Indian NGO Distorting Routine Incidents as “Christian Persecution” to Defame India Abroad

Vinayak Barot

NEW DELHI, Dec 7: India-based non-government organization “Persecution Relief” is believed to be deliberately distorting some crime and other incidents to give them a colour of minority persecution, particularly the Christians, in a bid to create disharmony between the Hindus and Christians in the country.

The reality came to light after some of such alleged Christian-bashing reports shared with the media by the Persecution Relief were investigated by another India-based NGO, “Legal Rights Protection Forum” (LRPF). The LRPF found that in most of such cases the reality was different than what were claimed by Persecution Relief, which was also believed to be deliberately trying to lower India’s image among the Christian countries.

It was learnt that as soon as LRPF started investigating into its reports, the Persecution Relief shut down its website with a notice “we will be back soon.”

Case-1:- Sometimes back the Hindustan Times media house reported that “Odisha cops exhume body parts of youth killed over suspicion of witchcraft”. The alleged killers were all from the same village as the deceased and some of them were his relatives.

But a website carrying only reports concerning Christians published the news as ‘Christian boy stabbed and stoned to death for his faith in Eastern India. A tribal mob, incited by Hindu extremists, killed the 16-year-old, falsely accusing him and other targeted Christians of practicing black magic’.

The same story was picked and shared by Muslim Mirror and ‘Persecution Relief’ NGO documented this case as a 14-year-old Christian boy being murdered in cold blood by a group of ‘religious fanatics’ in the east Indian state of Odisha’

Case-2:- The New Indian Express media reported that “Congress worker killed by suspected Naxals in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district. Sahdev Samrat (30), a native of Thothapara area, was attacked with sharp-edged weapons on Saturday night when he went to attend a wedding in the nearby Kostapara area in Bhairamgarh town”

‘Persecution Relief’ NGO published it as a ‘Brother Sachdev Samrath, a 48 year old tribal Christian was murdered… because of their opposition to conversion, Naxalites believed he was a police informer.’

Case-3:- Speaking to Asia News – The founder of the ‘Persecution Relief’ Shibu Thomas said that “Anant Ram Gond had converted to Christianity nine months ago and had been baptized two months ago had attracted the ire of the villagers, mostly Hindu fanatics. They armed the Naxals who physically committed the murder.”

Unfortunately, the story as peddled by Sabrang and Persecution Relief has as many holes as a tea sieve. Their own Facebook posts clearly show that victim Anant Ram Gond was killed by Naxalites for fear of spilling their secrets to the police.

A killing that had nothing to do either with ‘Hindu fanatics’ or the Christian faith of the deceased, was twisted into yet another tale ‘Christian persecution’ by ‘Hindu fanatics’ by Persecution Relief and Sabrang India.

Case-4:-Murder of Munglu Ram Nareti in Chattisgarh – On this incident local media reported that Naxalites killed a person on suspicion of being a police informer.

On this incident – In its annual report 2019 page 50 – ‘the Persecution Relief’ published that “Munglu Ram Nureti from Kohkameta village in Chhattisgarh was killed because villagers who were opposed to his practicing the Christian faith falsely reported him as a police informer to the Maoists. The intruders then ordered Minka to call her husband, a father of five who had left the animist practices of his tribal fellows three years ago to follow Christ.”

Case-5:- Murder of pastor Gideon Periasamy in Tamil Nadu

A case of suicide by hanging of a Christian pastor was twisted as ‘brutal torture and murder’ by Persecution Relief and other Christian organisations.

Tamil daily Dinamalar reported it as a case of suicide. The New Indian express reported it as suicide that ‘raises eyebrows’.

Persecution Relief straightaway wrote ‘brutally beaten, tortured before being murdered ‘

Within 2 days of the incident an online petition was prepared on www.change.org  site with strong accusations against Hindu organisations and individuals. The online petition says ‘The Christian Minority and a Dalit Pastor Mr. Gideon Periyasamy has been murdered on 20 Jan 2018, by the above said four accused who were Hindutva Extremist of Hindu Munnani and High Caste Fanatics.’

A 25-minute lengthy video in Tamil language was uploaded about the deceased Pastor Mr. Gideon Periyasamy which was interspersed with scenes from Graham Staines film and narration of his killing. His funeral was covered. Scenes of clashes from old videos were stitched together to evoke strong emotions from watchers and to convince the audience that Pastor Gideon was indeed murdered by ‘Hindu fanatics’.

The news was promptly picked up by international Christian websites with headlines screaming “Indian pastor tortured, beaten and then hung to death from the rafters of his church”.

Even before police could investigate the crime, the scene of the crime was disturbed and twisted. However, it turned out to be a clear case of suicide. Only a blood clot around the throat and neck where the main pressure from the rope had choked the pastor. There were bruises and welts but no other traces of blood on his body.

There are many incidents which are already published in different angle by Persecution Relief and other Christian organisations and reality of the incidents not published. The way ‘the Persecution Relief’ NGO is working – it could damage the image of India at international level.

The Persecution Relief closed its websites immediately which shows that there could be something wrong. According to sources the Persecution Relief NGO may be associated with anti-national elements.

Apart from Persecution Relief going on the defensive, the Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America (FIACONA) which recently hosted the webinar titled ‘Hate Crimes against Christians in India’ has made the video of the webinar private on YouTube.

In the video the members of FIACONA and Persecution Relief expressed their satisfaction at getting India included in the top 14 countries, moving from 28 in 2015 but regretted that they couldn’t get sanctions imposed on India by US Govt. The video of this webinar is no more available for public to see.

Nehemiah Christie, Co-Chair at Global Christian Ministers Federation, who in a tweet said “Conversion is my privacy and the law of the land gives that freedom” also put out a series of tweets condemning The Commune, LRPF and others who came in support of the article.

We urge pur Hon’ble @PMOIndia and @HMOIndia , kindly direct the Government mechanisms to investigate and take needed action against this handle @TheCommuneMag who helps our own fellow citizens in times of danger to be called and named #AntiNational https://t.co/uB929H3dGY

— Nehemiah Christie (@NehemiahHRD) December 2, 2020