INDIA: Tensions are brewing between Hindu and Christian communities in South India. On Sunday, a mob attacked three churches near India's IT hub Bangalore city.

Local police claim the attack on three churches in the southern Indian state of Karnataka is an act of vandalism.

Many other churches have been attacked there in a similar fashion.

On September 14, suspected activists of right-wing Hindu group Bajrang Dal targetted at least nine churches, protesting alleged conversion of Hindus to Christianity.

Christians, who comprise 2.3 per cent of the country's population of more than 1.1 billion, have asked the state government for protection.

Yediyurappa, Chief Minister, Karnataka, said: “It appears some anti-social elements, encouraged by anti-government forces, are trying to create disturbance in the state to bring a bad name to the new government which is becoming popular through its programmes and performance. We will not tolerate any attempts to disturb peaceful coexistence of people of Karnataka."

The incident in Bangalore comes on the heels of a series of attacks against churches in central Madhya Pradesh and eastern Orissa states.

Last month at least 16 people, mostly Christians, were killed as churches were destroyed.

Ten thousand Christians were also forced to flee their homes as violence spread in rural districts of Orissa.

Terence Matthew, priest, Holy Name of Jesus Church, said: "The way they have done, we all as Christian Catholics, we condemn. What we can do is we pray to God, that these people, they have grown in age but have not matured. Their intelligence, their mind is not grown. So, we pray to the Lord, that Lord bless them, bless their families, and give them the right understanding."

According to statistics, nearly 70 per cent of Christians in India are Dalits - considered to be at the lowest strata of the caste system.

Many of them are poor, uneducated and jobless.

Hardline Hindus accuse missionaries of bribing poor tribals and low-caste Hindus to convert to Christianity, by offering free education and healthcare.

However, churches said that low caste Hindus convert to escape discrimination as Dalits are considered to be untouchables.

Some states have tried to bring about anti-conversion laws to stop Hindu conversions to other faiths.

Incidentally, all the states where these attacks took place are governed or supported by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, whose main election plank is Hindutva - or integrating people into a Hindu way of life.

"Christians in the state of Karnataka, which is supported by the BJP feel hurt by the local government's apathy. They said the state would have handled the situation differently, had a Hindu temple been attacked instead of a Church. - CNA/vm