Another church vandalised in Delhi, fifth incident in two months

NEW DELHI: Yet another church in Delhi was vandalised by unidentified miscreants on Sunday night, this time in the posh Vasant Kunj area. This was the fifth such incident in the last two months and comes close on the heels of the Delhi assembly elections on Saturday, prompting some members of the Christian community to call it a “hate campaign” unleashed by certain elements to break the religious harmony in Delhi.

The parish priest of St Alphonsa’s church, Father Vincent Salvatore, said unidentified miscreants forced entry into the church in the wee hours of Monday, broke open the tabernacle on the altar and desecrated the Holy Eucharist by spilling it all over, apart from damaging a number of sacred items. The Church had no CCTVs and the police are looking at the footage of a CCTV near the Church to ascertain the identity of the perpetrators. The Home Ministry has also asked for a report on this. The Delhi Police has registered a simple case of theft in the present case though that they added they were looking “at all angles.”

Delhi Archbishop Anil Couto slammed the government for failing to protect minorities and their religious structures. “The Centre should act swiftly in the matter and ensure that the law and order situation is properly maintained and religious harmony and social peace is upheld. The attacks on churches in Delhi certainly would cause irreparable damage to the country’s reputation in the world as India is known for religious tolerance and unity in diversity,” he said, terming the attacks as part of a “hate campaign” by certain groups.

The Archbishop pointed out that the present attack came despite amid highsecurity scenario in Delhi following the Republic Day and just before the assembly elections. “It reflects a lot on the government and its failure to give protection to minorities and their religious structures…it is yet another act of vandalism and targeted attack on our churches in Delhi. The growing number of attacks on churches in different parts of the country is aimed at creating a fear psychosis among the community,” the Delhi Archbishop alleged.

The Home Ministry had asked the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi to set up a Special Investigation Team after the first incident of attack on St Sebastian’s Church in Dilshad Garden but little headway could be made. The Ministry is concerned over such attacks, a senior official said.