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Posted on 03/11/2003 2:12:22 PM PST by TBP
Gujarat Christians allege survey of families Rathin Das Ahmedabad, March 8
The Gujarat Police have reportedly started a discreet survey of Christians in some parts of the state, seeking information on family sizes, job profiles and sources of foreign funds. The All-India Christian Council, which submitted a memorandum to the state police chief on Friday, is planning to move the High Court over the issue next week.
State Director General of Police K. Chakravarthy told the Hindustan Times that no statewide survey had been ordered. He added, however, that some information might have been sought from some people on the orders of district police chiefs.
A senior home department official echoed the state police chief. He told the Hindustan Times that no survey of Christians had been ordered. "It may be a survey about foreign funds and its use, but that is applicable for institutions of all communities," he said.
But despite official denials, community leaders alleged that policemen came calling at some houses in Ahmedabad, Sabarkantha, Banaskantha and Kutch districts over the past few days and asked about the antecedents and assets of Christian families.
Community leaders also said at least 25 Christian institutions and families had been questioned over the past few days. Police personnel who visited Christian institutions, they said, wanted information on the number of Christians in the area and other details, like the sources of their funds.
Bishop Gregory of Rajkot, who was questioned by the police on Friday, said: "I was asked about the number of Christians and institutions here." The police also asked him to contact the nearest police station if he needed help, Bishop Gregory told this correspondent.
The police have also asked some Christians whether they converted voluntarily or under pressure, and whether they were first-generation Christians.
"This survey may be a build-up to the anti-conversion bill the government wants to introduce in the state assembly during this session," said Father Cedric Prakash of the United Christian Forum for Human Rights.
One church leader in Saurashtra was asked whether Christians would hold demonstrations if the anti-conversion bill is introduced in the assembly, sources said.
Individual Christians are scared to speak to the press as many of them are in government employment.
In the wake of the attack on Christians and the burning of churches in the Dangs district around Christmas 1998, the state intelligence department had ordered a similar survey, but abandoned it after a petition was filed in the Gujarat High Court.
Minority report
July 1998 Copies of the New Testament burnt in a Rajkot school
Oct 1998 Christian congregation attacked in Vadodara
Dec 1998 Government threatens to stop grants to Christian schools
Dec 1998 Churches razed in Dangs district
Jan 1999 PM visits Dangs, calls for national debate on conversions
Feb 1999 Secret survey ordered, first of Christians, later of Muslims
Jan 2000 Government lifts ban on employees joining RSS.
An American missionary anmed Joseph Cooper (from Pennsylvania) was recently beaten so badly that he had to spend a week in a hospital, after which he wsa expelled from the country for the serious crime of preaching. Real religious freedom there.
In predominantly Christian Nagaland, government forces have murdered over 200,000 Christians.
In 1997, police broke up a Christian religious festival with gunfire.
Thousands of low-caste Hindus are converting to Christianity and other faiths from Hinduism. The government is now working state-by-state to ban conversions to any faith other than Hinduism.
India is a major violator of religious freedom. It is effectively a Hindu theocracy.
It's a real shame that you have to do jail time in the US if you decide to burn Christians in honor of some six-armed, blue-skinned deity. How backward America is!
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