10/23/2020 India (International Christian Concern) – According to Asia News, a Christian cemetery in India’s Tamil Nadu state was desecrated last weekend by unknown individuals. People of all faith backgrounds and political parties, except BJP politicians, condemned the incident and presented three resolutions to the local government to compensate the damaged Christian community and prevent similar incidents.
According to Bishop Antonysamy Savarimuthu, unknown individuals broke into the cemetery of Sacred Heart Church at Udayarpatti, located in Tirunelveli, on the night of October 17. The vandals went on to desecrated 40 Christian graves, broke crosses, and vandalized statues of Christian saints.
Bishop Savarimuthu labeled the incident a meticulously planned and calculated act of desecration and vandalism. He went on to say the incident was perpetrated to deeply wound the religious sentiments of the local Christian community.
On October 19, people of all religious faiths and political parties, except the BJP, met with the local authorities to condemn the act of vandalism. Three resolutions were presented to local authorities demanding the culprits behind the incident be arrested, compensation be given to the damaged church community, and assurances be given that similar incidents will not happen again.
Attacks on Christians and their places of worship has dramatically increased in recent years in India. These attacks are often perpetrated by radical Hindu nationalists who believe India should be a nation only for Hindus.
