[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 2 (Thursday, January 7, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E57]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HINDU NATIONALISTS DESTROY CHRISTIAN CHURCHES IN ``SECULAR'' INDIA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, January 6, 1999

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I was disturbed by recent reports that 
several Christian churches, prayer halls, and religious missions have 
recently been destroyed by Hindu extremists affiliated with the Vishwa 
Hindu Parishad (VHP), a militant Hindu organization. The Bharatiya 
Janata Party (BJP), the party that leads the governing coalition, is 
also part of the VHP.
  The violence forced many Christian congregations to cancel New Year's 
celebrations for fear of offending the Hindu militants, which could 
lead to further violence. Is this the secularism that India boasts 
about? Clearly, there is no religious freedom for these Christians in 
India.
  Unfortunately, these are just the latest incidents of violence 
against Christians in India. Four nuns were raped last year by a Hindu 
gang. The VHP described the rapists as ``patriotic youth'' and called 
the nuns ``antinational elements.'' To be Christian in secular India is 
to be an antinational element! At least three priests were killed in 
1997 and 1998, and in 1997 police opened fire on a Christian festival 
that was promoting the theme ``Jesus is the Answer.''
  Apparently, the Hindu Nationalists are afraid that the Dalits, or 
``Untouchables'', the aboriginal people of South Asia who are at the 
bottom of the caste structure, are switching to other religions, 
primarily Christianity, thus improving their status. This undermines 
the caste structure which is the foundation of the Hindu social 
structure.
  The Indian government has killed more than 200,000 Christians since 
1947 and the Christians of Nagaland, in the eastern part of India, are 
involved in one of 17 freedom movements within India's borders. But the 
Christians are not the only ones oppressed for their religion.
  India has murdered more than 250,000 Sikhs since 1984 and over 60,000 
Muslims in Kashmir since 1988, as well as many thousands of other 
people. The holest shrine in the Sikh religion, the Golden Temple in 
Amritsar, is still under occupation by plainclothes police, some 14 
years after India's brutal military attack on the Golden Temple. The 
previous Jathedar of the Akal Takht, Gurdev Singh Kaunke, was killed in 
police custody by being torn in half. The police disposed of his body. 
He had been tortured before the Indian government decided to kill him.
  The Babri mosque, the most sacred Muslim shrine in the state of Uttar 
Pradesh, was destroyed by the Hindu militants who advocate building a 
Hindu temple on the site. Yet India proudly boasts that it is a 
religiously tolerant, secular democracy.
  This kind of religious oppression does not deserve American support. 
We should take tough measures to ensure that India learns to respect 
basic human rights. All U.S. aid to India should be cut off and we 
should openly declare U.S. support for self-determination for all the 
peoples of the subcontinent. By these measures we can help bring 
religious freedom and basic human rights to Christians, Sikhs, Muslims, 
and everyone else in South Asia.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to introduce Press reports on the attacks 
on Christian religious institutions into the Record.

              [From the Washington Post, January 3, 1999]

                Hindus Blamed for Attacks on Christians

       New Delhi.--India's main opposition Congress party said a 
     wave of attacks on Christians appeared to be a campaign by 
     Hindu right-wing groups to whip up conflict.
       Police detained 45 Hindus Friday in connection with 
     torching a Catholic prayer hall by mobs Wednesday. Four nuns 
     and two priests were injured in the 10th reported attack 
     against Christians since Christmas.
       No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks in the 
     western state of Gujarat, but Congress and Christian 
     activists blame Hindu right-wing activists, including the 
     Vishwa Hindu Parishad--World Hindu Council--and its 
     affiliate, Bajrang Dal. Christians make up 2.3 percent of the 
     960 million people in politically secular India. More than 80 
     percent of the population are Hindus.
                                  ____


             [From the Washington Post, December 31, 1998]

               Indian Christians Cancel New Year Services

       Mulchand, Indian.--Christian congregations in western India 
     are canceling New Year prayer services this year, fearful of 
     provoking more violence from radical Hindus who already have 
     destroyed a dozen churches. The violence has put the 
     governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the awkward 
     position of needing to protect India's Christian minority 
     from groups affiliated with the Hindu nationalist party. 
     Since Friday, mobs armed with axes, iron bars, hammers and 
     stones have attacked 18 churches, prayer halls or Christian 
     schools.

     

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