No End to 'Hate Campaign' in India
No end is in sight for the "hate campaign" against Christians and Dalits (formerly known as untouchables) in India where after three months displaced victims are still not able to return home.
Some 50,000 Christians displaced by the intense and persistent attacks by Hindu extremists are reportedly only allowed to return to their homes if they agree to convert to Hinduism.
State and federal governments are heavily criticized for doing nothing or very little to intervene in the violence inflicted upon the religious minority. Furthermore, barely any steps have been taken to ensure justice for Christian victims.
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Mission group Operation Mobilization and the All India Christian Council are working together to care for the victims displaced by the anti-Christian campaign. AICC is collecting First Information Reports from victims of attacks and filing legal cases in court, according to Mission Network News.
Operation Mobilization India and the AICC also are running a refugee camp that shelters 4,000 displaced people from 67 villages.
"Basically, our focus right now is those who are able to come out, are coming to the church," said OM's Peter Dance, to MNN. "We're doing what we can, financially, to take care of [their] needs."
Under the care of OM, the displaced are given essential items such as food, clothing, housing and medicine.
The current Hindu-Christian conflict began in the eastern state of Orissa back in August and has spread to states across India. It began with Hindu fundamentalists accusing Christians for the murder of a Hindu nationalist leader.
Indian Christians have denied involvement in the murder, and Maoists rebels have actually publicly claimed responsibility for the death. But Hindu radicals continued to place blame on Christians and sought revenge by burning thousands of Christian homes, businesses, orphanages, and churches.
The estimated death toll, mostly of Christians, is reported to be over 100.
