The Voice of the Martyrs was delighted to learn this week that India's new Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, has appointed P.R. Kyndiah from northeast India to become his Minister of Tribal Affairs. Kyndiah is known to be a strong Christian and his appointment, it is hoped, will help stem the rising persecution of Christians that has marked India over the last five years. The electoral defeat of the ruling pro-Hindu BJP government and the appointment of India's first non-Hindu Prime Minister are hopeful signs that religious minorities can expect greater protection than they have in recent years.
Thank God for recent developments in the India government. Pray that militant groups loyal to the former government will not instigate acts of violence against Christians and other religious minorities in retaliation.
For more information on challenges facing the Church in India, click here.
VOMC assists persecuted Christians with legal support and rehabilitation assistance, and cares for children of martyrs by providing them with a safe place to be nurtured physical and spiritually. VOMC also partners to equip Christians in India with Biblical training and works to strengthen and support marginalized and persecuted Christian women. Additionally, VOMC helps to provide medical assistance to believers who have faced injuries after being attacked.”
Ethnicity (%) Indo-Aryan (72), Dravidian (25), other (3)
Religion (%) Hinduism (79.8), Muslim (14.2), Christianity (2.3), Sikh (1.7), other (2)
Leader President Droupadi Murmu (2022)
Government type Federal parliamentary republic
Legal system Based on English common law; separate personal law codes apply to Christians, Hindus and Muslims.
Source: CIA World Factbook
Pray for India
Despite the intimidation and violence that have taken place in many of India's states, may Christians wisely yet unashamedly preach the Gospel. Pray that indigenous Christians and foreign missionaries will minister in ways that do not hint at fraudulent conversions, unmasking the intentions behind the anti-conversion legislation. Intercede for India's leaders, that they may reign with justice and righteousness.
As police officers stood by and watched, hundreds of people attacked 14 Christians in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district on October 30th. The violent incident occurred after the victimized followers of Jesus refused to abandon their Christian faith, despite orders from tribal leaders to do so.
Recently, 11 female evangelists from the southern states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh travelled from Hyderabad (the capital of Telangana state) to Bhagwanpur (a town located within the northeastern state of Bihar) in order to spread the "Good News" of the Gospel in villages surrounding the area.
A church leader in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh has been convicted on false charges of forcing Hindus to convert to Christianity. On September 25th, a court in Jhabua sentenced Pastor Vikas Nimach to five years in prison and ordered him to pay a fine of over $1,600 CAD. His legal team intends to appeal the recent verdict, claiming that the trial lawyer mishandled the proceedings.
A pastor and several members of his church were physically attacked on September 8th when Hindu nationalists raided a worship service in Bhubaneswar, Odisha State. The Christians were accused of forcibly converting Hindus to Christianity.