Atrocities on Christians in the States of AP and TS – Bishops Move
ANDHRA PRADESH FEDERATION OF CHURCHES (APFC)
(State Level Body of Bishops / Church Heads – Regd. No. 89 of 2008)
APBC Center, 2/3 Sikh Village, Secunderabad, A.P. – 500 009
Cell: 09849965958 Fax: 040-27891976 E-mail: apchurches@gmail.com
March 13, 2015
Honourble Chairperson,
National Human Rights Commission of India,
Faridkot House, Copernicus Marg,
New Delhi 110 001
Fax: +91-11-2338 6521/4863
By Email: chairnhrc@nic.in; member1.
Case No: 157/1/18/2014
Sub: Brutal murder of Pastor Rev. Sanjeevulu and attack on Tribal Pastor Ramavath Bheemudu Naik and other atrocities on Christians in the States of AP and TS
Ref:
1. APFC Complaint dated 20-01-2014 and APFC reminder dated 13-01-2014
2. Copy of your Notice to the Governments of AP and TS dated 25-02-2015
Respected Chairperson,
This is to thank you on behalf of APFC for responding to APFC reminder dated 13-01-2015 which was the first death anniversary of Pastor Rev. Sanjeevulu who died after ruthless attack by Hindu Vahini group, with regard to NHRC Case No: 157/1/18/2014 related to his murder registered by the NHRC vide APFC Complaint dated 20-01-2014.
We are grateful for issuing a Notice dated 25-02-2015 to the Chief Secretaries of Governments of Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Telangana State (TS) “to submit requite information / Report within 6 weeks from the date of receipt of this notice”.
We also thank you for including in your said Notice the attack on Tribal Pastor Ramavath Bheemudu Naik that took place on 12-12-2014, calling for a report and necessary action on the same.
Thanking you again for your follow up,
Yours sincerely,
Rev. Fr Dr Anthoniraj Thumma & Mr. B. Danam IAS (Retd)
Executive Secretaries of A.P. Federation of Churches.
On Tue, Jan 13, 2015 at 7:39 PM, Andhra Pradesh Federation of Churches<apchurches@gmail.com> wrote:
ANDHRA PRADESH FEDERATION OF CHURCHES (APFC)
(State Level Body of Bishops / Church Heads – Regd. No. 89 of 2008)
APBC Center, 2/3 Sikh Village, Secunderabad, A.P. – 500 009
Cell: 09849965958 Fax: 040-27891976 E-mail: apchurches@gmail.com
January 13, 2015
Honourble Chairperson,
National Human Rights Commission of India,
Faridkot House, Copernicus Marg,
New Delhi 110 001
Fax: +91-11-2338 6521/4863
By Email: chairnhrc@nic.in; membe
r1.nhrc@nic.in, jrlawnhrc@nic.in;covdn@nic.in, ion@nic.in Case No: 157/1/18/2014
Sub: Brutal murder of Pastor Rev. Sanjeevulu and other atrocities on Christians
Ref: APFC Complaint dated 20-01-2014
Respected Chairperson,
Today (13-01-2014) is the first death anniversary of Pastor Rev. Sanjeevulu who died after ruthless attack by Hindu Vahini group. Hence, the Andhra Pradesh Federation of Churches hereby brings to your kind notice the Case No: 157/1/18/2014 related to the brutal murder of Pastor Rev. Sanjeevulu at Vikarabad of Ranga Reddy Dt., and other atrocities on Christians registered by the NHRC vide APFC Complaint dated 20-01-2014 (copy of the same given below and in the file-attachment for your immediate reference).
The Hindu Vahini and other militant Hindutva groups in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana become more embolden now due to the changed political scenario at the Centre. This is evident from recent attacks taking place on the pastors and other Christians and theirGar Vapasi programme taken on war footing. There have been many demands to ban the Hindu Vahini group by many Secular, Christian and Muslim organizations in Hyderabad. Please see the file-attachment on this demand.
