Concern at Srinagar Sharia court ruling against Pastors

[Dr. John Dayal]

All India Christian Council concern at Srinagar Sharia court
statement against Christian pastors

New Delhi, 13 January 2012

The All India Christian Council is deeply disturbed at the Srinagar
based Sharia Court issuing a statement against Christian pastors Jim
Borst and C M Khanna Srinagar, Jan 11: Supreme Court of Islamic Sharia
Wednesday indicted Christian Pastor C M Khanna and Dutch national, Jim
Borst for their involvement in luring people to convert their
religion. The Sharia court has threatened it will issue a sentence
shortly. Such statements can encourage extremist elements to indulge
in violence, the Council fears.

Christian Council secretary general Dr John Dayal said the church in
India displayed remarkable sobriety and a sense of responsibility in
their response to the arrest in Srinagar of Reverend Chander Mani
Khanna, pastor of the All Saints Church late last year on charges of
conversion on the demand of a local Mufti. It was hoped that religious
and secular authorities, and the state government, would show maturity
and responsibility keeping in view the delicately poised public peace
situation and the hardship the common people have faced at the hands
of terrorists of various hues and other agencies.

The Church does not accept as genuine any conversion brought about by
fraud or force. Dr John Dayal pointed out that a fact finding team
which went to Srinagar in the wake of the arrest of Rev Khanna, and
interviewed Church personnel, Ulema, school, authorities and the
police, found no evidence of force or fraud in baptisms that have been
carried out over a period of time. Each baptism has been proved to be
voluntary. The Christian community in the entire valley does not
number more than 400, and has lived in peace with its neighbours for
the last century and a half

The Council said the Christian community does not accept the
jurisdiction on the Sharia courts or similar instruments of other
religions anywhere in India. The vital issues of the rights of
minorities, and freedom faith are also involved.

Dr John Dayal said it devolves on the Jammu and Kashmir Governmnt,
religious leaders and people of goodwill in the Kashmir valley to
ensure that the nights of minorities are respected, thier welfare
assured, and communal harmony strengthened in the region which so
desperately requires and environment of peace for its development and
wellbeing.