Church Descrated by Hindu Extremists in Gujarat, India

Church Descrated by Hindu Extremists in Gujarat, India

by Michael Fischer

HONG KONG (Compass) -- Nearly 200 members of two extremist Hindu organizations stormed the Evangelical Church of India in Gujarat state on November 26. The Christian community expressed shock at the desecration of the church and the attempt to take possession of a Christian house of worship.

Armed with swords and knives, members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) destroyed crosses inside and outside the church, which is located in Chindia, in Surat district. Attackers also placed Hindu idols in the sanctuary.

The Hindu groups claim that the land on which the church is built was given by the local people and that one of the locals is not happy with the gift. Hindus say the church should be turned into a Hindu temple. The land was given to Christians four years ago, and local Christians built a church and have been worshipping regularly on the site.

Meanwhile, the bishop of the Evangelical Church of India has camped in Chindia and is on a public fast to protest the attack and call on authorities to deal with this communal act of violence. Local Christians and the bishop have appealed to the district magistrate and have asked the Gujarat High Court to issue a stay order to prevent the extremists from taking possession of the church. The bishop says he will continue with his fast until the stay order comes and the church is safely restored to the local Christians.

As the new year approaches, Christians in Gujarat live in fear of reliving horrors of the past two years when attacks against them increased during the Christmas season.