Christians see VHP hand in Udaipur attack

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR, JAN. 10. Christian groups in Southern Rajasthan hold the view that the recent attack on two Christian priests in Kotra tehsil of Udaipur was instigated by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad , its front organisation for Adivasis - the Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad and the Bajrang Dal from neighbouring Gujarat.

Even while acknowledging the prompt action by the Rajasthan Government after the murderous attack on Pastor Simon Zechariah and Evangelist David Masih on January 4 at Jher village in Udaipur's Kotra tehsil, they fear the Gujarat Government is trying to protect the culprits, who had come in three jeeps from across the Rajasthan border carrying lethal weapons.

``The doctors are giving misleading information on the injuries suffered by Pastor Simon and Evangelist David. We suspect they are doing so under pressure from Gujarat Minister of Health, Mr. Ashok Bhatt who has made several provocative speeches in the past,'' said Father Jaswant Rana of the Christian Fellowship, who visited the victims at the Himmat Nagar and civil hospital in Gujarat over the weekend.

``The Gujarat police, while taking statements from the victims at the Vijay Nagar Government Hospital earlier tried to give a distorted account of the incident. It is clear that the Gujarat police and the Home Ministry are out to protect the culprits,'' Father Rana charged.

However, the Rajasthan police which has sent its CID teams to Gujarat is yet to confirm the role of Hindu fundamentalist organisations. The police is still looking for Jagdish Tarar, the main accused who belongs to Himmat Nagar. They have arrested Babulal, a teacher from Kotra, who had allegedly accompanied the mob to the residence of Ramesh, a tribal Christian.

The Udaipur Range, DIG, Mr. S. N. Jain, talking to The Hindu over telephone ruled out Babulal's past association with groups like Bajrang Dal. ``Most of the people involved, including the victims belong to Sabarkantha. It appears that the victims as well as the attackers knew each other,'' he noted. Mr. Jain said the police teams had returned to Rajasthan after searching in vain for the accused in Gujarat. However, CID teams were still continuing their search.

Pastor Simon and Evangelist David belong to the Philadelphia Fellowship of India sect which has ``Prarthana Bhawans'' along the Rajasthan-Gujarat border in the districts of Banswara, Dungarpur and Udaipur. Their tribal ``Shradhalus'' (faithfuls) are called ``Yeshu Bhakts'' (Believers in Christ). Pastor Simon, an ordained priest serves in Sabarkantha district but often visits the bordering villages in Rajasthan. Evangelist David Masih carries out the job of distributing Christian literature. The Pastor and the Evangelist were in the Rajasthan village on the invitation of Ramesh, who wanted them to pray for his new born baby. They arrived on January 3 at 7 p.m.

Preliminary enquiries by Mr. Patras Dodiyar, deputed by the State PUCL, to look into the incident and prepare a report, indicate that it was Babulal who acted as the agent provocateur to the attack. Mr. Dodiyar, a resident of Bagidora in Banswara district will start his detailed enquiry soon.

According to information available with Mr. Dodiyar, the two preachers were taken to the Vanvasi Kalyan Shala run by the Vanvasi Kalyan Parishad in Jher village on the day of the attack by Ramesh to show them the place. In fact Mr. Ramesh even invited Babulal for a film show in the evening at his residence.

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