Bhopal, Mar 8: The Christian minority community in the State is under constant fear of attacks from the communal elements in the Hindu community. The recent assaults unleashed by these unbridled contractors of religion on churches, mosques as well as individuals are the cause of their fear. The people of the minority communities apprehend that during the upcoming festival of Good Friday, Holi and Id-Milad-Un-Nabi, which fall on March 21 and 22, these anti-humanitarian forces may create more trouble in the state.

Citing the example of the recent demonstration staged by the Akhil Bhartiya Anusuchit Jati Aarakshan Raksha Manch, Bhopal in front of a city-based church, the Christian leaders expressed their apprehension that such destructive forces sponsored by communal outfits like Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, RSS etc would be contemplating to implement their hidden agenda in the country through their noxious activities.

According to various prominent religious leaders, such type of activities, in spite of uniting the nation, would disintegrate it beyond repair. The people of this nation, irrespective of castes and creeds, should eschew such organisations and activists and the Central and State governments should take immediate steps to ban such institutions, so that the sovereignty and integrity of the country remain unaffected, they added.

All India Christian Council secretary Saji Abraham while talking to Central Chronicle, said that attacks on churches, mosques and individuals of the minority communities are increasing day-by-day in the country, especially in Madhya Pradesh where maximum number of cases are reported. The state government should take immediate action to curb such activities in the state, he added.

Meanwhile, Qazi Abdul Latif Khan, the Shahar Qazi of Bhopal says that India is a secular nation and such type of attacks on any religion is violation of the Constitution of the country. Each person should respect other religion. Such type of destructive forces would definitely disintegrate the nation. The respective governments should ban such organisations that are engaged in spreading hatred in the mind of the otherwise peace-loving people of the country, he added.

"During the earlier 10 year regime of Congress Government in the State there was not a single incident of communal riots. But with the change of regime in December 2003, till date the State has witnessed 123 cases of communal attacks. Minority communities in the State are under attack and are living in fear since the Bharatiya Janata Party government came to power. As the date for Assembly elections is fast approaching, chances of further attacks on minorities cannot be ruled out", said Sajid Ali, president, Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee Minority Cell president.

The nerve of the law and order situation of any state lies in the hands of the Chief Minister of the state and in the past four years all three Chief Ministers of the BJP Government failed to maintain peace and harmony in the State, he alleged.

Sheela Shaneyago, vice president of All India Christian Council said that the Christians are under attack since the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power in 2003. Christians constitute only 0.3 per cent of minority population, according to the 2001 census figures, she added.

Between July 2006 and April 2007, 150 anti-Christian attacks had taken place in the country. Surprisingly, out of the 150, Christians in Madhya Pradesh faced 55 attacks, says All India Christian Council and the Christian Legal Association (CLA) report. Of them, 34 attacks were registered in Jabalpur district itself, the report added.