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| Demonstrators shout slogans as they hold placards during a protest outside a church in New Delhi, February 5, 2015.(Reuters/Anindito Mukherjee) |
By Lorraine Caballero
Christian Daily
On April 17, two men pretending to be Christians requesting prayer sought out Pastor Deenbandhu Sameli at the Berseba Church in Karanji Village. However, when they entered the Church, they forced him and his wife to chant "jai sri ram" ("hail Lord Rama") and doused the two with gasoline, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW).
The pastor filed a First Information Report with the police against the unknown suspects, who are believed to be members of a Hindu fundamentalist group.The attack on the pastor and his wife was done to force them to convert to Hinduism. Aside from dousing the Christian couple with gasoline, the attackers also vandalized the Church and damaged the Bibles, furniture pulpit, and even the offerings given by Church members.
In light of the incident and other attacks against Christians in India, CSW chief executive Mervyn Thomas issued a statement condemning the persecution of religious minorities in the country. He also called on the government to take concrete steps to prevent the religious minorities from being harassed.
"CSW condemns this and all other incidences of targeted violence against religious minorities, which have outraged civil society in India," said Thomas in a statement. "The Indian government must follow through on its promises with concrete actions to stem these attacks," Thomas continued.
In Bangladesh, authorities are investigating the brutal killing of a Hindu man on Saturday. Police said two radical Islamists wielding sharp weapons and riding a motorcycle hacked Nikhil Joarder to death while he was in his tailor shop in the district of Tangail, Business Insider reports.
Authorities are now trying to determine if the attack is connected to a 2012 complaint against Joarder, which accused him of insulting the Prophet Muhammad.
Christian Daily
On April 17, two men pretending to be Christians requesting prayer sought out Pastor Deenbandhu Sameli at the Berseba Church in Karanji Village. However, when they entered the Church, they forced him and his wife to chant "jai sri ram" ("hail Lord Rama") and doused the two with gasoline, according to Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW).
The pastor filed a First Information Report with the police against the unknown suspects, who are believed to be members of a Hindu fundamentalist group.The attack on the pastor and his wife was done to force them to convert to Hinduism. Aside from dousing the Christian couple with gasoline, the attackers also vandalized the Church and damaged the Bibles, furniture pulpit, and even the offerings given by Church members.
In light of the incident and other attacks against Christians in India, CSW chief executive Mervyn Thomas issued a statement condemning the persecution of religious minorities in the country. He also called on the government to take concrete steps to prevent the religious minorities from being harassed.
"CSW condemns this and all other incidences of targeted violence against religious minorities, which have outraged civil society in India," said Thomas in a statement. "The Indian government must follow through on its promises with concrete actions to stem these attacks," Thomas continued.
In Bangladesh, authorities are investigating the brutal killing of a Hindu man on Saturday. Police said two radical Islamists wielding sharp weapons and riding a motorcycle hacked Nikhil Joarder to death while he was in his tailor shop in the district of Tangail, Business Insider reports.
Authorities are now trying to determine if the attack is connected to a 2012 complaint against Joarder, which accused him of insulting the Prophet Muhammad.
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