Auxiliary Bishop Deepak Valerian Tauro of Delhi. (Photo: UCA News)
By UCA News reporter, New Delhi
Jun 8 2023
A bishop in India’s national capital New Delhi has appealed for the safety and security of the Christian community and its places of worship after two incidents of attacks on Catholic priests in the northern state of Haryana.
“We sincerely urge the state government and law enforcement agencies in Haryana to ensure safety and security of our places of worship and help us to practice our faith without fear,” said Auxiliary Bishop Deepak Valerian Tauro of Delhi in a letter addressed to his Catholics.
The June 5 letter referred to two separate incidents. On June 4, Father Joseph Amalraj was manhandled by a mob of 20-25 people after Sunday Mass at St. Joseph Vaz Catholic Mission Church in Kherki Daula village in Gurugram, formerly Gurgaon.
In an earlier incident on May 31, Father Vijay Kullu was confronted by a mob demanding the closure of a church in Farrukh Nagar, a small town in Gurugram.
They also objected and uprooted a signboard with, ‘Dino-ki Mata’ (Mother of poor people), written and installed in front of the church.
The Catholic Community is saddened and disturbed by the incidents as their fundamental right to practice their faith as enshrined in the Constitution is under threat, the letter said.
“We, Catholics, are a peace-loving community and we hold our regular prayer services for our own community,” Tauro said while requesting the authorities to create an environment of dialogue to sort out misunderstandings that create animosity.
He said that Amalraj was attacked by a group claiming to be from the Hindu Sena (Hindu Army) after accusing him of organizing conversion activities at the makeshift prayer room at Kherki Daula.
The group also issued an ultimatum to close down all worship activities within a week.
The tin-roofed church, built in 2021 on a rented plot of land near Manesar, an industrial hub in Haryana, serves around 40 Hindi-speaking and 25 English-speaking Catholic families.
In Farrukh Nagar, the mob claimed there were no Christians in town and alleged the church was meant to convert people. They refused to listen or have a dialogue and instead demanded its closure.
Meanwhile, police have arrested two people for allegedly barging into the church in Kherki Daula and assaulting the priest.
Subhash Boken, the police spokesperson said the arrested people were identified as Sachin and Surjeet.
“We have questioned both of them regarding the attack. Both have cases registered against them previously in New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan states. We are trying to identify the other accused,” he said hinting that the arrested duo had a criminal record.
Boken said they were booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for unlawful assembly, rioting, criminal intimidation, and causing physical hurt, besides outraging religious feelings. – UCA News
