Somashekar commission/Karnataka,Persecution,India

Karnataka Government to enquire into the attacks on the Christians, especially in Mangalore, Dakshin Kannada & near-by districts. Whatever be its findings or outcome of the exercise, it has provided the community an opportunity to place on record, the persecution, it went through. Towards the end, are fresh cases of attacks from different districts of Karnataka on our fellow Christians for bearing witness. All these excerpts are collated especially that, you might pray & also volunteer to be a Christian activist. Reports of Victims at Justice Somashekar Commission So far, it received 995 affidavits, 230 documents, 54 witnesses & 7 CDs from across the state, with regard to the attacks on Christians. Lawyers B Ibrahim, Nova Bethany, M P Noronha, Lancy D'Souza etc., represented the witnesses. The next sitting of the Commission in Mangalore will be on the 24, 25 and 26 of June'09. The CSF has been tracking the proceedings & will keep you informed. Please find below mentioned are some excerpts from a few victims, who deposed before it - In Dakshina Kannada alone, 551 cases have been filed relating to the attacks. Anthony Rodrigues, pastor of Mahima Prarthanalaya, Belthangady, alleged that a group of people attacked the prayer hall shouting "Jai Bajrang Dal, Jai Sri Ram, Yesuvige dhikkara." C. Christella, a retired teacher from Vamanjoor, charged the Bajrang Dal with being responsible for the incidents. Melville Pinto, a businessman, alleged that police used teargas shells, past their expiry date on protesters on the premises of Milagres church. He said that he was exposed to the shell and was still having health problems caused by it. Mr. Pinto said that Christians faced a threat to their lives in Mangalore. Fear of attacks on churches was looming large. "I also want protection," he said. The cadres of Bajarang Dal were distributing provocative literature around the Holy Cross Church, Kulashekhara, a week before it was attacked, its priest Rev. Valerian Pinto (61) told the Commission of Inquiry panel. He said that there have been no coercive conversion in 35 years. According to him, the then Superintendent of Police, Satish Kumar monitored the attacks at St. Joseph Higher Primary School, which is on the Holy Cross Church premises. The Kankanady Police Station Sub-Inspector, Prakash was present there, but, no action was taken on the attackers, he said. Producing a photocopy of a book - "Orissadalli Nijavagi Nadediddenu" (What actually happened in Orissa) before the Commission, Kulshekar Church priest, Fr Valerian Pinto said that copies of the hate books were being distributed by Bajrang Dal activists near Church & School one week prior to the Church attack incidents. He also produced the copies of a series of articles published in a Kannada daily and said that the articles were aimed at damaging the communal harmony. "Though many Christians were arrested from the Kulshekar Church premises, the place of arrest was changed by the police in the records:, he added. He also asked the Commission, to provide him with a copy of "Satyadarshini" which, according to the Bajrang Dal members, was published and distributed by the Church authorities for conversion purposes. He said, he had not seen the book nor read it, nor indulged in coercive conversion. Instead, he submitted parts of Hindutvawadi, MS Golwalkar's book, "We or Our Nationhood Defined" to the Commission, which he said, was the root cause of the attack on minorities. The book, he said, was provocative, as it declared Christians and Muslims as non-Indians. He also submitted a copy of the complaints & memorandums, he had filed with the Urwa Police Station, Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner, and Additional District General Police, on which no action had been taken. The parish priest of Kulshekar Church, accused the police of falsifying arrests and the government of adopting dual standards, as far as withdrawing cases in his deposition before the Commission, Fr. Valerian Pinto, stated that the police had arrested youths, who had come to attend a prayer service, at the foyer and shown it as being done at Shakthinagar Cross, which is 1.5 km from the church. He said that Kankanady sub-inspector Prakash is a witness to the arrests made at the church premises, adding that circle inspector Ganapathy had arrested the youths who were at the foyer when people stopped him from entering the church hall. Fr. Pinto also said the state government by not withdrawing cases on Christians arrested during the incident was exhibiting double standards as they had not extended the same courtesy shown to Datta Peetha accused. Appearing before the Commission, 13 victims who submitted their affidavits urged security, compensation & immediate action. A shopkeeper, Ronald