Five days prior to the Delhi elections, St Alphonsa's church in Vasant Kunj was vandalised around 2 am on Monday morning, making it the fifth church in the national capital to be attacked in two months. The union home ministry, perturbed by the fifth incident in a row of vandalising churches, seeks a report from the Delhi government on status of security of religious places and action taken in previous cases.
Five days prior to the Delhi elections, St Alphonsa's church in Vasant Kunj was vandalised around 2 am on Monday morning, making it the fifth church in the national capital to be attacked in two months. The union home ministry, perturbed by the fifth incident in a row of vandalising churches, seeks a report from the Delhi government on status of security of religious places and action taken in previous cases.
What happened?
Parish priest Father Vincent Salvatore says the perpetrators leaped over a low lying wall separating the church from an open field, broke open the main door, which was latched from inside and disturbed only the most holy items. The host, the sacramental bread which symbolises the body of Christ, was scattered on the floor, the sacristy, the room adjoining the altar was ransacked. He says that nothing of value was taken, barring the chalice containing the host.
Located in the midst of farmhouses, the church, consecrated in 2007, has a parish of 600 families. Inside the church nothing else was broken and the offering boxes with money donated to the church were untouched.
Who is responsible for this attack?
"These attacks on churches are planned. They are targeting us and the police is trying to make it into a case of theft," said Father Vincent. Though he refused to name who "they" were, he added, "You see the pattern all over the country, you see these cases of ghar wapsi. Why did President Obama and President Mukherjee give speeches on communal harmony? This is a clear sign to them."
John Dayal, senior journalist and founder of the All India Christian Council, said that this was "desecration of a church" since the holiest of symbols were targeted.
What does the police has to say?
Though there are reports of senior police officers claiming this a case of burglary, the ACP present on the scene said that they had put out no official statement. Justice Cyriac Joseph of the NHRC, after inspecting church premises said that to him it seemed a case of "a deliberate attempt to defile a place of worship and objects held sacred by Christians."
A Supreme Court advocate, and a member of St Alphonsa's parish was present to ensure that sections 153(a), 295 and 295(a), pertaining to defiling a place of worship, promoting enmity between different groups and outraging religious feelings are in the complaint filed by to the police.
So far which churches have been vandalised?
Previously, a Catholic Church in Vikaspuri was vandalised, the Christmas Crib at Rohini's Church of Resurrection was burnt, the windows of an Okhla Church were broken and in the worst incident, the St Sebastian Church in Dilshad Garden was gutted in a fire.
What action the Centre has taken?
The BJP led central government, apparently, does not want to be seen lacking in any manner just days before crucial Delhi assembly elections, as inaction in such incidents can backfire and ruin crucial votes in a two cornered contest. Such incidents can also cause it international embarrassment, as with no party in power in Delhi and the government being run by the Centre directly through its appointee, Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, any inaction on Delhi administration's part is seen as Centre's undoing.
There is a strong view within the bureaucratic circles that such incidents can also have international ramifications as they occurred around the time of US President Barack Obama's visit to India and Obama also referred to them albeit subliminally.
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