BY : Staff writer Christian Today
There have been calls for a thorough investigation after a church in India’s Punjab province was attacked last month.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) said the attack took place in Rajewal village and left several Christians injured.
Assailants dressed in traditional Sikh warrior clothing reportedly forced their way into the Sukhpal Rana Ministries Church on 21 May, where they tore up Bibles and attacked Christians gathered inside with sticks.
Vehicles outside the church were also vandalised by the attackers before police brought the situation under control.
CSW said that a member of the Punjab Minority Commission has been to the village to assess the situation but it remains unclear whether any further action has been taken.
Mervyn Thomas, founder president of CSW, called on the authorities to prosecute the perpetrators and protect Punjab’s religious minorities.
“The violence perpetrated against the Christian community in Rajewal village is yet another incident in a worrying trend of targeted attacks on religious minorities across the country,” he said.
“Often such incidents are not just a one-off occurrence, but the result of deep-seated polarisation that has been allowed to fester for years. The narrative playing out in India, where members of minority religious communities are demonised, has far-reaching implications.
“It also goes against the country’s founding principles, which make accomodations for every citizen regardless of their culture, language or religion.
“We urge the authorities to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators who planned and carried out the attacks without delay, so that the religious minority in Punjab can feel assured that their rights are being protected by the state.”
North-east India’s Manipur state has been particularly badly affected by violence against Christians in recent weeks.
Dozens have been killed and around 10,000 have been forced by their homes as a result of the violence by Hindu nationalists.
Hundreds of churches have been burned down, while another 100 Christian buildings, including a theological college, have been destroyed, according to reports from Open Doors.
Photo: Unsplash/Big G Media
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