MINORITIES - 2002 - Indian Social Institute

journalist with The Times of India pointed out how the riots are covered by the media in a biased fashion.
"Riots are not a clash between two communities. They are organised killing of one community by the state
machineries. Various studies show that Muslims have been the victims of communal violence in the
country," he said. He further added that sometimes the reporters are biased in filing their stories and on
many occasions the news room journalists play up or play down a news report in tandem with their beliefs.
(Pioneer 11.2.02)
18 th Feb
Church attacked near Mysore (7)
MYSORE, FEB. 17. A mob stormed a church in Hinkal on the outskirts here and went on the rampage,
injuring four persons, including a woman. According to police, a group of 70, sporting saffron 'bandanas'
and wielding lathis, barged into the Holy Family Church after the Sunday mass at 9.30 a.m. Confronting
the parish priest, Williams, the mob shouted slogans against the alleged attempts by the church
authorities to convert the locals. The priest was abused and threatened, it was alleged. A few miscreants
hurled bricks at the church and devotees as they ran helter-skelter. Several people, including women,
were chased and assaulted, said Maxim, a seminarian. "The mob came armed with blades, knives, iron
rods and other lethal weapons. Several people, including women and children, suffered bruises. Four
persons were sent to the local hospital." The mob smashed the window panes of the church and
ransacked the priest's room. It started disbursing after police arrived on the scene. However, Fr. Williams,
speaking to The Hindu alleged that police constables watched the attackers hurl bricks at the church.
(Hindu 18.2.02)
19 th Feb
Gujarat to crack down on madarsas (7)
AHMEDABAD: Gujarat chief secretary G Subba Rao has, on the directives of chief minister Naren-dra
Modi, requested the external affairs ministry to provide detailed information on the steps being taken by
the Musharraf government to regulate the functioning of madarsas in Pakistan. Rao has also written to his
West Bengal counterpart, asking him to apprise him of the information gathered by the West Bengal
government about the madarsas in the state. The Modi government plans to finalise its action plan against
the alleged illegal activities being carried out in these institutions. (TOI 19.2.02)
19th Feb
Sangh Parivar behind attack on church (7)
NEW DELHI, FEB. 18. Major Christian organisations, including the All-India Christian Council, the All-India
Catholic Union, and the Jamiat-ul-Ulema-e-Hind have accused the Sangh Parivar of being responsible for
Sunday's attack on a church in Mysore. Condemning the attack fhc All-India Christian Council president,
Joseph D'Souza, and the Secretary-General, John Dayal, said four attacks on Christian workers had taken
place in U.P. and the Government had been apprised of it. "The Sangh Parivar has no inclination of
shedding its communal agenda, as is clear from the developments in Uttar Pradesh. Its utter contempt for
tne law of the land and for civil society is all too apparent," they said in a statement. The council leaders
said the attack was a "naked aggression" by the Sangh Parivar. "They have learnt nothing from their
so-called dialogue, some rounds of which were held in Karnataka, with leaders of the Christian
community. (Hindu 19.2.02)
20 th Feb
Attack on church condemned (7)
MYSORE: Christians from various parts of Mysore, Mandya, Chamarajnagar and Kodagu districts on
Tuesday took out a protest march against the attack on the Holy Family Church at Hinkal village on the
city's outskirts on Sunday/Four persons were injured in the attack reportedly carried out by Bajrang Dal
activists. This was the first time that such a massive protest march was held by the Christians in which
besides women and children, even the religious heads also participated. (TOI 20.2.02)
21 st Feb
Attack worry Bishops’ panel (7)