Time-bombs set a new trend in the systematic violence that has been unleashed against the Christians for the past two years. It has given invisibility to the perpetrators of the violence who now do not have to lead mobs to destroy churches and hack priests. They can do the same from the sanctuary of their own homes, making it easier for the law enforcing authorities to protect them. It also extends their reach, for now places of worship and missionaries can be targeted even in states where the assailants do not enjoy ... support. From Gujarat, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh they can now operate in all of India with a lot of prejudice and no fear.
The secular environment of the country has been totally vitiated. Hate literature of the worst kind is being openly circulated in the districts by organisations like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal, as well as many others that are floated by the RSS and the BJP from time to time. Leaders of these organisations are on record, legitimising the violence (against) the citizens of this country (who are) living peacefully and working with the poor and downtrodden...
Christian workers have adopted the poor and very backward areas in some states like Bihar, Orissa as their own. They have worked amongst the scheduled castes and tribes with a dedication that is admirable. They have provided the poorest of the poor with food, shelter, clothing and a level of education which is now bringing a generation of the tribals and dalits out of their ghettos into the mainstream. In' the process many have found it convenient to convert to Christianity to escape the miseries of an oppressive caste system. Many have also been asked to convert by the missionaries whose religion provides for conversion, and whose faith believes in it.
So how does this affect India? The people, Hindus, Muslims, Christians or whatever, are still citizens of the country. They are not being taken away. And if there are other religious groups who are not very happy with the conversions then what stops them from working with the poor and downtrodden and influencing them with their doctrines? Nothing except that this is hard work require a level of dedication and commitment that these fanatics do not have ... that they are not interested in bringing these sections up socially ... But at the same time they are scared of an entire constituency, read vote bank, slipping away outside their control. So what is the way out? Murder, time bombs, rape. Terror.
In the midst of (it all) the mighty Govt. of India remains a silent spectator. As do most of the Opposition parties except the Left Front which has shown concern for the plight of this hapless minority which is now at the receiving end of the goon's gun and the policeman's baton ... The Christians are an easy target ... Taught to turn the other cheek, they are easily terrorised and are not present in numbers large enough to mount an effective resistance to those attacking them. So what would have been a communal riot becomes an "incident" which can then be coloured any which way by the Government of the day. It can become an attack by a criminal gang, with the argument being given the necessary endorsement by the hired men of who are running the Minorities Commission these days.
It is because of this one fact that the Muslim minority in the country is being given a breathing space ... An ideology which believes in consolidating its constituency by keeping a hate target alive, also needs to remind its people that they are under siege by the minorities who are either converting (Christians) or reproducing (Muslims) at a frenetic pace. Muslims are not a very pliable or predictable target, but the Christians obviously are. And are being used by the ideological fascists ... The Christians have been left on their own by the political establishment. No tears are being shed for India is the process of losing its soul. To opportunism and communalism. (Courtesy: The Asian Age, 10 June, 2000)
