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Hindu extremists offer bribes to attack Christians
by Scott Gilbreath ~ November 21st, 2008
Christian aid agencies are reporting that Hindu extremist organsations have offered rewards to kill Christians and destroy their homes in Orissa, India. The reporting agencies include Release International, All India Christian Council, and Good News India.
“The going price to kill a pastor is $250 (£170),” Faiz Rahman, the chairman of Good News India, said.
A spokesman for the All-India Christian Council said: “People are being offered rewards to kill, and to destroy churches and Christian properties. They are being offered foreign liquor, chicken, mutton and weapons. They are given petrol and kerosene.”
A spokesman for one of India’s largest Hindu nationalist groups, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, denies everything.
The government of Orissa state recently announced a program of compensation for destroyed and damaged churches and other Christian religious sites, prompting a strong protest from the radical Hindu group Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP).
“The government has no right to spend taxpayers’ money to appease the Christian community. Churches and Christian training centres are patronising conversion activities,” general secretary VHP’s Orissa unit Gouri Prasad Rath said.
“If the government wants to restore communal harmony in Kandhamal [district in Orissa] it must stop any kind of financial help for their reconstruction,” he said.
The VHP and Sangh Parivar, have also demanded that Orissa’s government put a stop to all Christian conversions in the state. If this and other demands are not met by 15 December, a bandh (illegal statewide strike) will be called for 25 December.
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