D Silva from Kalladka, complained that miscreants attacked him and his shop, for which he had to undergo treatment in Fr. Muller Medical College. Melvil Pinto, a founder of Janadani NGO, submitted four evidences, including a CD with visuals of Kulashekhara, Permannur and Milagres Christian prayer hall attacks. He presented a teargas shell which had passed its expiry date before the Commission. "Due to the explosion of tear gas shells, which had passed their expiry dates, I was admitted to Wenlock Hospital, as an inpatient & even now, I am facing its consequences. I have received four threat calls, from anonymous numbers", Pinto said. For 81-year-old Dulcine Monteiro, the memory of church attack still turns her eyes damp. "I had never seen such a gruesome incident in my entire lifetime. When I think of it, a chill runs down my spine even today. I saw a group of 15 to 20 men wearing saffron shawls outside my house. They were behaving in violent manner. They then pelted stones at my house. I was alone at home. I was scared and out of fear I collapsed and fell on the ground. I hurt my left leg and the pain is still fresh" said Dulcine narrating the incident which crippled her & which todate, makes her unable to walk without support. Dulcine is the wife of Lawrence Monteiro, an ex-serviceman. He had served in the Army for 22 years. They have 4 daughters who have been married off. The attack happened when Dulcine was alone at home.
The Bajrang Dal had reportedly circulated hatebooks in Christians schools/institutions of Mangalore before the attacks, the state government panel was told. Ms. Alice Gonsalves, narrating her experience with the police lathicharge incident, near Kulshekhar Church, said that there were no women constables, while male police brutally lathicharged women. "Policemen caned innocent women, including me, brutally without paying heed to our earnest pleadings. My right leg was injured and was hospitalised, the resident of Kulshekhar said. We were all inside a classroom on the third floor of Kulshekar Church School when the the incident occurred. Policemen broke open doors and canned us mercilessly", she added. Baptist Rodergas, from Belthangady submitted an affidavit over damages incurred to the church. "Miscreants who attacked the church shouted slogans like "Jai Sriram, Jai Bajarang Dal and Yesuvige Dikkara", insulting Jesus. There were no women police during the lathi-charge, Bajpe resident Missilla D'souza said. Swebert D'souza, a student from Kadri stated before the Commission that he was beaten up by the police without any reason on the road near Milagres Church in the city. He said that he had gone to the Church to help his friend Neil, who was trapped inside the Church premises. The police took me to Bunder Station and later I was lodged at Sub Jail for 10 days", he said. Dinal Saldanha (48) of Kulashekara, said the police used tear-gas shells which were past their expiry date on the premises of the church. She added that she was exposed to the gas and since then her vision had blurred. Ms. Saldanha alleged that the police did not arrest activists of the Bajrang Dal who she said troubled them. Ronold Lobo (51) made a request to the Commission to ban Bajrang Dal. "Many of the police personnel, who entered the premises of Holy Cross Church at Kulashekhar, were wearing helmets usually worn by two-wheeler drivers and not the ones meant for police personnel. Hence I wonder whether they were police personnel or cadres of the Bajrang Dal", said Lance Rego (42), a resident of Mangalore. Mr. Rego added that the State convener of the Bajrang Dal, Mahendra Kumar, had openly claimed that it was cadres of Bajrang Dal, who had attacked the Adoration Monastery & "This statement makes me believe that it was the Bajrang Dal cadres, who attacked us in association with police", he added. Marcel Henry Ferao (36) of the city said, that there was chaos on the premises of the church on that day. Police failed to control it. "Prohibitory orders were imposed on those who were inside the church compound and not on the Bajrang Dal cadres who were outside the church compound and were pelting stones", he said. "Police were chasing the Christians who were inside the church compound, but not the Bajrang Dal cadres who were shouting slogans and creating terror", alleged Prasanna Machado (31) of Kulashekara. He alleged that a police inspector asked the gathering in the church to send 25 Christians with him. Later, he arrested the 25 Christians. Mr. Machado said that he was one among the arrested. He spent four days in jail. The victims of church attacks alleged before the Somasekhara Committee that the police department helped the Bajrang Dal to attack Kulshekar church and Christians. A tailor Ivan Sequiera said "members of Christian community were protesting