More than 10,000 families and 50,000-plus members belonging to at least two Internet groups have signed a petition, urging Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to put a stop to the hate campaign against Christians in Mangalore.
The petition, initiated by Derrick D’Costa of Mangalore, has been sent to the PM on Tuesday. Similarly, four more petitions on the Orissa violence are at present running live on the Net.
Derrick D’Costa said, “The online petition was a dire need of our community, which is being prepared for wholesale genocide by certain groups in India.”
Besides, he said, “It is, nevertheless, true that civil society and the ruling coalition as a whole is equally culpable. These matters will be internationalised and acted upon.”
The petotion urged the PM to intervene. “Your timely intervention will save India from a probable disaster.”
The message, reflecting the Christians community’s anger across the globe, reads: “You can break down the concrete pillars or crosses, but you can’t break down the church; because the church is in the hearts of the people.”
While some signatories demanded that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal be banned, others called for introspection, saying, “I am a Christian. What Hindu fanatics have been doing is wrong. but have we Christians provoked them by our unspoken arrogance or attitude of superiority?”
{{/usCountry}}While some signatories demanded that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal be banned, others called for introspection, saying, “I am a Christian. What Hindu fanatics have been doing is wrong. but have we Christians provoked them by our unspoken arrogance or attitude of superiority?”
{{/usCountry}}However, alleging that the timing, planning and subsequent police brutalities point to a possible involvement of a section of the state government, the petition said the organisations that sponsor hate crimes be declared as criminal organisations.