Intolerance against the Christian minority intensifies in Tamil Nadu. In the dead of night, a group of unknown assailants set fire to Bethel Bible Church, a Pentecostal church in Puthasanthai village in Namakal district. Thanks to the quick intervention of two members of the congregation who were sleeping in the building, the fire was extinguished before it could destroy the church. Pastor Paul Arguman reported the matter to the police and they have now posted guards around the church and "sworn" that justice will be served.
According to Sajan K. George, President of GCIC, it is the Hindu nationalist religious organization Munnani, which supports the anti-conversion laws, that is responsible for the growing religious intolerance in Tamil Nadu because they "incite hatred against Christians".
"Discrimination," said George, "is also directed against religious buildings. In Kanyakumari district, if you want to build a church or prayer room, you need written permission from the district administration. But the authorities often refuse to grant these permits or leave the cases pending for a long time."
The attempted arson is the third anti-Christian incident in Tamil Nadu in 2013. In 2012, the GCIC recorded 13 incidents. The anti-conversion law in Tamil Nadu, passed in 2002, was repealed again in 2005 by Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.
Source: AsiaNews
