Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore   

Hearing on violence against Christians

By Our Special Correspondent

Bangalore June 11. The All-India Christian Council is holding a public hearing on violence against Christians in Karnataka, at the Institute of Agricultural Technologists Hall, Queen's Road, from 10 a.m. on Thursday.

The former Judge of the Karnataka High Court, H.G. Balakrishna, the diplomat-parliamentarian, L.C. Jain, the legal expert, S.V. Joga Rao, the Secretary of the Komavaru Virodhi Andolona, R. Parthasarathy, the trustee of Civic Bangalore, Karthiyayini Chamaraj, and the President of Indian Muslims for Peace and Harmony, Sayed Safiulla, will be on the panel hearing evidence from victims of violence.

The Secretary-General of the council, John Dayal, told presspersons here on Wednesday that he was shocked to learn there were 50 incidents of violence against the Christian community in various parts of Karnataka in 2002. There were instances of clergy and lay workers being manhandled, places of worship damaged, and hamlets of dalit Christians being terrorised, he said. "If not checked, such violence can be directed against any community in future,'' Mr. Justice Balakrishna said.

Mr. Dayal said: "Attacks on Christians appear to have increased over the past five years, and the anti-conversion laws in certain States and the militant attitude of the Sangh Parivar are to blame for many incidents.

"In several cases, those in the police and administration had ignored complaints, or did not act on them, and this encouraged those indulging in violence.''

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