CSW urges minister to honour investigation pledge

CSW has urged India’s Union Minister for Home Affairs, Shri Rajnath Singh, to honour his pledge for the police to investigate the desecration of St Alphonsa on 2 February as a hate crime.

The minister made the pledge on 5 February following a meeting with church leaders and human rights defenders, who had been temporarily detained by police following a peaceful gathering outside the Catholic Sacred Heart Cathedral in Delhi. According to Fr Dominic Emanuel, spokesperson of the Delhi Catholic Archdiocese, the gathering, which was also attended by nuns and children, was conducted in a peaceful manner, with the intention of voicing concerns about the recent attacks on churches in Delhi.

There has been a spate of attacks on the churches in Delhi in the last couple of months, which have raised fears about the future of Christians in the nation’s capital. In the most recent incident on 2 February, the sacristy cupboards were desecrated at St. Alphonsa. The Holy Communion was found scattered all over the church table and floor. Church sources have dismissed police claims that the incident was a mere break-in, alleging instead that there is an insidious plot behind these attacks, which is to undermine the Christian community in India.

On 1 December 2014, St. Sebastian’s Church in east Delhi was gutted by fire and the church altar, Bible and cross were reduced to ashes. A promised judicial inquiry into the arson has not taken place. On 7 December 2014, stones were pelted at the church of Our Lady of Fatima Forane during evening Mass, which resulted in broken windows. On 3 January 2015, a Christmas crib erected in the compound of the Church of Resurrection was reduced to ashes. CCTV footage revealed that a burning object was hurled into the church premises. On 14 January, several men vandalised the church of Our Lady of Graces by toppling the statute of Mary.

CSW’s Chief Operating Officer Andy Dipper said, “We urge the Minister Shri Rajnath Singh to honour his pledge for the police to investigate the desecration of St Alphonsa as a hate crime. We are also concerned by the heavy-handed approach of the Delhi police in arresting people who had gathered peacefully to express their dismay about attacks on their churches, and the threat to their right to freedom of religion or belief. CSW calls on the government to ensure that the promised inquiry into the arson at St Sebastian’s Church also takes place. India’s religious minorities need to be reassured that their right to freedom of religion or belief will be protected.”

For further information or to arrange interviews please contact Kiri Kankhwende, Press Officer at Christian Solidarity Worldwide on +44 (0)20 8329 0045 / +44 (0) 78 2332 9663, email kiri@csw.org.uk or visit www.csw.org.uk.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) is a Christian organisation working for religious freedom through advocacy and human rights, in the pursuit of justice.