peacefully near Kulshekar church. However, police fired tear gas shells. Irrespective of women and children, they assaulted us. Along with the police, even the youth, wearing saffron shawl also assaulted us. The statement of Bajrang Dal former convener Mahendra Kumar, on the day of the church attack instigated them to attack", he added. "The police were behaving in a suspicious manner during the protest. In front my eyes, they hit a small boy", said Lancy Rego. "The Bajrang Dal activists pelted us with stones in front of police. However, they were not arrested. Instead, they arrested poor protestors. Why Section 144 was imposed on Christians alone?", asked Henry. "My elbow was injured after the police assault. It is surprising to note that police who assaulted women, did not take any action against the Bajrang Dal activists", said Cynthia D'souza. The Believers Church Administrative Officer, Fr. Joshman said that when the miscreants attacked Mondankaup Church, they had set the Church door ablaze. However, after the fire was extinguished, the police wiped the door clean to clear off all the evidence. This behaviour of the police made the community point fingers at the police, the priest said. After the church attack incidents, there is a sense of fear that has gripped the Christians. They are apprehensive about coming to church for prayer for two reasons, firstly the Sangh Parivar and secondly the police", he added. Fr. Joshman said that three churches under him were attacked. The attacks had caused damage worth Rs 1 lakh in Modankaup, Rs 15,000 in Ganjimatt and Rs 25,000 in Puttur Jodumat church. The People Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) District Convener P B D'sa handed over a report prepared by PUCL on activities of cultural police in the district to the Commission. "Kandamal to Karavali", a work of nine human rights activists and a report by PUCL, Komu Souhardha Vedike and Bharatiya Christa Seva Sansthe on the Bajrang Dal's attack on prayer centre at Pachchanady were handed over to the Commission. P B D'Sa presented himself before the Commission and produced reports prepared by many people and organizations relating to the church attacks along with seven CDs. Dennis D'Souza from Vamajoor, Pritam Pinto from Karambar, Sr Jacinta Cardoza, M S Samaraj and some others appeared before the Commission and recorded their statements. Deepak D'souza said that Mahendra Kumar, convenor of Bajrang Dal, had said that conversion were going on at Milagres Adoration Monastery, which is far from truth and completely baseless, as the Sisters, do not even come out of their building, as they are cloistered nuns. Further, the then IGP A M Prasad, himself had said that no conversion were happening in the district. D'Souza also said, because of the usage of time-barred teargas shells near Milagres, Sr Parmila lost her eyesight. Susheel Noronha from Kushalnagar said that church attack was not an accident at all, as the saffron activists had distributed provocative handbills, amongst the students studying in missionary schools in the city. He said that in Pachchanady, a saffron flag with "OM" printed on it was mounted near the prayer hall to ignite problems. Sushil Noronha stated that houses of Christians located in the neighbourhood of the churches too had been attacked with stones on September 15, 2008. A group of people, who claimed to belong to Bajrang Dal, assaulted a group of Christians near a church, he added. “As the churches were surrounded by policemen, we could not attend to panic calls received at the churches,” he added. In support of his argument that the attacks on the churches were pre-planned, Noronha cited an incident in which Bhagava flags had been hoisted at a site near Bondel St Lawrence church in the city, where Christians used to pray since the last 30 years. He said, when he confronted a group of Hindus found there, they said this was government property and hence, prayers should not be conducted there. "My complaint on the incident to the deputy commissioner and superintendent of police has not been attended to and the flags remain at the same place," he explained. He also reasoned, that the group could have planted the national flag instead of Bhagava flag and surmised that their main purpose was to disturb religious harmony. He requested the Commission to ensure that the people enjoy freedom of religion, which has been vested with the citizens by the constitution. Noronha expressed the opinion that the people’s representatives and officials have not discharged their duties properly and impartially. Pastors Attacked Pastor K Nagaraj (39) resident of Jai Bheema Colony, KRS, Mandya district, came to know Jesus Christ about 7 years ago. For the past three years he has been conducting prayers and worship in his own house under