[Reader-list] Many Christians forced to embrace Hinduism

[kirdar singh]

"Many Christians forced to embrace Hinduism"

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Janhastakshep has expressed concern over "organised
violence perpetrated by Hindutva forces on Christians in Orissa and
Karnataka and on minorities in other States".

At a meeting on "Attacks on minorities: Challenges before the
democratic movement" here earlier this week, Prof. Manoranjan Mohanty,
who went as a member of a fact-finding team to Orissa, said
large-scale attacks were carried out against Christians: "Many
Christians were forced to embrace Hinduism to escape physical
elimination. What was shocking was the indifferent attitude of the
police and State officials. They looked the other way when violent
attacks were carried out."

Calling upon civil liberty and human rights groups to jointly condemn
such attacks on minorities, Prof. Mohanty said: "The attacks on
minorities are not a minority issue but an issue of minority rights
that are essential to democracy."

Human rights lawyer Prashant Bhushan said the police helped by the
media had served to project Muslims as terrorists.

"Indiscriminate arrests of educated Muslims are being carried out,"
said Mr. Bhushan, adding that even the Supreme Court and the National
Human Rights Commission's guidelines on arrest were not followed.
Resolution

The meeting adopted a resolution demanding that those responsible for
attacks on minorities and their institutions be dealt with in
accordance with the rule of law. It also demanded a time-bound
judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court into the
Jamia Nagar encounter.

The resolution also sought an end to "indiscriminate harassment" and
arrest of educated Muslim youths and their families.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/18/stories/2008101856330400.htm