Christian preacher assaulted in Rajasthan in front of family, attack captured in TV camera

In a shocking incident, a pastor in Jaipur, Rajasthan, was beaten up by a mob of masked men suspected as belonging to the Hindu fundamentalist outfits, the Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), in front of his family, while the whole incident was captured in TV camera, causing public outrage.

On April 29, when Pastor Walter Masih concluded the Sunday Service in his house church in Nandpuri, he heard a knock on the door. Thinking it was a visitor, Pastor Masih opened the door and found two teenagers who claimed to be "seekers of the truth" and requested the pastor to explain to them about Jesus. However, "as the Pastor started sharing [his faith] with them, suddenly about 25 youngsters joined them and started beating Pastor Walter," said Sajan George, president, Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC).

"[The pastor] was brutally beaten and was also hit in the abdomen with sharp objects," national daily The Times of India quoted the pastor's neighbor, who witnessed the attack, as saying.

As the attackers dragged a profusely bleeding Masih out of the house, a neighbor, Samuel Roberts, who was passing by, rushed to the Sodala police station, half km. away and reported the incident.

Roberts said there were around 25 men, who covered their faces and were wielding sticks, outside Masih's residence.

The attack reportedly went on for about an hour "in the presence of large number of onlookers," with no one daring to help, Sajan George added.

"Even local police and state administration ignored the onslaught on the innocent Pastor," George claimed, adding that the attack happened near the "high security houses of the chief minister and other ministers."

Local media reportedly said that the attack was in "repercussion of his activities in his school" where he serves as an independent pastor.

Although the Hindu militants rained blows on the pastor, he managed to "pray for the attackers loudly" and was seen "praising Jesus Christ," a move resembling the Bible story about Stephen, the first Christian martyr who was stoned to death, George said.

Masih's wife, Joyce and his child were not hurt though the intruders broke plastic chairs, utensils and furniture.

According to Rev. Rakesh Malachi, pastor of a local church, Pastor Masih was admitted to a local hospital for treatment of internal injuries. "It is a pre–planned, well orchestrated attack. We have also received information on other possible attacks on Christians living in the state," Rev. Malachi said.

The incident has evoked protests from local Christians who are fearing the safety of the minority communities in Rajasthan, a state governed by Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The incident has also drawn widespread criticism from the public who feel that the police had failed to come to his aid in time in spite of Pastor Masih's house being located just a kilometer away from Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's official residence in Jaipur.

Pastor Masih's wife and his nine–year old daughter, who were witnesses to the attack, are yet to recover from the shock.

"I am unaware whether they were from Hindu groups. I am serving the people and I want an unbiased probe into the matter," Pastor Masih told The Times of India over the phone. Those who are against Christianity are behind the attack, he added.

Circle Officer of Sodala, Rakesh Puri, said Masih was teaching Christianity and a case has been registered against 20 people in connection with the incident.

According to sources close to the development, most of the attackers, who are yet to be identified, were aged between 18 and 22 years.

"We are investigating the matter. We have conducted a medical examination of the pastor and will arrest those involved in the crime," said Anil Paliwal, Superintendent of Police (SP), Jaipur (South). Paliwal has denied that the police were negligent in their duty of protecting the pastor as no one had approached them for aid or protection.

Additional Superintendent of Police (South) Subhash Vishnoi said the police were trying to identify the persons spotted on a video on the incident telecast by some TV channels. A case has been registered.

The attack was premeditated as the Hindu fanatics had invited a local TV station to send a crew to film their action.

Meanwhile, the Congress, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Jamaat–e–Islami Hind condemned the attack.

Congress general secretary Ashok Gehlot has termed the incident a "very serious matter" and has demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits.

"Vishwa Hindu Parishad workers have once again taken law into their own hands in the name of stopping religious conversions in the State and this is condemnable," CPI (M) State secretary Vasudev said. "The Chief Minister and the Home Minister should take the responsibility for the attack."

Engineer Mohammed Saleem, new president of the State Jamaat–e–Islami Hind, said the attack put a question mark on the very existence of a government in the State as the attack indicated a complete breakdown of law and order.

According to GCIC's George, the local police have arrested seven people including a local VHP leader, Virendra Singh, suspected to be the "mastermind" behind the assault. Hindu activists who were detained by the police for questioning have reportedly admitted that they acted on Virendra's orders, George said.

"We condemn the brutal attacks and urge the state and central governments to extent protection to the minuscule Christians," George said, noting that Hindu fundamentalists have become emboldened by controversial anti–conversion laws passed in several states ruled by the Hindu nationalists.

"It is absolutely clear that Christians in Rajasthan cannot freely carry out their worship. The timing of the attacks is sinister. Fundamentalists are choosing Sundays, the day of worship for Christians, to attack, and this is a cause of concern," Kavita Srivastava, general secretary, Rajasthan People's Union for Civil Liberties, said. "Attacks on Christians in Jaipur clearly show how brazen fundamentalists have become. It indicates a possible collusion with the administration in Rajasthan."

Meanwhile, a group of human rights activists and lawyers and representatives of the All India Christian Council (AICC) have gone to Jaipur to investigate the incident.

The group visited the city on May 3 where it met with the Director General of Police of Rajasthan, A.S. Gill, who admitted that the number of reported attacks against Christians was rising.

"Rajasthan's tribal districts in the Jaipur, Udaipur and Ajmer divisions have seen scores of incidents of violence against Christians. Most of the incidents have gone unreported even though the police is aware of the rising trend of hatred towards Christians," the group said.

A delegation also met Rajasthan Governor, Pratibha Patil, demanding the dismissal of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)–led Government in the State.

The delegation cited instances of attacks on leaders from the Christian community and alleged the connivance of state government machinery and ministers in such acts as a valid reason for dismissal of the Government.

"The BJP Government, supported by radical Hindu groups like the VHP in the State, is promoting the communal agenda flouting all the Constitutional norms of equal rights to all citizens. In the recent past the religious persons and institutions of a particular community have been targeted in a way to promote communal discord," a memorandum, presented to the Governor, stated.

The memorandum, among other things, sought adequate compensation for the victim and his family.

"The anti–Christian violence targets a small minority. And there could be more violence once the 2006 Rajasthan Freedom of Religion bill becomes law," said John Dayal, secretary general, AICC.

"The pattern of violence indicates a design. The anti–Christian violence is not the sort of communal violence recorded between other communities. A tiny minority is the target and it never retaliates. There is enough evidence available in many places for the police to take suo motu action against the VHP, Bajrang Dal and Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad but no action is taken. Some of the Indian States are now seemingly ruled under a separate set of law," Dayal said.

According to Aruna Roy, noted social activist, the motive behind the series of atrocities is "to deliberately manipulate sentiments for pushing through the pending Rajasthan Religious Freedom Bill, 2006 in the State." Urging the State Governor "to ensure that the government of Rajasthan treats attacks on the minority community as a matter of grave concern," Roy said that steps should be taken to ensure protection for the minority Christian community in Rajasthan from attacks by fundamentalist groups.

"Another Christian pastor and his family received threats in Jaipur on Sunday, May 6 2007 from suspected radical groups prompting the police to accord them security. There have already been four cases of anti–Christian violence in Rajasthan and over 80 cases of atrocities against Christians across India from January this year," said Rev. Richard Howell, general secretary, Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI), urging prayers for the persecuted.