India: Radical Hindus demand ban on Catholic schools

On 18 June 2015 AsiaNews reported that a radical Hindu organization called Hindu Janajagruti Samiti seeks to get Catholic schools banned from India. The call was launched during the All India Hindu Convention, held from 11 to 17 June in Ramnathi village (Goa). The extremist Hindus stated that Catholic schools do not allow students to follow their Hindu religious traditions. Christians have reacted by simply pointing to the fact that those who attend Christian schools do so of their own free will because they receive an excellent education. Rolf Zeegers, persecution analyst for World Watch Research (WWR), comments: "The call of the Hindu radicals is mainly symbolic. Few people in India will support such a move as the Christian schools in India have an excellent reputation for the quality of education, far above the level of the state schools. In fact, many parents will go to great lengths to get their children placed at Christian schools." "The fact that they are not shying away from attacking such a popular institution with an almost impeccable reputation is a mere indication of the determination of the Hindu radicals to turn India into a Hindu nation - they will stop at nothing. In this respect, the Church in India has received yet another warning."