Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
New Delhi (Agenzia Fides) - "The secular India suffers from Christianophobia, a disease rooted and well established, but not publicly recognized by the state and society": this is the complaint that comes from Indian civil society organizations, Christian and non Christian. In a note sent to Fides, the NGOs point out the puzzling statements of a Federal Minister for Renewable Energy, Janab Farooq Abdullah, who asks for "the immediate removal on behalf of the government". Farooq Abdullah, formerly Prime Minister in the state of "Jammu and Kashmir", has publicly expressed support for the decision of an Islamic court of Kashmir which has issued a deportation order for three missionaries, two Protestants (the Pastors C.M. Khanna and Gayoor Masih) and a Catholic (Father Jim Borst), falsely accused of "fraudulent conversion".
According to NGOs, including the "Global Council of Indian Christians", "a federal minister, who has the obligation to respect the Constitution of India, has endorsed the unconstitutional actions of an Islamic court that expelled Indian citizens". Such decision - is feared - may lead to "a 'fatwa' against Christians in Kashmir and perhaps in all of India, which would be supported by a Minister". Its presence in the executive, NGOs noted, "will give legitimacy to the anti-constitutional, anti-secular and anti-national forces".
Among the organizations that speak of "Christianophobia", denouncing the excessive political and social space granted to Hindu and Islamic extremist movements, is the well-known "Asian Centre for Human Rights", based in New Delhi. Suhas Chakma, Director of the Center, notes to Fides that the British colonists (who ruled India from 1757 to 1947) "did not impose the Christian religion, but during post independence, in an India which calls itself secular, many Indian state Indians approved a series of 'Laws on Religious Freedom ' which in fact limit the freedom of religion and conversion". "These measures, however - notes the Director - do not apply to Hindus, who continue to convert the tribals and adivasis. The denial of basic rights to Dalit Christians, just because of their religion, makes India a Christianophobia nation ". (PA) (Agenzia Fides 26/01/2012)
