Three Christian tribal women, who were intimidated and assaulted by Hindu activists at a railway station in central India’s Chhattisgarh state four months ago — an incident that also led to the arrest of two Catholic nuns — have begun a relay hunger strike demanding justice.
The women, joined by their families and supporters, launched an “indefinite relay fast” on Nov. 10 outside the Narayanpur district headquarters. “The women were forced to take this extreme step as police failed to register a case against their attackers–Hindu activists,” said Phulsingh Kachlam, district secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI), which is backing their protest.
The Chhattisgarh State Women’s Commission, a statutory body, had on Oct. 8 directed the state’s Director General of Police to file a case based on the women’s complaints. The official was given two weeks to comply and report back. But the order remains unimplemented. “Nothing has been done,” one of the women said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “We will continue our fast until we get justice.” Their demand is straightforward, she said — to register a police case documenting the incident.
The July 25 assault took place at Durg railway station, where the women and two nuns from the Assisi Sisters of Mary Immaculate — Sisters Vandana Francis and Preeti Mary — were stopped by Hindu activists, including some women.
Christian leaders say Hindu groups target Christians in their attempt to turn India into a Hindu-only nation. Last year, the United Christian Forum, a New Delhi-based ecumenical rights group, documented 165 anti-Christian incidents in the state — the second-highest number in India. Christians make up less than 2 percent of Chhattisgarh’s roughly 30 million people.
