Christians seek protection

The memorandum, signed by the United Christian Forum for Human Rights, which gave the call for today’s protests, demanded that the Centre as well as State Governments give “categorical assurances for the safety, security and honour of the minorities, their religious personnel and institutions”.

Recently, Christian nuns and priests in different parts of the country became targets of attack, the worst of whichwas the rape of four nuns in Madhya Pradesh on the eve of the state elections.

The Christian community in West Bengal squarely blamed the RSS for the violence and accused its wings, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal, of adopting “threatening postures” towards Christians.

Ironically, Vajpayee is believed to have told the delegation which met him that the attacks on the community were the handiwork of “lunatics”. He assured them of his support and said he would ensure speedy justice for the victims.

Delhi protestors held a rally outside Parliament, a fast at Rajghat and a relay prayer led by UCFHR president Alan de Lastic.

In Mumbai, a prayer procession was held. Addressing the processionists, Father Hugh Fonseca, Dean of Churches in North Mumbai, demanded that Christians be allowed to practise their religion without interference from the government and political parties.

While in most parts of Christian-dominated North-East there were rallies, in Guwahati, the response to the call for aprotest day was low-key, largely because of the recent abduction of a Christian priest in the Dhubri district of Lower Assam. The Father has not been traced and the community is still reeling from the shock of the abduction.

The Congress party lent political support to the community with a condemnation of the atrocities to which it was being subjected. Those who cannot protect the minorities have no right to govern, party spokesperson Girija Vyas said.