Recently, on December 12, 2014, a Tribal Pastor Ramavath Bheemudu Naik was severely attacked while on carol rounds in Hyderabad. He suffered from internal injuries. Ramavath Bheemudu Naik is an Baptist missionary and known for his charity and missionary work amongst the Banjara tribal community, and often termed as a Banjara tribal pastor. Please find more details of the case in the file-attachment on the subject.
Hence, we earnestly request you to follow up the Case No: 157/1/18/2014 with the new Government of the both the States of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in order to protect the lives of the Christians and safeguard their human rights.
Thanking you,
Yours sincerely,
Rev. Fr Dr Anthoniraj Thumma & Mr. B. Danam IAS (Retd)
Executive Secretaries of A.P. Federation of Churches.
Enclosures: Four file-attachments as mentioned above.
ANDHRA PRADESH FEDERATION OF CHURCHES (APFC)(State Level Body of Bishops / Church Heads – Regd. No. 89 of 2008)
APBC Center, 2/3 Sikh Village, Secunderabad, A.P. – 500 009
Cell: 09849965958 Fax: 040-27891976 E-mail: apchurches@gmail.com
January 20, 2014
Honourble Chairperson,
National Human Rights Commission of India,
Faridkot House, Copernicus Marg,
New Delhi 110 001
Fax: +91-11-2338 6521/4863
By Email: chairnhrc@nic.in; jrlaw
nhrc@nic.in; covdn@nic.in , i on@nic.in Sub: Brutal murder of Pastor Rev. B. Sanjeevulu at Vikarabad of Ranga Reddy Dt., and other atrocities on Christians in the State of Andhra Pradesh
Respected Chairperson,
Greetings from Andhra Pradesh Federation of Churches (APFC), which is a state-level apex body of Archbishops / Bishops of the mainline Churches and Church Heads of major Christian Denominations representing the Christian Community in the State.
On the afternoon of January 11, 2014 four men visited Pastor Rev. B. Sanjeevulu’s home in Vikarabad of Ranga Reddy district, a village that is 64 kilometers from the state capital of Hyderabad, who served a group called the ‘Friends of Hebron’. The men said they wanted to “pray with the pastor,” but as soon as he came out of his house, they stabbed him several times and beat him with clubs and sticks. On hearing screams, Sanjeevulu’s wife rushed to him, where upon the attackers tried to kill her as well. Although she was stabbed, she managed to escape and survive. The pastor was admitted to Yashoda hospital in Hyderabad where, despite medical treatment, he died on the afternoon of Jan. 13, 2014 from his stab wounds (photographs attached).
Christian leaders in Hyderabad organised a dharna and protest hunger strike demanding justice to the Pastor’s family from the government and protection to the pastors and Christian Minorities. Some of them marched outside the offices of the Chief Minister to demand the arrest of the culprits. On Jan. 15, 2014, a delegation of Christian leaders and legislators had a meeting with Sri Kiran Kumar Reddy, the Hon. Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, and submitted a memorandum to him. He gave an assurance that police are on the lookout for arresting the culprits. The delegation also had submitted memorandum to the concerned police officials who announced that they had launched an investigation into the incident. Although they conducted some inquires, no arrests have been made in this regard.
As you may be aware, a terrorist group called Hindu Vahini had claimed that they killed the pastors in 2004-05 who had been found dead in mysterious circumstances. Now that the general and state elections are around, such groups have become more active. The visit of VHP leader Sri Praveen Thogadia to Hyderabad in the first week of January 2014 seemed to have emboldened them. The State of Andhra Pradesh records one of the highest numbers of atrocities on Christian preachers and members.
Hence, the A.P. Federation of Churches (APFC) requests your valuable intervention in the case of murder of Pastor B. Sanjeevulu in obtaining compensation and protection to his family, and in the security of Christian Minorities in our State so that they can exercise their fundamental rights especially the freedom of religion and expression without fear and obstruction.
Thanking you in anticipation,
Yours sincerely,
Rev. Fr Dr Anthoniraj Thumma & Mr. B. Danam IAS (Retd)
Executive Secretaries, A.P. Federation of Churches.
