Ø December 25, 2007: In Vinobhanagar, Davangere, as
Pastor Satish was celebrating Christmas at the home of a Christian, members of
the Hindu Jagrana Vedike and Sri Rama Sena barged in and forcibly stopped the
Christmas celebrations, hurling abuse at the Christian religion. On the same day
local Christians had organised "Krista Jayanti 2007" at the DHM Prarthana
Mandira, an occasion where religious leaders from all faiths, including Hindus
and Muslims, presided as chief guests.
Ø January 2, 2008: In Vinobhanagar, Davangere, members of
the Sri Rama Sena barged into the Abhinava Bharati School premises where
volunteers of the Full Gospel Assembly church, Davangere, were holding a prayer
service. The Sri Rama Sena men detained all the members of the congregation and
the pastor for several hours during which they were repeatedly subjected to
physical, verbal and mental torture and abuse.
Ø January 18, 2008: In Vidyanagar, Taralabalu Badavane,
Davangere, miscreants stoned the house of Pastor Jacob at 10 p.m., damaging
doors and windowpanes. Unfortunately, the pastor’s aged mother was injured in
the incident. A police compliant was filed in this regard at the Vidyanagar
police station.
Ø January, 29, 2008: The pastor of the DHM Prarthana
Mandira, who was at the Durgambika School, Nittuvalli, to verify his family’s
enrolment in the election list, and Raju Naik who was accompanying him were
attacked by a group of 50-60 men from the Hindu Jagrana Vedike and Sri Rama Sena.
The police subinspector of KTJ Nagar police station, Anil Kumar, arrived on the
scene and intervened and the victims and their attackers were all taken to the
police station. The mob however continued to assault the pastor in the presence
of the police and corporators PS Jayanna and KG Shivakumar who had also arrived
at the police station. No complaint was filed because the police instructed the
pastor to keep quiet about the matter since, according to the police, filing a
complaint would anger the Hindu Jagrana Vedike and Sri Rama Sena further.
Ø March 9, 2008: In Nittuvalli, a
group of 8-10 persons from the Hindu Jagrana Vedike barged into the house of Ms
Susheelamma, where about 20-25 Christians had gathered for the Sunday prayer
service. They beat up the pastors, confiscated Bibles and warned Susheelamma not
to host any other Christian religious activities at her house. The victims filed
a police complaint.
Ø July 14, 2008: Members of the sangh parivar went to the
St Thomas Church, PJ Extension, Davangere, and abused the priest without any
reason or provocation.
Ø July 20, 2008: Members of the sangh parivar attacked
the pastor, Lakshman Naik, and two devotees while they were offering prayers at
the Lambani Prayer House in Vinayakanagar, Davangere. The victims were severely
thrashed by the miscreants who then dragged them to the Vidyanagar police
station and handed them over to the police, claiming that they were disturbing
the peace. The police then registered a case against the pastor and two other
persons, not against the violent offenders. However, a case was registered after
the pastor, Lakshman Naik’s wife filed a complaint against the miscreants but no
action has been taken against them. That evening the same group also went to
Puttugnal village and tried to attack Pastor Narayan. Victims filed a complaint
but no action has been taken.
Ø August 10, 2008: Members of the Brethren Assembly
church, Davangere, were attending a religious service at the Rotary Club when
members of the RSS, Hindu Jagrana Vedike and Sri Rama Sena barged into the
prayer service accompanied by eight policemen; they threatened and beat up the
pastors and members of the congregation and forced them to disperse.
Ø August 12, 2008: Members of the Hindu Jagrana Vedike
and Sri Rama Sena began a daylong attack, torturing priests and worshippers,
assaulting Christians and destroying churches and church property. The
miscreants gathered outside the Full Gospel Assembly church, Davangere, in the
morning and picketed the church amid a non-stop barrage of abusive slogans
against Christianity, pastors and members of the congregation. This continued
until 4 p.m., with the police looking on. Far from coming to the Christians’
aid, the police was instead party to the illegal abuse, assault and damage to
the church and church property. They took the pastor and other members of the
congregation into custody and verbally and physically abused them while the mob
went on to other churches nearby and stoned them as well.
