Christians in India Outraged by Candidate's Remarks

By Joseph DeCaro, Worthy News Correspondent

NEW DELHI, INDIA (Worthy News)– Christian leaders condemned the claim made by a Hindu nationalist party candidate when he denied any knowledge of the many attacks on members of their communities and its churches in India, according to International Christian Concern.

When asked how he would ensure that no churches are damaged should he become prime minister, Narendra Modi replied: “I have never heard of such incidents taking place.”

After Modi’s remark was televised last week, Christian leaders said that no candidate could win their trust by feigning such total ignorance of their sufferings.

“What he said was an utter lie — the onslaught against Christians by right-wing groups has always been cause for concern,” said Richard Howell, general secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship of India. “How can he forget the gruesome attacks on tribal Christians in Gujarat’s Dangs district in 1998 during the NDA regime when members of the Right-wing cadres burnt down churches?”

Howell also said that 22 churches in Gujarat were burnt down during 2002.

Last year ICC reported that churches in India were attacked more than 150 times. But Modi’s deliberate ignorance to the widespread persecution of Indian Christians has many church leaders fearful of what the future holds in store for their flocks should he be elected as their next prime minister.