September 2008 attacks on Christians in Mangalore

The September 2008 attacks on Christians in Mangalore includes a wave of attacks directed against Christian churches and prayer halls in the Indian city of Mangalore by the suspected Hindu nationalist organization..

The attacks started in response to the allegation by the Bajrang Dal that the New Life Fellowship Trust, a non-denominational Christian Church, was indulging in forceful religious conversion of Hindus.Another reason was the book satyadarshini in which new life trust had denigrated and defamed hindu gods.

Cause

The attacks started in response to the allegation by the Bajrang Dal, that New Life Fellowship Trust were indulging in forceful religious conversion of Hindus and distribution of vulgar literature about Hindu gods and goddesses. [cite news
url=http://www.hindu.com/2008/09/16/stories/2008091659220300.htm
title=We have no link with ‘New Life’
publisher="The Hindu"
accessdate=2008-09-27
date=2008-09-16] [cite news
url=http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=13221&size=A
title=Karnataka: 20 churches attacked, Christians accuse police of inaction
publisher="The Hindu"
author=Nirmala Carvalho
accessdate=2008-09-27
publisher=AsiaNews
date=2008-09-15]

Attacks

The attacks started on September 14. A group of youth from Hindu nationalist organization, went inside the chapel of Adoration Monastery of the Sisters of St-Clare in Milagres and in a quick succession they desecrated the tabernacle and the Eucharist, the monstrance, a crucifix, the oil lamps, the vases on the altar and a few statues of saints.Miscreants pelted stones on the chapel of Padua Pre-university College, a Christian college, located at Nantoor at around 8.30pm, IST.

On September 15, police reports confirmed that Our Lady's grotto at Vijayamarie Technical Institute, properties at the Infant Jesus Higher Primary School, Mary Hill and Mary Hill convent were damaged by the miscreants on the night of September 14. In Kalladka, Souza Textile owner and his wife were attacked by unidentified people. [cite news
url=http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=51210&n_tit=Mangalore%3A+Situation+Turns+Violent+at+Kulshekar%2C+Vamanjoor+%3A+Police+Cane+Mob
title=Mangalore: Situation Turns Violent at Kulshekar, Vamanjoor : Police Cane Mob, Hundreds Injured
publisher=Daijiworld Media Pvt Ltd Mangalore
date=2008-09-15
accessdate=2008-09-27]

Reactions

In response to the alleged forcible conversions, Viswa Hindu Parishat (VHP) gave a 3-month deadline for New Life Fellowship Trust (NLFT) to stop all conversion activities in Mangalore. [cite news
url=http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Sep192008/state2008091890832.asp
title=Stop conversion activities, VHP tells New Life Trust
publisher="Deccan Herald"
date=2008-09-19
accessdate=2008-09-27] The Roman Catholic Diocese of Mangalore said it would distance itself from the New Life Fellowship Trust. But this was opposed by Margaret Alva, General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee, presided over by Sonia Gandhi, an Italian Catholic. She said "Christians were a microscopic minority in India. We must put aside the differences between our various sects and come together to fight fascist forces.". Former defence minister George Fernandes, a Mangalorean Catholic, wrote to B. S. Yeddyurappa urging him to restore peace and challenging radicals to prove alleged conversions. [cite news
url=http://www.theindiancatholic.com/report.asp?nid=11362
title=Fernandes speaks for Mangalore Christians
publisher=Indian Catholic
date=2008-09-20
accessdate=2008-09-27]

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on September 14 evening spoke to Karnataka Governor Rameshwar Thakur and Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on the phone from his Delhi residence and took stock of the situation in the state in the aftermath of the attacks on churches and Christians earlier in the day. According to the Prime Minister's Office, the prime minister expressed shock at the attacks on Christian prayer halls and churches. He directed the chief minister to take immediate steps to provide ample protection to religious institutions and maintain communal harmony.Eventhough some politicians like mr Deve gouda and mr Mp prakash visited christian institutions it looked as if they were trying to extract the maximum out of the situation for the comming byelections [cite news
url=http://www.cbcisite.com/cbcinews2381.htm
title=Over A Dozen Churches, Prayer Halls Attacked In Coastal Karnataka
publisher=Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (C.B.C.I)
date=2008-09-15
accessdate=2008-09-27]

ee also

*Anti-Christian violence in India
*Anti-Christian violence in Karnataka
*Religious violence in Orissa

References

External links

* [http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=51156&n_tit=Mangalore%3A+Attack+on+Christian+Prayer+Centres+-+Photo+Album+1 Mangalore: Attack on Christian Prayer Centres - Photo Album 1] from Daijiworld Media Pvt Ltd Mangalore
*cite news
url= http://www.deccanherald.com/Content/Sep152008/state2008091590105.asp?section=updatenews
title= Mangalore shut as Christians protest attack on church
accessdate= 2008-09-20
date=2008-09-15
publisher= "Deccan Herald"
*cite news
url= http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/sep/15ktaka1.htm
title= Attack on churches: Violent protests in Mangalore
accessdate= 2008-09-20
date=2008-09-15
publisher=Rediff.com India Limited