Madhya Pradesh Christians fearful as Hindu festival nears

(September 14, 2012) Christians in a tribal district of central India’s Madhya Pradesh state say they are worried about their safety in the run-up to a major Hindu gathering on the banks of a river next year. “We are worried about the … security of the Christians” in Mandla district, Bishop Gerald Almeida of Jabalpur told UCANEWS. He said Christian families are under pressure from some Hindu groups to contribute toward a three-day religious gathering, called Narmada Kumbh, scheduled for February. Some Hindu groups have jointly planned the event in which people take ritual baths in rivers, perceived to be holy, to wash away their sins. Hundreds of thousands of Hindus are expected to attend such gatherings. Some Church leaders said a major concern is that the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party, which rules the state, is backing the religious programme. Bishop Almeida, along with a delegation of bishops, met state Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan, to voice their concerns. The chief minister has assured safety to Christians, yet fear is on the rise as the programme approaches, the bishop said.