a contextual missiology of the spirit - eTheses Repository ...

The State Secretariat of the Marxist Communist Party of India (CPI- M),
Rajasthan fervently criticized the BJP-led Government for its ‘adversarial stand
against the Dalits and minorities ever since it came to power.’ According to the
CPI- M statement, the Kota incident was ‘a planned attack by the workers of BJP,
Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Christian institutions with the
tacit support of the State Government.’ 136 Without exception, all the Pentecostal
leaders have expressed their deep concern regarding the issue. The best
illustration of this anxiety was seen when pastors and leaders of Rajasthan
gathered in the capital city Jaipur to declare a day of prayer on 8 May 2006. 137 In
the meeting, eleven pastors confessed that they were attacked by Hindu militants
during their Christian service in the state. Two of them, who were recent victims
of inhuman attack, described their experiences. They both stated that they were
assaulted
simply because they were Christian workers.
On the other hand, persecution is not new to Pentecostalism in Rajasthan. As
mentioned earlier, the team of missionaries, which included K.V. Pillai, K.V.
Philip, K. John and others, faced severe hardship from religious fanatics at the
beginning of their Rajasthan mission. As mentioned above, they were badly
beaten at Nathwara, Udaipur, and it is reported that when they were attacked by
fanatics they were protected by angels. cidents
138 However, they argue that such in
were
very rare in the state and organized attacks on Christians are recent.
136
Special Correspondent, ‘Ban on Book by Rajasthan an anti-Dalit act: CPI (M),’ The Hindu, 30
April 2006, Mangalore edition.
137
I was asked to represent Pentecostals in the Udaipur District along with a few other key leaders.
138
K.V. Paul Pillai, ‘Forward,’ in Thonnackal, Marubhoomiyile Aposthalan, 16-17.
216