Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam   

Rally against attacks on Christians today

VISAKHAPATNAM: Several human rights, dalit, women’s and mass organisations are organising a rally in the city on Wednesday to condemn the attacks by the VHP and Bajrang Dal on members and properties of Christians.

Announcing this here on Tuesday, State secretary of Human Rights Forum, V.S. Krishna said that the rally would begin at 10 a.m. from the Ambedkar Statue near the LIC building and would culminate at the Collectorate.

He condemned the ongoing violent attacks on members and properties of Christians and appealed to the people to raise their voice against the fascism of Sangh Parivar. The murderous attacks carried out by Hindu fundamentalist organisations like the VHP and Bajrang Dal had been continuing since the past one month in Kandhamal district of Orissa. In recent weeks such attacks also took place in several districts of Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. In all these States, the government has either been complicit in the attacks or a mere spectator, he alleged.

“In Kandhamal district itself, over 50 Christians have been killed in these attacks and over 1,650 homes torched and over 100 churches and prayers halls destroyed. This has resulted in nearly 30,000 Christians being involuntarily displaced from their homes.

Even today, there are about 15,000 Christians in 11 relief camps while over 10,000 more have fled the district. All of them are terribly insecure and are unable to go back to their villages because of the fear of further attacks by the VHP, Bajrang Dal,” Mr. Krishna stated.

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