Government restrictions on religious conversion in India’s Jharkhand State are the most recent attempt by the historically Hindu nation to retain political sway over its tribal peoples.
Christians in southern India are increasingly living in fear as the level of violence against them continues to rise, sources said.
At least 10 pastors were arrested with their families last Sunday as they worshiped in church services across the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, a leading persecution watchdog has reported.
International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) severely injured three pastors in an attack on Saturday, September 8. The attack took place under the close watch of local policemen in Premnagar, located in the Barely District of India’s Uttar Pradesh State, where Christians were holding a two-day spiritual retreat. Pastor Ashok Benjamin, Pastor Vijay Masih, and Pastor Shivcharan were among those injured in the assault, sustaining wounds to their heads, hands, and lower backs.
International Christian Concern (ICC) has documented at least 15 separate anti-Christian incidents across India in the past 14 days. These incidents include physical assaults, a church demolition, forced conversions, false accusations of forced conversions, and social boycotts.
Authorities in India’s eastern state of Jharkhand have accused 25 evangelists of allegedly trying to convert tribal Hindu villagers to Christianity.
UK-based religious freedom advocacy Christian Solidarity Worldwide has called for the release of four Christians who were arrested in the Indian state of Jharkhand in late May on anti-conversion charges.
Amid growing extreme Hindu nationalism in India, dozens of speakers have called for concerted action to uphold the country’s constitution and fundamental rights, at a conference to mark four years of government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Indian police say they have found the beheaded body of a popular Pentecostal pastor near a thick forest in the eastern state of Jharkhand.
Uttarakhand has become the seventh state in India to put ‘anti-conversion’ legislation in force.
In a village in northern India, pastor Rakesh Kumar Masih passed out from the pain of Hindu extremists beating his genitals, and they left him for dead.
Tribal animists upset that Christians tried to bury one of their dead in a village in eastern India seriously injured a 13-year-old girl and others who tried to protect a Christian woman the villagers threatened to burn alive.
The body of a pastor in southern India was found hung from the thatched roof of his house early Saturday morning (Jan. 20), a week after he complained to police about opposition from Hindu extremists, sources said.
When Hindu extremists in India told pastor Karma Oraon they would not stop beating him until he worshipped the monkey god, he felt Christ close to him, he said.
International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that at least 23 religiously-motivated attacks took place during the 2017 Christmas season, including attacks on carolers and open threats against Christian celebrations. The attacks have led to several Christians’ hospitalization and imprisonment. The persecution created such fear among the Christian community that many Christians did not celebrate Christmas this year.
Christians and others in India celebrated Christmas despite fears of an anti-Christian backlash in some parts of the predominantly Hindu country.
Seven Christians in India have been booked on charges of hurting religious feelings after Hindu extremists savagely beat them when they gathered to pray for a sick man at his home, sources said.
Berating and slapping two pastors into signing an apology letter before police, Hindu extremists stopped a planned three-day gospel meeting in Chhattisgarh state, India minutes before it was to begin, sources said.
Officials and police in Tamil Nadu state, India, have ordered 10 churches to discontinue worship services, sources said.
On September 17, 2017, suspected Hindu radicals attacked an Assembly of God church in India’s Karnataka state. After the attack, church attendance has plummeted as Christians in the area fear another attack. It is not surprising that attacks are increasing in Karnataka as state elections are scheduled to occur early next year. Hindu hardline groups want to silence Christians and ensure that they are unable to practice their faith.