By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife
NEW DELHI, INDIA (BosNewsLife) -- Dozens of Hindu militants stormed a Christian school in Lucknow, the capital of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh late Sunday, September 10, threatening nuns and vandalizing the complex, Indian Christians told BosNewsLife.
"At least 30 or 40 activists of the youth wing of the [Hindu] Bharatiya Janata Party stormed into Lucknow's Loreto Convent School Sunday evening, resorting to vandalism and intimidating helpless nuns living on the campus," said Sajan K. George, president of the advocacy group Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC).
There were no immediate reports of injuries.
A nun, who did not want to be identified, said the militants "started smashing the glass panes on doors and windows with wooden rods and stones and also flung our flower-pots on to the window panes of the school chapel. Fortunately the police arrived on the scene following which they ran away and we were spared."
RAISING SLOGANS
The militants reportedly also raised slogans against the 135-year old school for allowing a man to claim he had turned 'divine' as Lord Jesus had 'descended' into his body."
In addition the attackers "carried placards and posters, condemning the school and accused the principal of 'forcing' students to participate in religious rituals, allegedly with the intent of luring them into Christianity," George told BosNewsLife.
School officials have denied these charges. George said the violence took place "a stone's throw from the official residences of both the Uttar Pradesh Governor and the chief minister."
GURU BAN?
He said the GCIC has been "urging international community to ban all new age gurus and cults until freedom of religion is granted to Christians in India."
There was no immediate reaction from the Bharatiya Janata Party. Sunday's reported attack came amid growing concern among human rights groups about attacks against Christians, who comprise roughly two percent of India's nearly 1.1 billion, mainly Hindu, population.
George said the GCIC is urging "the international community to reciprocate the intolerance towards Christians by banning all Hindu New Age gurus and cults in European, African and American countries with immediate effect." (With reports from India).
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