Bishops condemn Hindu Mahasabha statement

The Hindu Mahasabha leader’s statement said Churches are no longer places of worship but factories for conversion.

New Delhi: 

The Catholic bishops’ Conference of India has condemned the “highly provocative” statement of the Hindu Mahasabha general secretary Munna Kumar Shukla that encourages attacks on churches and said such statements and the escalated violence indicate a “sinister pattern.”

The bishops have taken a “serious note” of “irresponsible statement” of Shukla, General Secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha, the prelates said in a statement.

Shukla, according to media reports said, attacking a church is not illegal and wanted the government award those who attack the churches.

“Christian community is greatly shocked and its susceptibilities are deeply wounded” by the statement, the bishop said in the press statement issued at the end of their Standing Committee Meeting on Friday.

Some 40 bishops including cardinals, archbishops and bishops attended the meeting in Bangalore.

“Shri Shukla’s contention that attacking a Church is not illegal and that it violates no law is highly untenable and contrary to standards, norms and laws of the land.,” said the statement signed by conference president Cardinal Baselios Cleemis.

The Hindu Mahasabha leader’s statement that Churches are no longer places of worship but factories for conversion of Hindus into Christianity is highly insinuating and derogatory. He further stated that the Central Government should protect and award the youth who attack Churches. He also claimed that the Taj Mahal was previously a Shiva Temple, the bishops noted.

“In recent times there has been an escalation of violence against Christians and other minorities together with highly unwarranted statements. All such attacks indicate a sinister pattern and evil design calculated to denigrate and defame the Christians, peace-loving and law abiding citizens of India,” the bishops said.

The bishops also wanted the Central and State Governments initiate to “swift action to put an end to such inflammatory and provocative statements” and “halt of attacks on Christians and other minorities and to ensure that communal harmony.”