National Commission for Minorities  

Attack on Christian Priests in Ichalkaranji, Kolhapur .

 NCM demand for investigation in the matter from the State Government.

New Delhi

May 10, 2007

 A clear and discernable trend that has emerged in the recent past is the repeated attacks by hired goons on Christian preachers and religious persons.  The National Commission for Minorities is deeply perturbed by this development which, it believes, strikes at the very root of the freedoms enshrined in the Constitution.  Religious tolerance and respect for the beliefs of all sections of society has been the hall mark of the Indian ethos.  It is precisely because Indian society is characterized by this strong vein of inclusiveness which is the trade mark of a pluralistic society that the recent developments have caused so much pain and distress.

 From well documented attacks by hired goons in masks in Jaipur to public humiliation and beatings of preachers in Ichalkaranji the pattern seems to be the same.  What is even worse is that the perpetrators of these heinous deeds seem to have such scant respect for the law of the land that they even invite TV channels to cover such attacks and show the footage on the national hook up.  Clearly they are convinced that they can get away with whatever they do because the administration is reluctant to take action against them.  Their confidence does not appear to be misplaced because in the recent outrage at Ichalkaranji it is the pastors who were attacked who have been arrested while those who took the law into their own hands now roam around freely.

 The Commission condemns these attacks in the strongest possible terms.  If civil society wishes to live by the mores and values of a multi cultural, pluralistic society which is sensitive to the aspirations and beliefs of all its citizens, if it wishes to uphold the principles enshrined in the Constitution, it must now raise its voice against these outrageous attacks that besmirch India’s fair name, make a mockery of the rule of law and shame us all. 

 The Commission urges the state governments concerned to investigate these atrocities and take the sternest action possible against the culprits.