6 – Hindu Campaign against Mission in Rajasthan, India

Still reeling after being voted from federal power in 2004, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – political wing of the Hindu extremist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh – stepped up its campaign for Hindu nationalism. Faith-based collusion between government and goons was most apparent in a coordinated attack in BJP-ruled Rajasthan state, where authorities mounted a brazen campaign against the social ministries of Emmanuel Mission International (EMI). Rajasthan state police officers on March 16 arrested the Rev. Dr. Samuel Thomas, president of EMI and son of Archbishop M.A. Thomas, EMI’s founder. Both men had gone underground after Hindu extremists accused them of distributing a controversial book they alleged denigrated their religion and deities.

Samuel Thomas has been released on bail, and his father has been granted anticipatory bail. Previously police detained without charges EMI’s chief operating officer and the officer in charge of its Hope Center Orphanage in Raipura. In late May, the administration of Kota district leveled fresh charges of “exciting . . . disaffection towards the government of India” against M.A. Thomas and his son. The new accusation was based on Kota police reportedly charging that the map of India shown on the website of Georgia-based Hopegivers International, which funds EMI, excluded Jammu and Kashmir state. An offense under this law can lead to imprisonment for life. In the second week of May, a concerted attack on EMI orphanages, schools and other ministries had intensified when the state social welfare minister, Madan Dilawar, said he should be stoned to death if his government effort to take over EMI’s properties failed. The statement came less than a month after the state unduly revoked the licenses of an EMI Bible institute, orphanage, school, hospital and church in the northern state. The licenses and frozen assets of EMI have since been temporarily restored.

On February 2, a mob of Hindu extremists had attacked an EMI orphanage in Tindole, resulting in the death of one child and the stoning and beatings of children, staff and local clergy. On February 10 in Ramganjmandi, a Hindu mob burned to the ground an EMI school and orphanage. According to mission officials, local police warned the head of the EMI school and orphanage in advance that they would not stop the violence. Also on February 10, police in Kota notified Emmanuel Seminary that they would not provide security for the graduation ceremony of 10,250 students and advised Archbishop Thomas to cancel or postpone it. More than 8,100 students relocated their graduation ceremonies to cities in southern India.

Hindu extremists on February 25 called for a boycott of the Kota orphanage, ending legal aid from lawyers and food from merchants for the children. EMI officials said that on February 27, building inspectors were being recruited to find fault with the orphanages, schools and church buildings in order to have them condemned and torn down and replaced with yoga centers and Hindu temples. Hindu extremists on March 3 had offered a reward of US$26,000 each for the heads of Archbishop Thomas and his son.