one of India’s largest evangelical mission groups, officials confirmed Monday, April 3.
Thomas, president of US-based Hopegivers International (HI) and its Indian affiliate Emanuel Mission International (EMI), has reportedly been accused of "communal disharmony" for his alleged involvement in publishing a perceived anti-Hindu book.
The Christian leader denies the charges and suggests his detention is part of efforts by Rajasthan’s Hindu-dominated government to shut down EMI operations, including Hopegivers-supported orphanages, the hospital and leprosy or HIV-AIDS outreaches, printing presses, bookstores, churches, schools and other institutions.
He will now have to wait behind bars till at least April 10, when a judge will decide his fate, said HI Executive Director Michael Glenn told BosNewsLife in a statement.
ANTI-HINDU BOOK?
Church groups claim the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been angered over EMI’s work among Dalits, also known as "the untouchables", as they are the lowest caste in India’s ancient system of Hinduism. EMI Missionaries argue that Jesus Christ loves everyone and in particular ‘unwanted’ people, including Dalits.
However the BJP embraces "Hindutva", which teaches that all Indians should be converted to Hinduism. Several organizations, such as the BJP, have expressed concerned over the growing number of Christians among Dalits and attempts by missionaries to convert Hindus.
"Some militants would rather see 100 million children living on the streets of India than to see us care for 10,000 in the name of the Lord Jesus," argued Thomas before his detention in a letter to BosNewsLife smuggled out of India.
The government recently withdrew procedures against Hindu militants, including members of the influential Hindu nationalist organization Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP) or ‘World Hindu Council,’ involved in the massive distribution of tridents. The tridents, three-sponged spears, have reportedly been used to intimidate the Christian minority.
ORPHANAGE ATTACKED
In recent weeks at least one orphanage under Thomas’ control was reportedly attacked by militants using tridents, who were also seen beating pastors and stoning children. Elsewhere, 2,500 orphans protected at the Emmanuel Hope Home in Kota, Rajasthan, have been living under siege for over a month as Hindu militants have threatened to storm the complex, several sources said.
"The longer this harassment goes on, the more the welfare of the children and patients will suffer," Glenn said. “[Thomas’] leadership is [therefore] urgently needed at the Hope Home orphanages and hospital we support in Kota," he said. Thomas was detained March 16, by security forces after being on the run to avoid arrest for his alleged involvement in inciting hatred.
His 72-year old father and HI-founder, Bishop M.A. Thomas, had similar charges brought against him and is also wanted by police and Hindu militants. He is still in hiding after several reported threats on his life, including from one militant offering a bounty of $26,000 for his head, HI said. Attempts to arrange anticipatory bail for him were also denied last week, the group claimed.
The detention of Samuel Thomas has been condemned by US and other officials and human rights groups. "This [detention] is a blatant denial of freedom of speech and religion, and goes against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well the Indian constitution," claimed Glenn.
WRITING LETTERS
He said he had urged Christians around the world "to continue to pray for the release [of Samuel Thomas] and write letters to the Prime Minister of India [Manmohan Singh] to intervene." Thomas’ case and reported attacks against other Christian leaders in Rajasthan have sparked a campaign of peaceful protests in India.
Hopegivers said it started an Emergency Defense Fund in an effort to cope with what it calls "the illegal actions of the local government and the onslaught of civil and human rights violations that are occurring in the state of Rajasthan."
It confirmed that contributions are being collected at its website www.hopegivers.org and that a ‘Letter Writing Guidelines Kit’ can be received via info@hopegivers.com.
Christians, comprise about 2.3 percent of India’s predominantly Hindu population of nearly 1.1 billion, while in neighboring Pakistan Christians make up less than 3 percent of the nearly 163-million people there, according to official estimates. (With BosNewsLife Research and reports from India).
