True Christianity In Lives Of Ordinary People: Swami Agnivesh By SAR NEWS
BANGALORE, Karnataka (SAR NEWS) -- True Christianity is not in books or churches but in the lives of ordinary people like the widows of the Kandhamal riots, said Swami Agnivesh, president of the World Council of Arya Samaj, a Hindu reformation movement. Delivering the keynote address at the Fourth National Persecution Meet organised by the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) at the United Theological College here, March 31, Agnivesh said crimes against the minority communities were crimes against humanity. He was referring to the horrendous butchering of tribal Christians by Hindu fanatical groups in Kandhamal of the northeastern Orissa state in August last year. Hundreds of men and women were killed and a Catholic nun raped following the gunning down of a Hindu religious leader, Swami Laxmanananda, by suspected Maoists. Commending the riot victims for their forgiving hearts, he said the law should be allowed to take its course and bring the culprits to book. Agnivesh, winner of the Right Livelihood Award 2004, also condemned political parties for offering poll tickets to Manoj Pradhan, the prime accused in the Kandhamal riots and currently behind bars, to contest the election in Orissa. He thanked the widows of the martyrs for “washing away the ugly stain of religious hatred and violence with their tears”. He highlighted Jesus’ message of forgiveness that had been echoed in the lives of many persecuted Christians, especially the widow of Graham Staines, the Australian missionary who was burnt alive along with his two minor sons by Hindu groups in Orissa. The GCIC team celebrated “Life and Forgiveness” with 120 victims of religious persecution from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. The victims included 33 widows of martyrs from the Kandhamal tragedy in Orissa. The programme commenced with the honouring of these brave widows who had undergone extreme pain and agony and yet had forgiven their perpetrators. GCIC national president Sajan K. George released an alternative election manifesto from the minority community of India. While releasing the manifesto, he reminded the audience of the painstaking efforts of the makers of the Constitution to decide that India should be a secular democracy. He said all Indians, including minorities, were share-holders of the country and not merely tenants on rent. The first copy of the manifesto was presented to Swami Agnivesh. Parliamentary elections will be held across the country from April 16 through May.
