Bomb explosions in four churches in India last week are part of a nationwide attack...

...Three people were injured in Andhra Pradesh, in the east, Goa, in the west, and southern Karnataka state. A Catholic priest in Mathura, about 90 miles from New Delhi, was beaten to death by unidentified attackers last week. At a press conference June 10, the leaders listed 35 other attacks against Christians this year.

...The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a Hindu spiritual group that gave rise to the political party that rules India, is responsible for the violence, the leaders said. "There is a definite strategy and plan at the national level -- these forces at work want to intimidate Christians," de Lastic said. Government leaders denied that the RSS is responsible, noting that investigations into the bombings have just started, AP reported.

...The government's silence is troubling to Christians. Government leaders suggested that Pakistani security forces carried out the attacks, angering Christians who believe they are covering up for fellow Hindus. Christians are "sick of the statements and are not fooled by the utterances of the central government," the All India Christian Council said in a written statement, according to Reuters.

...Christians have been under increased attack since the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power two years ago. A number of priests were attacked and churches burned in Gujarat state last year, and Australian missionary Graham Staines and his children were murdered by a mob in Orissa state in January 1999. Christians comprise about 2.3% of the 1 billion population, which is predominantly Hindu.