Dear Friends, I am presenting some of the comments from our Hindu Brethern regarding the recent Orissa attack in Daijiworld.com You may find these comments at with the victims testimonies at http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=50752&n_tit=Orissa%20Victims%20Narrate%20Heart%2Drending%20Sufferings ------------------------------------ Thilak Shetty, mangalore, dubai Saturday, September 06, 2008
It's really sad to hear. Personally I feel Christians are peace loving people and 30000 Christian's educational institutions and hospitals are definitely helping all sects of Indians. Myself I have educated in a Christian institution, I have never gone through about any kind of religious preachings on that period. I can remember when I volunteered (NSS) for a school ground consruction somewhere near Venur, Moodabidri we used to stay in a Convent. There was one Father called Fr. William (if my memory was right), he used to play hindu suprabhatams in church just keeping in mind there were hindu volunteers. If saffron brigade can't improve the living standards of the downtrodden tribal people then they don't have any right to stop them from converting to Christianity. If down trodden people going to get good education, social life by accepting Christianity then it's good for India. Anyway I believe in God is one & religions are nothing but lifestyles. ------------------------------------ Rajesh, Udupi Saturday, September 06, 2008 Dear Jenifer it does not take much time to destroy and be labled a terrorist. Terrorism has not achieved anything. Today if the terror of the Safron is unleashing violence on peace loving Christians who believe in offering the other cheek to be slapped such acts will not go without reward. When Peter drew the sword to defend at the time of trouble Jesus ordered Peter to put the sword in its place... Violence is not Christian way and that is why we have no action from any authority either the state government or the central Government. Poor people have been Killed, burnt alive by the people in power and their affiliates the safron brigade. It gives us some consolation that there are but very few people like Thilak Shetty who speak up for the institutions and for the MISSIONARIES, for the WORK they do of IMPARTING CLEAN EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE, EMPOWERMENT AND INSTILLING VIRTUES INTO LITTLE HEARTS and make them better and educated individuals where they after earning such education good citizens of India, Good Hindus, Good Muslims, Good Christians... and GOOD HUMAN BEINGS OF WHAT EVER RELIGION THEY MAY BE.... We see that there are good majority of the Huge population that has been educated, trained and groomed by the institutions run by the christian education, health care, technical education institutions but they want to remain anonymous. They do not think they have a responsibility towards the society. There are a lot of individuals that have gained much fron these institutions and reached far and wide in the world, are doing very well in their life and they definately owe their success to these institutions and hospitals now their brothers in the SAFRON BRIGADE ATTACK, MURDER AND BURN OPENLY possibly supported and aided by power. It would be better for every person who has passed through these institutions of education, health care, technical education, and various fors of support in forming the individuals into BEING A FULLER AND BETTER HUMAN BEING CAPABLE OF STANDING UP TO A COMPETITIVE LIFE IN THE COMPETITIVE WORLD to speak up and testify and prove to their brothers ans sisters who have a criminal bent of mind and who are out to creating trouble in the peaceful world of the poor people in the tribal ares and the missionaries that are giving their selfless, rewardless service to the poor people. IT IS VERY SURPRICING THAT THE MINORITY THAT IS INTO SELFLESS GOOD WORK FOR THE BETTERMENT OF INDIAN SOCIETY AND HUMANITY AT LARGE IS BEING ACCUSED OF CONVERSION and the Governments and people in Power are waiting for a major calamity ? or Will the Culprits be brought to book and rewarded according to their actions. We want A SECULAR, PEACE LOVING, and democratic India for all peace loving citizens to live happyly side by side in unity and brotherhood. Thank you Mr. Ancy for covering the Bombay Catholic Sabha initiative. Let us peacefully demonstrate to the sane world that it is not any religi ------------------------------------ Zalluka, mangalore Sunday, September 07, 2008 It seems India have to fight for another freedom against this fascist(RSS,Sang parivar). Cruel than Hitler they are treating non hindus and non Hindus and they have to come out of darkness. Finally I can say that we have to teach them to become a human. ------------------------------------ Ajay, Mangalore Tuesday, September 09, 2008 Does anyone have an first hand experience of being forcibly converted by Christians ? They do not do that even in the Christian countries where other religions including Hinduism are free come and preach of their virtues. Why is this double standard in India. Conversion is an alibi for hatred and jealousy of Christians. ------------------------------------ With regards Ancy Paladka Some information about Orissa Attack from http://www.christianaid.org/ AFTERMATH OF SWAMI'S KILLING : THE CHRISTIAN VICTIMS LIST 1) NUN BURNT ALIVE: A nun was burnt to death on 25th, Monday, after an orphanage was torched in at Phutpali in Bargarh district in Orissa during a bandh called by Hindu nationalist parties.Twenty children, who were at the orphanage, managed to escape but a priest suffered serious burn injuries in the attack. 2) RASANANDA PRADHAN TORCHED ALIVE: Another person, Rasananda Pradhan, was burnt to death when his house was set ablaze at Rupa village in Kandhamal district. 