Attack on Christians is no communal conflict: CSI:

CHENNAI, Jan 14: The Church of South India CSI has cautioned the nation that the attack on Christians by some religious fundamentalists...

CHENNAI, Jan 14: The Church of South India CSI has cautioned the nation that the attack on Christians by some religious fundamentalists and extremists in Gujarat should not be misconstrued as a conflict between Hindus and Christians.

Bishop Rev William Moses, who is the moderator of the CSI, asserted that whatever the suffering Christians have to undergo due to persecution inflicted by some vested interests, Christians will not retaliate. Instead they will pray for the well-being of those who indulged in violence, he said, addressing a media conference today.

Moses, who met President K R Narayanan on January 5 leading a CSI delegation, asserted that 8220;attacks on Churches and Christian institutions will not deter us from serving the poor, tribal and other weaker sections of the society.8221; He stated that another delegation of the CSI will call on the Prime Minister on February 2 and submit a report on the findings in Gujarat.

8220;We are open for a dialogue,8221; he said referring to the allegation that the Christian missionaries attempted forced conversions of Hindus to Christian faith. The Church received substantial donations from foreign countries, he admitted, but maintained that such funds were spent on the welfare of the poor and deprived in the areas of education and health care.

Moses, who earlier in the day presided over a special session of the CSI synod attended by 26 bishops from the southern States, referred to the harmonious relationship Hindus and Christians had for hundreds of years and said it was unfortunate that the Prime Minister who visited Gujarat did not interact with the Christian community and listen to their grievances.

Instead of comforting those who developed a feeling of insecurity following 8220;the hate campaign,8221; the Prime Minister chose to be indifferent, the Bishop regretted and charged that the Gujarat Government failed to protect the life and property of the Christian minority. On the other hand, the perpetrators of violence were aided and abetted by the Government machinery.

Describing the attacks as planned and systematic, Chennai Bishop Rev M Azariah said the BJP-led Central Government must remember that the right to profess and propagate a minority religion was enshrined in the Constitution. The Prime Minister can initiate a national debate on the status of minorities instead of a debate on conversions, he suggested.