New Delhi:
Is the Christian community in India under threat now that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in power? Yes, if you went by news reports.
But a Times of India report says church attacks were no better under the UPA regime. The reports says there were 10 cases of 'anti-Christian' attacks between May 26, 2013 and March 31, 2014, when UPA was in power.
While nine were instances of church vandalization, one related to a pastor's murder. Of these 10 cases reported from Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, five remain undetected while in four cases, 16 persons were arrested. An unsound person was found to be responsible in one case, the report says.
In comparison, after the installation of the Modi government on May 26, 2014, 11 cases were reported until March 31,2015. Of these, six incidents relate to Delhi and one each to West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala and Haryana. In two separate cases of fire at a church in East Delhi and Rohini, a short-circuit was found be the cause.
It is important to note that it’s not just churches that are attacked frequently in India. According to the Delhi Police, 206 temples, 30 gurdwaras, three churches and 14 mosques were burgled in 2014.
The New Indian Express’ Sunday Standard reports that “Delhi Police admitted to a spurt in crime against religious places but mostly of the Hindus and Sikhs. Data since 2012 indicates 36 and 69 theft cases at temples were reported in 2012 and 2013. Similarly, only 19 theft cases were registered against gurdwaras in 2012 and 2013, which substantially rose to 30 cases in 2014. Three mosques were targeted by burglars in 2012-13, increasing in 2014 to 14 thefts. The 325 temples were looted by thieves between 2013 and 2015 in Delhi.”