February 22, 2010 John Malhotra - Two churches were burnt and members of the Christian community attacked after tension erupted Saturday over the publication of a poster depicting Jesus Christ in an offensive manner in Batala, Punjab.

Police said trouble began after some Christian youths were protesting against an objectionable picture of Jesus holding a beer can and a cigarette in some newspapers.

"In most of the places the protest was peaceful but in Batala Town of District Gurdaspur the situation took turn for the worst, when some youth demanded the downing of the shutters in Hindu dominated market," Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) reported.

"Resistance on the part of these shopkeepers led to clashes between the two communities. The violence gradually spread to the entire city when Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena came out on the roads with weapons and indulged in arson, looting and violence," it added.

Two churches - Church of North in India and Salvation Army Church - were reportedly vandalized and "the priests in charge of these churches were brutally thrashed and their houses ransacked.”

Following the vandalism, an indefinite curfew was clamped in Batala and additional forces were deployed in sensitive areas. Over 2,000 cops were deployed to keep a vigil.

Meanwhile, the printing press where the controversial poster was printed has been sealed and the owner arrested.

"Culprits behind the blasphemous act of showing disrespect to the image of Lord Jesus have been arrested by the special team of Punjab police," IANS quoted state Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, as saying.

He added: "We appeal to the people of Punjab to maintain peace and harmony in the state. A special security group is interrogating the culprits and they would investigate their motive behind this act.”

According to sources, the offensive poster was first displayed on a Ram Navmi hoarding in Jalandhar where a religious procession was to be taken out. While portraying all deities, the poster depicted Jesus with a cigarette and a beer can.

Prior to this, in the state of Meghalaya, resentment was already sparked among Christians after a similar image was seen in a primary school textbook.

The New Delhi-based Skyline Publications that published the textbook was subsequently banned in all Catholic schools and a case registered against the publisher.

The National Council of Churches in India (NCCI) condemned the act and demanded the publisher to offer an unconditional apology for “hurting the sentiments of Christians in the country.”