....Crimes of Hindu Extremist groups continued......... February 2003 - The Criminal Investigation Department of Gujarat state has been conducting surveys among the Christian community in preparation for an anti-conversion bill scheduled to be considered by the state legislature in late March. Christians have complained that the surveys have been conducted in a very intimidating way. The surveys demanded information on the number of conversions, the reason for these conversions, as well as information on funding from overseas. The All-India Christian Council filed a complaint with the Gujarat High Court over the use of the surveys, which have currently been halted. Last year similar surveys were conducted in the Muslim community just prior to brutal attacks on the Muslim community by Hindu fundamentalists. (Compass Direct) February 18, 2003 - An Indian evangelist and several of his team members were beaten while showing the Jesus film in Jharkhand. Twenty-six-year-old Titus was strangled, punched, and beaten with sticks until he passed out. Christian friends carried him to their house where an angry crowd later gathered to demand that Titus renounce his faith. He was beaten again when he refused to deny Christ. Currently the village leaders are refusing to return Titus's video equipment without a ransom and have demanded that he and two Christian families from the village provide food for 2,000 village people for two days. Village leaders may be plotting a way to force the two Christian families to return to an animist faith. (Gospel for Asia) February 2003 - The BJP government is beginning to align itself more closely with the RSS and VHP (see extremist groups above) to advance the Hindutva agenda. It is feared that a national anti-conversion law similar to the one currently in place in Tamil Nadu may not be far off. Some new cabinet members are aggressively anti-missionary. (WEA) February 2003 - Compass Direct reported that a list of at least 50 missionaries has been given to Indian authorities by the VHP, in hopes that they will be deported on visa violations such as the one used against Joseph Cooper (see below). This could create difficulties for missionaries teaching in seminaries and Bible colleges. January 20, 2002 - Missionary Joseph Cooper (see January 13, 2002 below) was ordered to leave the country within a week after being released from the hospital in Trivandrum. Police Superintendent Vinod Kumar said Mr. Cooper had violated the terms of his vistor's visa by preaching. (Washington Times) January 13, 2002 - Joseph Cooper, a 67-year-old missionary from Pennsylvania was attacked by Hindu fanatics outside of Trivandrum in Kerala. Cooper was beaten with sticks and cut with a machete as he was returning from a church meeting. Indian pastor Benson Sam and his wife also sustained injuries in the attack. Cooper was taken to a Trivandrum hospital where he is being treated for a deep wound to his right palm and other cuts and bruises. RSS activists are believed to have been responsible.