the name of Church of Christ. Approximately 25 believers meet for worship at his place. Pastor Nagaraj also visits surrounding villages sharing the love of Christ with the people. He had organized a fasting & prayer meeting at Renuka Lodge, Athishaya Colony, KRS, which was attended by Pastors Ramesh, Devanam, Ashok and several believers. On 12th June 2009 around 11.00 am a Hindu radical group, Vairamudi, barged into the lodge and falsely alleged that Pastor Nagaraj and others were bribing people to be converted to Christianity. Some of the pastors and believers were beaten by this mob. Later they took the pastors and K. Nagraj's wife, Mrs. Anusuya Nagaraj (they have 2 daughters) to KRS Town police station. They forced Mr. Venkatesh, the Sub Inspector to file a case of forced conversion on them. But wiser counsel prevailed and they were allowed to go free and the injured persons were taken to hospital Believer Brutalised Manu (25), living in the forest area of Vaddara Madukatte, Virajpet, Kodagu district, with his wife is Kamala and 3 sons, aged 2 1/2, 1 1/2 and 6 months respectively. Manu belongs to a backward community and the couple work as labourers, helpers in estates and they also collect honey from the forests and sell them. Manu and his entire family became believrs and Laxman (31), who also belongs to the same community, is their pastor and they have over the last 2 years been sharing the Good News to the neighbours. Manu and his family members have been meeting at Vaddara Madukatte in a believer's house on Sunday evenings for worship, calling it the Prayer Hall of the Hill People. Some persons belonging to Sangh Parivar from Kaaru Mada and Baleyele, near-by targetted them. There is also an RSS shaka there. When Manu was returning home from work, 2 men - Sudha and Prem Gowda, along with others pulled him into their car, took him to a lonely place about 20 kilometers away, beat him brutally & left him on the road bleeding all over. Among some travellers took him from there to Gonikoppa, another 20 kilometers away to a Government Hospital. Manu remained in the hospital 3 days receiving medical help. On returning, he went to the police station & got a complaint filed and arrest warrants issued. Despite this, they have not been arrested, under influence of the RSS & Sangh Parivar, which is thwarting their arrest.Manu is now home bound, as he has suffered a serious back injury. The family is suffering, as the sole bread winner is incapacitated. Notwithstanding all this, some Sangh Parivar members have also filed a case of forceful conversion against Manu. Those who took Manu to the hospital and other believers have been threatened with dire consequences.
Police Shut Down Tribal Church The newly built Indian Apostolic church was forcefully locked up in Chennagiri village, Ajihalli, Davanagere district, when the police disrupted the Sunday service claiming the church was opened with an illegal license. The church building was recently built and was being dedicated, when the Panchayat president and other Hindu radicals interrupted the meeting where Pastor Pius and other believers had gathered together for prayer. The Panchayat President questioned the pastor saying, "Who gave you permission to build this church?" Pastor Pius explained that he had already obtained the necessary permission from the Panchayat. However the Panchayat President refused to listen to his explanations saying no churches were being allowed in the village since they engaged in conversion activities. Meanwhile the church members were sent away and the church was locked up. On 31 May 2009, a notice was sent to the church saying that the license that had been acquired for the church was now cancelled. When the believers gathered for worship, the Chennagiri police came and asked the believers to leave and forcibly locked up the church. When the pastor went to the police station, he was told to register a case and deal with the matter in the court. The Davangere SP has been informed of the entire incident. This is the second time such persecution has arisen against Christians in Chennagiri, Davanagere district. In 2007 when Pastor Ramu was ministering in the area, he and around fifty believers were attacked brutally. Pastor Ramu was even hospitalized for his injuries. The Indian Apostolic Church was built for the surrounding villages - Gopinal, Asthapanahalli. Pastor Pius has been ministering to tribal villages within a 15 kms radius for the past two years. The majority of the 25 members of his church are from a tribal background and most of the attacks come from members of the higher castes in the area. Pastor Pius's family lives 40 kms away in Shimoga. Finally to conclude with something in lighter vein, as a PS and a one-liner - Worry looks around, Sorry looks back, Faith looks up.