National

NCM finds serious lapses by Karnataka government

Bangalore: The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has said that there are “serious lapses” on the part of the Karnataka government in controlling the attacks on churches and prayer halls throughout the State.

It has sought the arrest of Bajrang Dal State convener Mahendra Kumar, who has claimed responsibility for many of the attacks, and action against the police personnel, who allegedly abetted violence.

Commission chairman Mohamed Shafi Qureshi and member Harcharan Singh Josh told journalists here on Thursday that Home Minister V.S. Acharya had promised to arrest Mr. Kumar.

Mr. Qureshi said the attacks began in August last week. “Had the government been cautious, this would not have happened.” The Commission had sought an independent inquiry.

Mr. Qureshi said that in places such as St. Joseph’s School and Milagres Church, the injured testified that the police, instead of protecting them from assailants, attacked them. As many as 30 women, the oldest among them 74-years-old, told them that the police assaulted them, said Mr. Josh.

Referring to the text “Satya Veda” — containing “defamatory material” against Hinduism — alleged to have been circulated by the New Life missionaries, Mr. Josh said it was up to the government to probe the charges.

Mr. Josh said the Commission had asked Karnataka for a list of “forced conversions” in the last one year and in the last 100 days, and the State government had so far not furnished even a single case.

Mr. Josh said that in all 21 places of Christian worship were attacked and 201 people, including Christians and Hindus, arrested so far. The Commission would submit a report to the Prime Minister in the coming week on the violence against Christians in Karnataka.

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