India update 9-21-08

NCM blames Bajrang Dal for Karnataka, Orissa violence
New Delhi, Sep 21 (PTI) The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has blamed Sangh Parivar outfit Bajrang Dal for the communal violence in the NDA-ruled states of Karnataka and Orissa."Our teams have returned from both the states. Activists of Bajrang Dal are involved in these attacks in both places. NCM will send reports on the whole gamut of communal clashes in the twin states to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh soon," NCM Chairman Md Shafi Qureshi told PTI.Condemning the attack on churches in Kandhamal and other areas of Orissa and in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Chikmagalur and Mangalore in Karnataka, the Commission stressed the need for immediate confidence building measures to allay the fear from the minds of the minorities in both states.Qureshi accused the Karnataka government of serious lapses in handling the situation. "The churches in different parts of the state were attacked one by one in succession and not all of a sudden. Something should have been done immediately when the attacks started," Qureshi said.The Commission also demanded immediate arrest of the culprits so that "no one dares to repeat such incidents in future." Qureshi said tension still continues in Udupi and Mangalore in Karnataka. PTI
Christian Council organises protests against atrocities
Vijayawada, Sept 21: A procession, protesting against 'growing number of atrocities' against Christians allegedly by the Bajrang Dal, in Orissa, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh among other states, was carried out here by All India Christian Council. Describing the violence as an attack on secularism council's national secretary Sam Paul said yesterday that such incidents were posing a threat to religious harmony adding the Centre was being soft on the perpetrators. Paul also demanded a ban on the Sangh Parivar, Bajrang Dal and VHP. The Orissa government had lost all credibility to govern the state after failing to take action against religious forces that were openly admitting their involvement in the violence, Paul said adding that relief camps provided by the government were ill-equipped and ill-stocked. 23,000 individuals from 350 villages that were attacked in Orissa were seeking refuge in the camps, Paul said adding they were not being provided proper blankets and food among other things. He said religious conversions were not anti-constitutional but 'Hindutva' forces have launched a false campaign while the media too was biased in covering news pertaining to conversions. Bureau Report

Sun, 21/09/2008 - 8:45am Breaking News-Report at 12.00pm: Three churches vandalised in Karnataka and pastor arrested
(1)St. James Catholic Church at Marianpalaya was vandalized in the early hours by the anti Christian outfits. The goons have desecrated and broke open cupboards in the church . Marianpalaya church has also schools and colleges in its premises Door/Window and statue of Mother Mary was damaged in the attack.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, South India
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Sun, 21/09/2008 - 8:06am National commission for Minorities to sumit final report to Prime minister
New Delhi:
The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) is likely to submit its report regarding the attacks on Christians and churches in Karnataka to the Prime Ministers Office on Tuesday.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, South India
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Sun, 21/09/2008 - 6:47am Iswar Digal abducted and hacked to death in Kandhamal on 20th Sept
Bhubaneswar-Orissa
Violence continued in Kandhamal as a Dalit Christian was reportedly abducted and hacked to death by VHP ACTIVISTS in his village on Saturday morning while he was going back to a relief camp after seeing his ailing father.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
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Sat, 20/09/2008 - 10:29pm GCIC strongly condemns the Bomb Blast in Islamabad
All terrorism is evil and an attack on Life itself, This cowardly actthat claimed the lives of atleast 40 people and injured more than 100is condemned in the strongest possible terms.
posted in: Current Issue, Beliefs, Other Countries
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Sat, 20/09/2008 - 9:01pm Karnataka up date-Pastor and believers arrested and detained in Sidapur police station
Pastor Biju,Sunil and five other believers were arrested from Thalikare village by Siddapura police.Siddapura is 28 Kms away from Medikere.The arrested pastors and believers are denied permission to contact outside world.Evangelist Sunil,Roy,Kumar, Meenakshi and Baiju were talking to children in Guya Palakere village and was arrested on a complaint from one Mr. Halappa. The evangelists were taken to Siddapura Police station for enquiry and were charged under IPC section 149,143,295 and 448.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, South India
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Sat, 20/09/2008 - 8:52pm Orissa update
It seems the Sangh Parivar radicals are leaving no Christian house but are destroying each one to fulfil their fury of anger when the inmates are either in the Jungle or in the relief camps.
posted in: Current Issue, Persecution, East India
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Orissa floods hit lakhs
BHUBANESWAR, Sept. 20: The Mahanadi mimicked Kosi today in Orissa with over 15.62 lakh cusec water flowing at Mundali and flood waters causing 28 breaches along the river system to inundate and cut off several villages. The flood has claimed 16 lives so far, official sources said.A total of 15 lakh people living in 17 out of 30 districts in the state have been affected. Crop areas of over 2.47 lakh hectare have been inundated. The flood, described as the worst-ever since 1982 by officials, has marooned 191 villages. Over 1.80 lakh people of low-lying areas have been evacuated while hundreds of others have taken shelter on national highway and cyclone shelters.Banki, Bayalismauza were disconnected from the rest of the state by flood waters. Some of the breaches were huge ~ up to 200 meters, villagers said. Chief minister Mr Naveen Patnaik conducted an aerial survey of flood-hit areas. He declared seven days’ relief and closure of educational institutions for two days in the affected coastal districts.The Army has been kept ready while relief supplies were air-dropped in Banki today. Two choppers have been pressed into service while another three have been requisitioned, officials said. The velocity and quantity of water flowing in the rivers was such that the embankment roads were washed away at many places. Even boats sanctioned for rescue operations found it difficult to negotiate the swelling and swirling waters. Cuttack, Kendrapara, Puri and Jagatsinghpur districts were worst affected.Flood waters also entered institutions and homes of low-lying areas on the periphery of the state capital. The chief minister, Mr Naveen Patnaik, today sent a letter to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh demanding that floods in Orissa be declared a national calamity and an interim assistance of Rs 1,500 crore from the National Calamity Relief Fund. sns