BANGALORE, India: The Hindu extremist Narendra Modi-led government has been a nightmare for Muslims in India since it rose to power; however now Christians are also not being spared at all by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which still treat Islam and Christianity as alien religions in the Country.
The BJP’s fascism leading to Muslims’ massacre remains no more a veiled fact for the entire International Community as along with the global leaders, the world’s leading newspapers like The New York Times have now also begun tagging Modi’s regime responsible for fanning religious hatred in India.
Even from within India, powerful voices are rising up to denounce the Narendra Modi’s repulsive policies towards Muslims and Christians.
The recent incident which triggered anger among many liberal Indians took place on March 3 when the local police succumbing to the pressure exerted by hardline Hindus removed a 12-foot tall statue of Jesus Christ from a Christian Cemetery in Bangalore, the Capital City of India’s southern Karnataka State.
Reacting to the highly disgraceful act by Hindus, the Archbishop of Bangalore Peter Machado in his article published by AsiaNews on March 4 wrote that “It is very sad, unfortunate and regrettable that the police, bowing to the pressure of a few outsiders, have forcefully removed the statue of Lord Jesus.”
However a more notable resentment came from the renowned Indian poet, lyricist and movie scriptwriter Javed Akhtar who on its Twitter account on March 7 wrote “Although I am an Atheist I hang my head in shame as an Indian that near Bangalore a statue of Jesus was removed with a crane by the police following the orders of Karnataka government.
Although I am an Athiest I hang my head in shame as an Indian that near Banglore a statue of Jesus was removed with a crane by the police following the orders of Karnataka Govt.
— Javed Akhtar (@Javedakhtarjadu) March 7, 2020
The Bangalore’s statue incident doesn’t fully depict the sufferings, the Indian Christians have been suffering along with Muslims under Modi’s regime. Last month between 20 and 23, the Religious Liberty Commission of the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) registered 10 incidents of hate crime and violence against Christians in India just before the US President Donald Trump’s visit to India, prompting Church leaders to demand for increased protection for religious minorities in the Country.
The National Director of the Religious Liberty Commission Vijayesh Lal was cited as saying by the Barnabas Fund, an International Christian Charity, that violent incidents have become a regular phenomenon for Christians in many parts of India on weekends especially on Sundays.