A Roman Catholic cemetery in Udayarpatti, Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu, was desecrated in the early hours of 18 October.
The land, which was used for cremation by its previous owners, was bought by the Catholic Church in 1982 and converted into a cemetery in 1983 for use by the parish of Sacred Heart Church. Two other cemeteries are located on adjacent land; one is used by the Dalit Yadava community and the other is owned by the local Assemblies of God Church.
According to Father Joseph Michael Selvaraj, who has been the parish priest for four and a half years, the cemetery covers approximately one cend (about 7,560 square feet) and currently has more than 86 burial plots. It has been used without incident for 37 years.
Father Selvaraj told CSW that the adjacent cemetery owned by the Assemblies of God had received opposition from members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Hindu Munani in 2018, when Christians were prevented from using the land to bury their dead. The local police had to be called in to intervene in the matter. After an investigation, the local District Collector concluded that these lands are owned by the respective Christian denominations, who have the legal right and authority to use the land for the purpose for which it was purchased. For two years following the incident, the police have assured the churches that they are willing to offer protection during funeral ceremonies provided the police were given prior notice.
On 12 October a local newspaper called ‘Dinamalar,’ published a story (pictured below) alleging that there is a 100-year-old temple in the vicinity of the cemeteries. It is believed that the language used in the article inflamed local opposition to the Christian cemeteries in the area.
On 18 October, the graveyard was desecrated when 12 individuals broke the cemetery wall and vandalised approximately 37 concrete and granite tombstones which had images of deceased persons and crosses. Following the incident, the churches in the area united in a protest calling for action against the perpetrators of the crime and compensation from the local authorities. Seven out of the twelve individuals who were involved in the trespass and the destruction of the cemetery belonging to the church have been arrested and had a First Information Report (FIR), required by the police to start an investigation, registered against them.
Nehemiah Christie, a human rights defender based in Tamil Nadu, told CSW: “The Hindu Munani with the backing of the RSS and the central government is looking for every opportunity to instill fear in religious minorities, even if its through disgraceful tactics such as the incident in Tirunelveli. From carrying out crimes against members of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes, to registering falsified criminal charges against journalists, lawyers, activists, academics, religious leaders, and emboldening thugs to intimidate, harass and beat-up people, there is a systemic agenda to dismantle India’s constitution and push for a Hindu Rashtra (nation).”
CSW’s Founder President Mervyn Thomas said: “The attack on the cemetery shows a flagrant disregard and disrespect for the dead and their families. We are encouraged that the local police authority has acted quickly in this matter and urge them to ensure that the other perpetrators who remain at large are apprehended and held accountable for their actions. We urge local media to adhere to industry best practice on responsible and accurate reporting, particularly where it concerns religious intolerance and may inflame communal tensions. Finally, we encourage the authorities to ensure that the Christian community is adequately compensated, and that the damage to the cemetery is repaired immediately.”
Note to Editors:
1. In India, a District Collector, also known as a District Magistrate, is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer who is the senior-most executive magistrate and chief in-charge of general administration of a district in India.
Pictures of the descrated cemetery. Credit: CSW
The article published in Dinmalar. Credit: CSW