The Western media has published countless articles depicting Muslim terrorism and violence but has tended to ignore the growing violence in India against Christians. At least 20 people have died over the past month in the state of Orissa as Hindu mobs attacked churches and homes of Christians who are accused of a variety of crimes ranging from attempting to convert poor Hindus to killing Hindu leaders. Yesterday, a mob of 1,000 surrounded a police station in Orissa’s Kandhamai district demanding the release of 20 Hindu leaders who had been arrested in conjunction with violence toward Christians. Police had to open fire and at least one person was killed in their attempt to storm the prison.
Thousands of Christians have already taken shelter in makeshift government camps in Orissa after Hindu mobs torched their homes. Ironically, India has never had any history of such anti-Christian behavior and it most probably has arisen over the past few decades as Hindu nationalism became more prominent in the political scene. In the southern state of Karnataka at least 20 churches have been burnt by Hindu mobs in the past ten days.
The India government has asked for assistance from the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party but there is scant evidence it wishes to calm down the mobs. Perhaps, it is time for the world media to pay some attention to Hindu terrorism and violence.
