhya Pradesh on the false
and fabricated charge of alluring people, mainly tribals and those belonging to lower
castes," said Indira Iyengar, Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh Christian Forum president.
There have been over 150 major incidents of violence against the Christians in the
state since the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power in 2003. This year there have 35
incidents of atrocities, said Muttungal.
The forum has written to President Pratibha Patil drawing her attention to the ongoing
violence in Orissa and sought her intervention.
Expressing concern over the situation, the forum said that Christians have been
targeted once again, after a similar wave of violence last year.
They have charged the police with failing to protect Christians and have urged the
president to send the army or central security forces to the state to curb violence.
Already the Christians of Kandhamal are nursing the wounds of the last year's violence
and hundreds are living in refugee camp at Barakham, yet Sangh leaders targeted the
community, the letter says.
"The Christian leadership in the country also unequivocally condemns the killing of VHP
leader and his four associates," wrote Iyengar.
Christian educational institutions, numbering about 45,000 in the country, would remain
closed to condemn the attack and demand an inquiry into the incidents, community leaders
said.
--ANI
