Babu Thomas, /ChristianToday/ Jan 2, 2010 - The Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) has recorded 152 incidents of anti-Christian violence in 2009.

In a report published last month, EFI released the partial list of major incidents that predominantly occurred in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.

Persecution watchdog Global Council of Indian Christians has also prepared a similar report which has graphed the communally hot spot areas across India.

According to the Bangalore-based group, there have been total 177 attacks and Karnataka tops all states with 72 incidents of violence.

Christian community has been the target of attacks in Karnataka ever since BJP installed its first government, explains Rev. Dr. Richard Howell, general secretary of the EFI.

The most horrific attack against Christians in the history of Church in India occurred in the wake of VHP leader Laxmananda Saraswati's death in Kandhamal, Orissa on the night of 23 August 2008.

Though Maoists claimed responsibility for the murder, the VHP blamed local Christians and revenged the death with large-scale violence that lasted for over two months.

Says Howell, "Persecution of Christians in India is as old as Christianity itself. St Thomas, a disciple of Christ, who came to India, was martyred in about AD 52 in South India."

He notes that "even in the Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic of India, Christians became a political target in 1998 when India had its first coalition government led by the BJP which promotes Hindu cultural nationalism."

Nevertheless, the Christians response to these atrocities, points Howell, has been one of forgiveness and appeal to the government urging protection of life and property of its citizens.

A report released on December 2009 by respected American thinktank Pew Research Centre has placed India second only to Iraq in social hostility and religious bias perpetrated by individuals and groups.