India – Hindu extremist outfits have vowed to fight Christian missionaries and stop forcible ‘conversions’ by distributing weapons and forming armed anti-Christian squads, Christian Today has confirmed.
Speaking to the media, Suresh Rath, a Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP or World Hindu Council) activist said that over 5,000 youth would be trained to fight missionaries and stop ‘conversion’ activities.
These anti-Christian squads would be formed within the next two years, he said.
Living up to the promise, the VHP and Hindu right-wing militant outfit, the Bajrang Dal recently organised a massive "Trishul Diksha" (Trident Initiation or Trident Distribution) ceremony at Keonjhar and other districts in Orissa.
According to news reports, the outfits had distributed swords and sharp tridents to over 500 activists amid anti-Christian slogans and Hindu rituals.
"Christian missionaries will be stopped at all costs...they must leave the country or face dire consequences," Sanath Ram, a Bajrang Dal activist said. "The poor people in Orissa that were converted to Christianity will be reconverted back soon."
The "Trishul Diksha" ceremonies began taking place soon after news spread that the Orissa High Court had commuted the death sentence of Dara Singh, the prime accused in the Graham Staines murder case, and had acquitted 11 other co-accuseds.
Several Christian advocacy groups fear that the shocking verdict of the Orissa High Court will embolden Hindu extremists to unleash a fresh terror against Christian missionaries and churches in Orissa and elsewhere.
Their fears are not unfounded, however, when Govardhan, a prime suspect who had owned up to the brutal killings of Pastor Raju and Pastor Daniel last May in Andhra Pradesh, boldly proclaimed that he was motivated by the act of Dara Singh who he "respected greatly."
But Hindu extremists are not the only ones who are venting their anger against the Christians. Police and local government officials appear to sympathise with them too.
