Tags

India

• Pastor Brutally Killed

  Early on June 8, Pastor Prem Kumar (67) was asked to lead a prayer service in the village of Rampur Thanda in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh later that day. Kumar suspected possible foul play but agreed and asked his son, Sunil, to call his mobile phone every thirty minutes. When he arrived to be picked up at the agreed upon place, he was met by a group of strangers. His suspicions further aroused, he called his son and again asked him to call often.

  Three hours later, Prem Kumar's mobile phone went dead. That evening, when there was still no contact, family members began searching for him. His body was found in the forest near Rampur Thanda.  His head had been smashed with stones beyond recognition.

  Investigating police are denying any religious motivation for the attack, saying the motive was a personal rivalry. However, Sunil said that his father had no enemies and strongly suspects Hindu militants. A number of similar incidents have taken place in recent years in Andhra Pradesh and religious tensions in the state are said to be high.

  Pray that the Holy Spirit will fill the hearts of Kumar's family members with the joy that comes from knowing that they will see him again at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18). Pray that the Lord will be exalted through this tragedy and that people will be drawn to Him (Philippians 1:20). Ask God to bring about true justice in the murder of Pastor Kumar. Also pray that there will be no further incidents of violence against God's people in this region.

  Religious persecution of Christians is increasing in many areas of India. Information is available at India's Country Report.

• Forced Confession Leads to Charges

  According to a June 9 report from Compass Direct, police in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh raided the home of Meera Bai (52) on June 6 after coercing a complaint from her neighbour.

  Meera Bai was entertaining guests when as many as twenty-five police officers burst into her home. They confiscated Bibles and pictures of Jesus and then took Bai, her son and two guests to the police station. There she was met by a large crowd of members of Dharma Sena, a militant Hindu organization, who shouted threats and anti-Christian slogans. Police forced the Christians to sign blank pieces of paper. Bai was then charged under the state's anti-conversion legislation and released on bail.

  After Bai returned home, a nineteen-year-old neighbour confessed that police and Dharma Sena members had forced him to come to the police station and sign a statement that Bai had offered him 2000 rupees ($48 CAD) each month if he would convert to Christianity. It was on the basis of this forced statement that Bai was charged.

  Pray that Bai will find her strength in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 1:8-9). Pray that there will be a strong testimony of God's grace in the community. Pray that Sukhdev will see the character of Christ in Bai and be drawn to a personal relationship with Him (Matthew 5:16).

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in India,click here. The June edition of The Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter features the persecution of Christians in India. The feature article is available online to those who subscribe. Go to our Newsletter page.

• Rajasthan's Anti-Conversion Legislation Resent to Governor

  Rajasthan's governor, Pratibha Patil

  On May 19, the governor of Rajasthan took the unprecedented act of refusing to sign anti-conversion legislation into law (see click here). The governor, Pratibha Patil, believed that the legislation would violate religious freedom. This past week, the government re-sent the legislation to the governor for her signature. If Governor Patil again refuses to sign, the bill will be referred to India's president, Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam. Pray that Governor Patil will have the courage to again refuse to sign this legislation.
• Update on Rape Case

  Last week's Persecution and Prayer Alert reported on the rape of two Christian women after the husband of one refused to recant his faith in Christ (click here for the story). According to a June 9 report from Compass Direct, pressure is mounting on the Christians in area. The head of twelve villages, including Nadia where the women were raped, is demanding that all Christians renounce their faith in Christ or leave the area. Furthermore, Pandya Patel declared that anyone who speaks to the police about him or about the rapes, regardless of their religion, will be expelled from the area.

  Attempts to silence reports about the rapes have expanded into official circles as well. On June 5, Indira Iyengar, a member of the Madhya Pradesh State Minorities Commission, brought the rape victims to the state capital to meet the governor. A press conference was also called to highlight the incident, but members of the militant organization Bajrang Dal disrupted the press conference and warned Iyengar not to accuse them of attacking Christians. Iyengar has now been ordered to give justification as to why she should not be removed from the commission for holding a press conference without approval of the commission chair.

• EMI Leaders Face New Charges

  Authorities in the Kota district of Rajasthan, India have reportedly brought new charges against Emmanuel Mission International (EMI) leaders. EMI founder, Archbishop M.A. Thomas, and his son, Dr. Samuel Thomas, EMI president, have been charged with "exciting... disaffection towards the government of India." These charges stem from a map found on the website of Georgia-based Hopegivers International, the funding organization for EMI. The map excluded the states of Jammu and Kashmir. Conviction under these charges could result in life imprisonment. Both men remain on bail at present.

• Two Christian Women Gang Raped

  After receiving encouragement from the head of their village, as many as ten men from Nadia, Madhya Pradesh raped two Christian women after the husband of one of the women refused to deny Christ. Reports from the village vary but according to a June 2 report from Compass Direct, Gokharya Barela was beaten by local villagers on May 28 and then taken to the nearby village of Sirvil, where the village court demanded that he forsake his faith. When he refused to do so, the village head ordered that Barela be forced to drink wine. He then told the villagers that they were free to rape Christian women without fear of repercussions. That evening, Barela's wife and another Christian woman were raped by several of the villagers. When Barela and others attempted to intervene, they were beaten.

  The following morning, local leaders of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) filed charges against missionaries from neighbouring Maharashtra state for carrying out "mass conversions to Christianity." While no missionary was named, the BJP leaders mentioned the Christians attacked the previous day.

