Violence mars Indian election

Violence broke out yesterday as India’s month long election process got under way. Seventeen people were killed in eastern and central India after attacks on 14 polling stations.

KP Yohannan, founder of Gospel For Asia (GFA), said that the violence and the threat of violence meant that GFA had to postpone its Orissa State house rebuilding project.

He said, "With the election and the unfavorable situation with the bureaucrats that are very anti-Christian in Kandhamal and several other districts, they didn't want to give us protection," reports Mission Network News.

Yohannan said he was praying for a change in the government, “I think they're going to hear the voice of people that they're not in favor of this kind of abuse and hurting the minorities, especially the Christians. This election is going to bring some changes to the state of Orissa, and we're praying for that."

He added, “All Hindus are not anti-Christian. Unfortunately, this is the extremist minority who is going about causing so much destruction, killing people, and inflicting suffering on Christians."

GFA is currently working on building 1,000 homes at a cost of $2,000-$3,000 per unit. The violence means, however, that the work cannot continue until after the election.

Yohannan said, "We may have greater protection and help from the changed new government in the state of Orissa to rebuild these houses and help the people who lost everything."

Thousands of Christians in Orissa are living in government relief camps following last year’s anti-Christian violence which killed dozens of people. Many had their homes destroyed whilst others are threatened with death if they return home without converting to Hinduism.

Yohannan said that those who persecuted Christians had made a tactical mistake in their actions, "Persecuting Christians is not a way to stop the Christian faith. Even today, in spite of all the persecution, people are coming to Christ."