RE:INDIA: Shame on India: Children Burnt Alive by Extremists
by Vivian George on Oct 30, 2007 08:49 PM
CONTINUED....
Background Information
The existence of Hindu extremism within ultra-nationalist political parties or parties attracted by ultra-nationalism like the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP, or Indian People's Party), Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP, or World Hindu Council), Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS, or National Volunteers Association) and Shiv Sena is a serious threat to religious tolerance.
India is a nation of diverse religions and languages governed by a secular State. The 1949 Constitution of India declares the nation to be a "sovereign secular State." Article 15 declares that "the State shall not discriminate against any citizens on grounds only of religion...." There is no law banning proselytism by 23 million Indian Christians, but the government has refused to admit new resident missionaries since the mid-1960s.
On 2 September 1997, in Dumka, Bihar, a Jesuit priest, Father Swaminathan Christudas, vice-principal and hostel superintendent of St. Joseph%u2019s School, was beaten with sticks and forced to parade naked.
In March 1998, the pro-Hindu Bharatiya party gained power in Gujarat. That year alone Hindu extremists in the state launched 30 attacks on Christians. According to reports, police did not attempt to protect Christians from extremist attacks.
