The time is now ripe for the Government to come down heavily on those who are either attacking churches or making statements against Christians. By their obnoxious behaviour, a handful of people are causing a lot of damage to the nation. These incidents cannot be ignored as stray acts of vandalism and appear to be part of a laboriously chalked-out, mischievous strategy. And, at a time when the country is already suffering from a communal divide between Hindus and Muslims, a new confrontation with Christians should not be allowed at any cost.

So far, the Christians have been the most peace-loving people in this country. And the others, by and large, have no problems with them. I firmly believe that the people of  India are not against the Christians and also, don't nurture a soft corner for the miscreants attacking churches. The so-called self-proclaimed Hindu organisations don't even have any Hindu support in the canard they spread against the Christians. In fact, people like Giriraj Kishore of the VHP are helping Pakistan a lot with their irresponsible comments. So far, the world has ignored the Pakistani propaganda that minorities are being targeted in India ...

These utterances by the VHP and the Bajrang Dal, and certain incidents of violence against Christians, have provided the predominantly Christian West ... Now, the ISI is taking full advantage of the utterances of the VHP and Bajrang Dal, apart from the gory acts committed by Dara Singh ... There is indication of the involvement of a foreign hand behind the three church explosions in South India, and that foreign hand is the ISI's. These blasts must immediately be probed by the Home Ministry ...

If blasts continue to rock churches and Christians continue to be soft targets, the global Christian bloc will become hostile towards India ... Kishore and the others are only loudmouths who talk more and act less.

... It's high time that Vajpayee and Advani call the VHP and Bajrang Dal leaders and tell them to shut up. If they do not listen, put them behind bars. The whole nation will support this act. After all, the nation is more important than individual agendas based on narrow ideologies. (Source: The Indian Express, 9 July, 2000)