3) INFLAMMATORY SPEECHES TARGET CHRISTIANS: During the bandh inflammatory speeches spreading hatred against the Christian workers and the community were given by the VHP leaders. To gain the mass support,the activists have also carried the body of Swamiji throughout the town. 4) CHURCHES BURNT ALL ACROSS ORISSA STATE: Churches were attacked in Khurda, Bargarh, Sundergarh, Sambalpur, Koraput, Boudh, Mayurbhanj, Jagatsinghpur and Kandhamal districts as also in the state capital, police sources said, adding 40 houses were set ablaze in Phulbani town. 5) BUSES AND VEHICLES TORCHED: Mr. Mishra Digal was beaten up, while the motorcycles of Mr. R. K. Digal and Jitendra were burnt. Several buses at Gee Udaigiri in Baliguda were burnt. 6) PULBANI CHURCH RANSACKED: The Church at Phulbani,and several other churches at Phiringia were attacked and ransacked. Pastor D. Tatson's house was vandalized and his property burnt. 7) KAKRIGUMA CHURCHES VANDALISED: Churches in Kakriguma have been targeted by the mob that reportedly damaged the Assembly Of God Church and the Philadelphia Church. 8) WORLD VISION STAFF FLED FOR SAFETY: World Vision India office ransacked and the Staff has also fled to jungle for protection. 9) CHRISTIANS TAKE SHELTER IN FOREST FOR PROTECTION: A police camp at Barakhama was also attacked by the Hindu fundamentalists. With several houses being burnt down and people being made homeless, many Christians,particularly from Nua Sahi, Munda Sahi and Suna Tonga have fled into forests for their lives. 10) NUN RAPED: A young Catholic Nun of the Cuttack Bhubaneswar diocese working Jan Vikas Kendra, the Social Service Centre at Nuagaon in Kandhamal was reportedly gang raped on 24th August 2008 by groups of Hindutva extremists before the building itself was destroyed. 11) SENIOR PRIEST AND NUN INJURED: Fr Thomas, director of the Diocesan Pastoral Centre in Kanjimendi, less than a kilometer away from the Social Service Centre, and another Nun were injured when the centre was attacked. They were taken to the police station in a disheveled state as the armed mob bayed for their blood. The Pastoral centre was then set afire. 12) BALLIGUDA CHURCH BUILDINGS DESTROYED AGAIN: On 24th August 2008 evening lynch mobs at the block headquarters of Balliguda, in the very heart of Kandhamal district, which had seen much violence between 24th and 26th December 2007, attacked and destroyed a Presbytery, convent and hostel damaging the properties. 13) CHRISTIAN BOYS HEADS TONSURED: The mobs in Balliguda caught hold of two boys of the Catholic hostel and tonsured their heads. 14) PHULBANI CHURCH DAMAGED: On 25th august 2008 morning followers of the late Lakshmanananda Saraswati damaged the Catholic Church in Phulbani, the district headquarter town. 15) MOTHER TERESA BROTHERS ASHRAM ATTACKED: Mobs attacked the Mother Teresa Brothers' residence and hospital in Srasanada, destroyed once before and rebuilt two months ago, and beat up the patients. 16) BHUBANESWAR BISHOP'S HOUSE ATTACKED: On the morning of 25th August 2008, violent mobs made several attempts to enter the compounds of Catholic Church and Archbishop's house in the heart of the Capital of the State of Orissa. They could not enter because of the police presence. They threw stones at the guesthouse of Archbishop's House, damaging windows. 17) DUBURI PARISH: Another group of fundamentalists entered presbytery in Duburi parish, managed by the SVDs and destroyed and damaged property. Two priests of the parish are missing. 18) Mr. Jamaj Pariccha, Director of Gramya Pragati, is attacked and his property damaged, vehicle looted and burnt. 19) A Baptist Church in Akamra Jila in Bhubaneswar is also damaged. 20) Christian institutions like St. Arnold's School (Kalinga Bihar) and NISWASS report some damage. 21) BOUDH DISTRICT [Adjoining Kandhamal]: Fundamentalists enter the Catholic parish church and destroy property. People are fleeing to safer places. But nothing seems safe. 22) MUNIGUDA: Muniguda Catholic Fathers and Nuns' residence have been damaged. 23) SAMBALPUR: HM Sister's residence (Ainthapalli) has suffered damage. 24) PADANPUR: One priest is attacked and admitted to a hospital. Hostel boys and the in charge have moved away from the place. 25) MADHUPUR: Madhupur Catholic Church currently under attack. 26) SMALL CHURCHES: Attempted violence on small churches in various districts, including Padampur, Sambalpur near GM College, Talsera, Dangsoroda, Narayanipatara, Muniguda, Tummiibandh, Tangrapada, Phulbani, Balliguda, Kalingia, Chakapad, Srasanranda. 27) VILLAGE CHRISTIAN HOUSES ATTACKED: Houses attacked on forest hamlets of Balliguda, Kanjamandi Nuaguam (K.Nuaguam), Tiangia (G.Udayagiri), Padangiri, Tikabali. 28) KALAHANDI DISTRICT: Houses burnt even though the district is more than 300 kilometers from the place where Swami Lakshmanananda was killed. 29) PASTORS' HOUSE BURNT: Pastor Sikandar Singh of the Pentecostal Mission beaten up and his house burnt in Bhawanipatna. 30) KHARIHAR: 3 Christian shops were looted and burnt. Pastor Alok Das and Pastor I M Senapati beaten up. 31) AAMPANI: Pastor David Diamond Pahar, Pastor Pravin Ship, Pastor Pradhan and Pastor Barik beaten up and chased away with their families. 32) NAKTIKANI: Mob surrounds village to attack Christians. The government has sent forces, it is reported. A delegation of Christian leaders under the leadership of Archbishop Vincent Concessao, the President of National United Christian Forum of CBCI, NCCI and EFI, met the Home Minister Shri Shiv Raj Patil and submitted a memorandum. The Home Minister assured the delegation all necessary steps have been taken to maintain peace and harmony and protect the innocent. He also expressed his helplessness by stating that police protection cannot be given in all villages.
