THE
P RTAL
June 2018
Page 11
Aid to the Church in Need
Christianity will grow
and flourish in India
amidst persecution
I
ndia’s extremists are, according to reports received by Aid to the Church in Need, pushing
ahead with their political agenda inspired by the notion that the country is a Hindu country for the Hindu-
majority community. Concerns have grown since the rise to power by Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the
Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). As a result, the BJP are increasingly targeting minorities
including Christians, as they are seen as a threat to the national identity. But, despite rampant discrimination
and a rising number of incidents revealing religiously motivated violence, the Church is growing with support
from Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need.
Deteriorating relations between Hindu extremists
and Christians are evident in the increasing number
of attacks, from the 365 recorded attacks against
Christians in 2016 increasing to 740 instances of
violence last year. Sources noted that both the regularity
and severity of violent attacks have increased with each
passing year, especially in the north of the country.
Unfortunately, it is not just that extremist groups
across a large number of states are targeting Christians
and other minority religious groups but that the
authorities have failed to act to protect those injured.
There are also occasions when the State is accused of
conspiring with the extremists. In Madhya Pradesh
Province, militants have disrupted classes in Catholic
schools; police were accused of failing to intervene
while extremists assaulted priests and seminarians
singing Christmas carols – only to then arrest the
carollers.
villages. The bishop said: “It is encouraging to see that
the Christians, though suffering persecution at times,
are ready to die for their faith.” He added: “They know
that Christianity will grow and flourish in this place
amidst persecution… The Church in Odisha embraces
the Cross but is not annihilated.” With many homes in
the region without a Holy Bible, Aid to the Church in
Describing the intense violence by Hindutva Need is helping the Church by printing 50,000 copies
extremists, Bishop Kishore Kumar Kujur of Rourkela of the New Testament in the local language of Odiya. Its
recalled a series of violent attacks on Christians in last reprint sold out rapidly in 2004 and indications are
Odisha (then Orissa) a decade ago. He said: “During that this batch will be welcomed by families in India.
the violence, houses were set ablaze with fire. People
Also, there is a great need for priests. In India’s
lost all their belongings and they lost their Bibles –
some were killed because they were found with the poorest diocese of Buxar there are only 15 diocesan
Bible.” During the crisis more than 4,500 houses and priests ministering to about 25,000 Catholics. But,
250 churches were destroyed in arson attacks and another positive indication of the Church’s growth
about 70 deaths officially noted – but some reports across India is to be seen in up to 1,000 priests being
suggest that the loss of life could be as high as 500 ordained every year and today there are more than
15,000 seminarians hoping to celebrate the Sacraments
people.
and serve their parishioners.
In the face of this violence, the bishop said that
Aid to the Church in Need - www.acnuk.org
reading of the Word of God sustained the faithful,
contact: [email protected] or call 020 8642 8668
including when the priests were not able to visit