Ø August 17, 2008: The same miscreants (about 100
persons), along with the police, went to the Jesus Prayer Hall, Shivakumar
Badavane, Davangere, where the pastor was conducting a prayer service, and
attacked him and other Christians. The pastor and others tried to reason with
the miscreants but to no avail. When they sought assistance from the policemen
who were present the police inspector told them that since the churches were
unauthorised and they were carrying out ‘forced conversions’ the police could
not help. Instead of taking action against the culprits, the police registered
cases against the pastor and other Christians. The police also warned them not
to hold any prayer services at the churches in future and threatened to shut
down the churches permanently.
As provocations continued throughout the day and the pastor was
even assaulted by the police, the Christians sat in a protest dharna outside the
church themselves and, following further attacks, went to the police station.
The miscreants followed them there and began a dharna outside. Thereafter the
assistant commissioner of police (ACP) arrived at the police station and spoke
to both groups. The ACP then warned the pastor about ‘forced conversions’ and
the church being unauthorised and asked the pastor to come and show him all
relevant documents in this regard. After this the miscreants dispersed and the
Christians and the pastor returned to their homes.
On August 17 and August 18, 2008 the police accepted two false
complaints from the Hindu Jagrana Vedike and Sri Rama Sena concerning the
incidents of August 17 and registered FIRs (first information reports) against
the Christians. The police also registered an FIR against members of the Hindu
Jagrana Vedike on August 17, 2008.
Ø August 18, 2008: The ACP called a "Shanti Sabha" (peace
meeting) at his office, which was attended by Christian pastors as well as
members of the Hindu Jagrana Vedike and Sri Rama Sena. The meeting was dominated
by the Hindutva organisations’ false accusations that the pastors were offering
people Rs 25,000 and coercing them to convert to Christianity. When the pastors
argued that this was completely untrue and asked for any evidence that would
substantiate this claim their accusers were unable to provide any such proof.
Peace was nowhere in sight.
Ø August 23, 2008: The Davangere tehsildar issued a
"Preliminary Letter" to local Christian pastors under Section 111 of the Code of
Criminal Procedure (CrPC), asking them why no action should be taken against
them for the supposed problems they were causing vis-à-vis proselytisation in
Davangere city. The preliminary letter is based on the FIR registered by the
police in the above-mentioned incidents of August 17, 2008 as well as a
complaint from the Hindu Jagrana Vedike. According to the preliminary letter,
the complaint from the Hindu Jagrana Vedike not only accuses the pastors of
‘forcible conversions’ but also states that they had been issuing death threats
to the Hindu organisations opposing ‘forcible conversions’ and were constantly
causing trouble for them.
Ø August 24, 2008: The Hindu Jagrana Vedike and Sri Rama
Sena began a dharna outside the DHM Prarthana Mandira to protest against the
pastor, where they shouted abusive slogans against Christianity and the pastor
himself. Two swamijis participating in the dharna joined in the vitriolic abuse.
The police, who were present at the location, chose to look on without taking
any action. The miscreants then urged the police to shut down the church
immediately or else the Hindu Jagrana Vedike and Sri Rama Sena would do it
themselves. Consequently, the police forced the Christians to conclude their
prayer service right away and close up the church. From here the miscreants went
to the Eternal Life church, demanding that it be shut down too. The police were
in attendance throughout but they took no action against the miscreants; on the
contrary, they supported the anti-Christian campaign. Policemen entered the
church and took seven persons into custody, detaining them illegally for several
hours. Those arrested were released after they had been made to sign some
documents.
