Rumours of “Koran burning” lead to anti-Christian violence in India

(Sept.14,2010) The rumours of the burning of the Quran by a U.S. pastor on the anniversary of September 11, 2001, terrorist strikes on American soil, led to violence in Kashmir and Punjab, in India on Monday, where a Christian school and a church were attacked by agitated Muslims. The prestigious Church-run Tyndale Biscoe School at Tangmarg in Kashmir Valley, was set afire by miscreants, who also torched several other buildings. Meanwhile, curfew was imposed in Punjab’s Muslim-dominated Malerkotla town, after a mob attacked a church over rumours that a copy of Islam’s holy book had been desecrated in the United States. The situation is said to be under control with police personnel patrolling the town.
Tension prevailed in Ludhiana, Punjab, as Christian youth took out a protest rally from Isa Nagari demanding the arrest of those responsible for arson at Malerkotla. However, no untoward incident was reported. The church fire was fuelled by both rumours of an alleged burning of the Qur‘an and the political situation in the state, Bishop Peter Celestine of Jammu-Srinagar, told AsiaNews. “Witnesses said that hundreds of people were on streets Monday night. From there, they barged into the school building and set it ablaze. Curfew has been imposed,” he said. The Bishop noted that anti-government Islamic protests are commonplace in the state. The ‘Burn-the-Qur‘an issue was just a pretext to vent anti-government feelings, he said.” So far, we have had cordial relations with our Muslim brothers and the authorities, but this initiative is cause for concern,” the bishop added.