Attack on Emmanuel Church in Jaipur, Rajasthan

EFI NEWS PRESS RELEASE

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Phone: +91 011 26431133; 26423726

Attack on Emmanuel Church in Jaipur, Rajasthan

EFI expresses deep concern over the recent persecution of Christians at the hands of Hindu radicals.

The agitated activists, said to be members of the Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena, reportedly broke into the Emmanuel Mission Senior Secondary School and made their way on to the roof of the church where they burnt the effigy of M A Thomas, founder of the Emmanuel Mission based in Kota.

The activists were protesting against a book titled “Haqiquat” reportedly published and distributed by the Mission founder. The book allegedly derides Hindu and Jain deities.

The activists also scribbled the “Om” sign on the cross, adding “Shri Ram” underneath.

A similar act of vandalism was reported from the Pratap Nagar area of Sanganer on Wednesday where activists took over a Mission School and forced its children to leave school.

Hindu outfits in the Hadoti region have been protesting against the book, authored by M J Matthew. The protest has now spread to different parts of the State, including Jaipur.

The outfits have organised under the Matantaran Virodhi Manch and are demanding that the government take over the institute being run by Emmanuel Mission in Kota and appoint and administrator.

The Emmanuel Mission was confronted by the VHP and Bajrang Dal activists last year for allegedly indulging in religious conversion.

We hope the Administration and Government in the State would not let the perpetrators of the crime go scott free and would do the essential to protect the christian community.

Suggested action:

The EFI is deeply concerned about this case and requests your immediate intervention.

• Please uphold the Christians in Rajasthan in your prayers

• Please write a letter to the addresses listed below expressing your concern about this issue.

Respectfully,

Rev. Richard Howell

General Secretary

Evangelical Fellowship of India

EFI is a Charter member of the World Evangelical Alliance, an NGO in special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations your prayers and intervention.

President of India,

His Excellency Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam Azad

Rashtrapati Bhavan,

New Delhi – 110 004, India

Phone: +91 11 23015321,

Fax: +91 11 23017290/ +91 11 23017824

Website: http://presidentofindia.nic.in

E-mail: [email protected]

Prime Minister’s Office

Hon’ble Dr. Manmohan Singh

Office Address Room No. 152,

South Block,

New Delhi 110001, India

Phone: +91 11 23012312

Fax: +91 11 23016857

Chief Minister of Rajasthan

Smt. Vasundhara Raje

Pratap Chowk,

Jhalawar 326001,

Rajasthan, India

Fax: +91 0141 2227687

Phone: +91 0141 2227351 / +91 0141 2227462;

Email [email protected]

Home Minister of Rajasthan

Shri. Gulab Chand Kataria

Room No. 129

Secretariat Jaipur

Rajasthan, India

Phone: +91 0141 2227362 / +91 0141 2229300

Jaipur Collector, Government of Rajasthan

Rajendra Bhanawate

District Collector and District Magistrate, Jaipur

Rajasthan, India

Fax: +91 0141 5111411

Phone: +91 0141 5111412

Chairperson, National Human Rights Commission of India

Honb’le Dr. Justice A. S. Anand

Faridkot House, Copernicus Marg

New Delhi-110001, India

Tel: +91 11 23074448

E-mail: [email protected]