Ø August 30, 2008: Christians submitted a detailed
memorandum to the governor of Karnataka, Rameshwar Thakur, detailing the various
atrocities being committed against their community. (A copy of the memorandum
was forwarded to the principal secretary to the government home department.)
On the same day the subinspector of police issued a "Police Notice" to
several Christian pastors, informing them that since they had not submitted the
necessary building documents and permissions to the police despite repeated
reminders they were prohibited from carrying out any activities in the church
until they did so.
Ø August 31, 2008: The Hindu Jagrana Vedike and Sri Rama
Sena resumed their dharnas outside the churches. Once again the police
accompanied them and looked on as silent bystanders. Christians filed a
complaint with the police, asking for protection of their rights and punishment
of the miscreants. Responding to this, a letter from the KTJ Nagar police
station claimed that they had been given appropriate protection. No action was
taken against the miscreants.
Ø September 4-9, 2008: Christian leaders and human rights
activists met the additional director general of police (law and order), AR
Infant, and submitted memorandums to him and other police officials, including
the director general of police, R. Srikumar. They also made representations and
submitted memorandums to the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission, the chief
minister, BS Yeddyurappa, and the state home minister, VS Acharya.
Ø September 5, 2008: Even as victimised Christians were
dashing from pillar to post, pleading for the protection of their fundamental
rights, the commissioner, Davangere City (municipal) Corporation served
notices dated September 5, 2008 to Christians, stating that investigations had
revealed that the churches were unauthorised and demanding that all relevant
documents and permissions to run these churches be submitted to the corporation
within three days, failing which action would be taken.
Ø September 7, 2008: Although the churches concerned had
in fact responded adequately to the notices issued by the municipal corporation,
engineers of the Davangere City Corporation, without any prior intimation,
sealed the churches and prevented both pastors and Christians from entering the
church premises.
Ø September 14-15, 2008: In Ganjimath village, Mangalore
rural taluka, windowpanes of the Believers’ church were broken by vandals. No
arrests were made. In Bantwal taluka, attackers tried to set the door of the
Believers’ church on fire even though a police team was guarding the church. No
arrests were made. On Jail Road, Mangalore city, mobs pelted stones at the
Capuchin church and destroyed sacred idols. No arrests were made.
Ø September 16, 2008: In Kolar town, vandals damaged an
ancient statue of Mary at the St Mary’s church. No arrests were made. In Adyar,
Mangalore rural taluka, a mob desecrated the Rima Worship Centre and destroyed
property. No arrests were made. In Ernody village, miscreants broke into the St
George church, desecrated the place and attempted to set it on fire. Two arrests
were made. A case was registered under Sections 457, 295 and 448 of the Indian
Penal Code (IPC).
Ø September 18, 2008: On BC Road in Bantwal taluka,
miscreants pelted stones at the Believers’ church. At the Presentation Girls
School in Dharwad, attackers broke the glass casing around the statue of Mother
Mary. No arrests were made. A case was registered under Section 295 of the IPC.
Ø September 19, 2008: In Sagar town, Shimoga district,
miscreants hung a garland of footwear on the minar at the Idgah Maidan. Three
arrests were made. In Padu Kody village, Mangalore district, miscreants pelted
stones at the St Xavier’s church and destroyed the idols.
Ø September 21, 2008: In Virajpet taluka, Kodagu
district, a mob broke windowpanes of the "Brethren Christa Aradhanalaya" prayer
hall located near Nellihudikeri town. In Yedapadavu village, Mangalore rural
taluka, a seminary belonging to the Believers’ church was attacked. Mobs threw
stones and damaged the roof of the institution. No arrests were made. At the St
James’ Church in Mariyannapalya, Bangalore, two gilt crowns as well as cash from
the offering box were stolen and the sacred Sacrament was damaged. Seven persons
were arrested. At the Holy Church in the Name of Jesus in Rajarajeshwari Nagar
in Bangalore, the glass casing around the statue of the infant Jesus was stoned
and the statue was damaged. No arrests have been made.