Hindu fundamentalists assaults Christian owner of orphanage in Karnataka

Hindu fundamentalists have accused a Christian owner of an orphanage of forcibly converting Dalits and have issued a threat that converts would not be allowed to join any church in the neighbourhood.

Pastor C. Samuel John, who is running an orphanage in Lakkavalli village, Chickmagalur district, was assaulted by supporters of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

John is a rights activist of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC).

"The ringleader [Nagesh] also threatened Lakshmi, the mother of Pastor John's neighbor Prashant, that her son would be attacked soon because he converted to Christianity," Compass quoted Sajan K. George, national president, GCIC, as saying. "This is despite the fact that Pastor John greeted Nagesh in a friendly manner."

According to George, the BJP supporters also abused and slapped Prashant's brother, Pramod, who is suffering from blood cancer.

The extremists also interrogated the residents about the activities of the orphanage, which they say is a center for forcible conversions.

Troubles in the area began on November 8, when Pastor John heard that a complaint had been filed against him in the local police station by BJP supporters.

"On hearing this, Pastor John requested the Lakkavalli village head to speak with the alleged complainants, about 25 BJP supporters, who alleged that he was visiting slums and villages in the area and inducing Dalits to convert to Christianity," George said.

"[Though] they were not able to bring any proof against John, yet they carried on with their allegation against and opposition to him" he added.

Fortunately, the police and local Dalit groups are sympathetic towards the Christians in the area, George said.

GCIC has appealed to the National Commission for Minorities to provide protection to the Christians in the area.