  When the Christians went to the Bhagwanpura police station to report on what had happened to them, they were arrested and jailed for a day.  At a press conference, one of the rape victims said, "Police say that our complaint is fake. They don't listen to us. We have nowhere to go." The women were able to name their alleged rapists but, at last report, none have been arrested. This brutal attack is widely seen as punishment by Hindu militants for converting from Hinduism to Christianity.

  Pray that the Christians affected by this tragedy will entrust true justice to the hand of God (Romans 12:17-21). Pray that these believers will remain steadfast in the faith (1 Peter 5:8-10). Ask God to give them healing from the emotional and physical scars of these attacks and fill their hearts with His love (Matthew 5:43-44). Pray that the authorities will bring the attackers to justice.

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in India,click here.

• Christian Family Driven Out by Animists

  A family from the village of Dubalia in the Indian state of Jharkhand was forced from their home and driven from their village, according to a May 26 report from Compass Direct. Animists in the village were opposed the presence of Santosh Karmali and his family because they believed that they "polluted the atmosphere of the village." 

  Santosh was forced to sign an agreement on May 21 that obliged him to forfeit his family's land.  His wife, Shiva Devi was tonsured (shaved) and lime powder was applied to her face. She was then paraded around the village before the villagers chased the couple and their three sons, Amar, Vikram and Preetam, out of the village. Santosh's father and mother were among those who drove them from Dubalia.

  Santosh and his family are recent converts from animism. They have been barred from ever returning to their village.

  Pray that Santosh Karmali and his family will find comfort in the fact that their Heavenly Father accepts them as His own, even when everyone else has rejected them (Psalm 27:10). Pray that Santosh and his family will be encouraged and strengthened in their new faith. Pray for the salvation of Santosh's father and mother.

  For more information on the persecution facing Christians in India,click here.

• Rajasthan's Governor Refuses to Sign Anti-Conversion Bill

  Rajasthan's governor, Pratibha Patil

  On April 12, the Persecution and Prayer Alert reported that anti-conversion legislation had passed the Rajasthan state legislature and would come into effect once details had been worked out (click here for more details). What was unforeseen was a move on May 19 by the state governor, Pratibha Patil, who refused to sign the bill into law, saying that it would violate religious freedom.  Upon returning the bill to the state assembly, the governor said the bill could be referred to India's president if the assembly so desired. While Rajasthan's government is controlled by the Hindu-based Bharatiya Janata Party, the federal government is controlled by the more secular United Progressive Alliance.

  "We are happy that the governor took a bold step," said Dr. Joseph D'souza, president of the All India Christian Council. Praise the Lord that Governor Patil has listened to the concerns of religious minorities in her state and has stopped this legislation. Continue to pray for religious equality in India.

  Be sure to receive next month's edition of The Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter which features the persecution to India's Christians. Subscribe today on our newsletter page. VOMC is also pleased to offer for sale Joseph D'souza's book, "Dalit Freedom," online for only $10.00.  Go to our online catalogue for more details.

• Woman Accuses Her Family of Forcible Conversion

  A woman in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India has accused six of her uncles and their pastor of trying to forcefully convert her to Christianity.  According to a May 11 report from Compass Direct, the men claim that the accusations stem from a dispute over a drainage channel that flows by her door. They allege that, rather than trying to resolve the immediate issue, Saroj Maurya went to the local newspapers and accused her uncles and their pastor, Mehboob Masih, of attempting to force her to convert to Christianity.

  As a result of the accusations, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a campaign against Pastor Masih. On May 6, three local BJP leaders threatened to kill him if he did not stop holding prayer meetings in his home. Later that day, a senior police officer ordered Masih not to hold the prayer meeting the following day and said police would not be responsible if any "untoward incident" took place. He also threatened to arrest Masih if there were any disturbances.  When Masih filed a complaint with the authorities on May 7, the police refused to give him a signed copy of his complaint as required by law. Instead, they informed him that a forcible conversion case had been filed against him.

  Pray that these men will maintain the attitude of Christ, entrusting themselves to God Who judges perfectly (I Peter 5:1-4). Ask the Lord to protect Pastor Masih from any attempts on his life. Also ask God to give him wisdom as he provides spiritual leadership to these believers (James 1:5). Pray that the prayer meetings will continue uninterrupted.

  For more information on the persecution facing Christians in India,click here.  A newly-released video report on the trials facing Christians in India is available at https://www.vomcanada.com/.

• Hindu Militants Attack Church Accused of Forcible Conversions

  On May 14, Hindu militants beat a recent convert and the pastor of an independent church in Jabalpur, India and vandalized the building following the worship service, according to a May 15 report from Compass Direct.

  About fifty members of the militant organization Dharam Jagran Sena threw stones at the Anant Jeevan Marg church before entering the building. They damaged furniture and equipment and beat Dinanath Tiwari, a former Hindu who had recently come to faith in Christ after his wife was cured of cancer.  The militants then roughed up Pastor Munnu Kujur and threatened to throw acid in his face and bomb his church if he did not stop converting Hindus to Christianity.  The mob took Kujur to the police station where he was charged under Madhya Pradesh's anti-conversion legislation. He was only released from custody after the Christian Legal Association of India intervened.  Tiwari has filed a counter-claim against four of the militants for their attack on him.

  Pray that Dinanath's young faith will be strengthened through the trials that he has endured (James 1:1-4). Pray that this congregation will trust God to enable them to proclaim the Gospel regardless of what their opponents might say or do. (2 Timothy 4:16-18). Pray that Pastor Kujur know God's wisdom as he faces these charges.

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in India,click here. The June edition of The Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter will feature testimonies and reports of the courage and suffering of our brothers and sisters in India. To subscribe today, go to our newsletter page.