Christians Arrested

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On the morning of October 26, police arrested a recent convert to Christianity in the district of Mayapuri, Madhya Pradesh on charges of "insulting religious beliefs," according to an October 26 report from Compass Direct. After arresting the Christian, Ramesh Thakur (37), police pressured him to testify that his pastor, Jagdish Bharti, had coerced him into converting. Police also inquired, in an intimidating manner, whether Thakur had been given his home for converting. The church has been holding Sunday morning prayer meetings at Thakur's home.

Thakur had come to faith in Christ six months ago and has since been worshipping with the Bethel Fellowship Church. Bharti and fifteen others had been arrested on the same charges in June 2006.

On October 27, police arrested a Christian for "causing communal disharmony" after a group of Hindu militants harassed him for selling literature at a Christian evangelistic event near Udayagiri, Orissa, according to an October 31 report from Compass Direct. Amit Kumar Raul was operating a book stall at the event when he was approached by members of the militant group, Hindu Jagaran Samukhya. When they noticed that he was selling a book entitled "Oh, You Hindu, Awake," they began to hurl insults at him and beat him. They then had him arrested by police. At last report, Raul remained in custody after a judge rejected his request for bail. Police told Compass that Raul was arrested to "prevent communal violence."

Indian converts to Christianity have been facing increasing pressure from militant Hindu groups throughout India. In the state of Andhra Pradesh, members of the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatia Janata Party have been calling for the arrest and deportation of missionaries from Canada and the United States. According to an AsiaNews report on October 30, the vice-president of the BJP recently claimed, "Teams of Christian missionaries have fanned out in various tribal areas of Nalgonda district and are forcibly converting tribals to Christianity." He accused the missionaries of giving financial inducements to those willing to convert. He also called on individual Hindus to intervene, since the military is not willing to take action.

Pray that Thakur will follow in the example of faithfulness that has been passed down to him by Pastor Bharti (1 Corinthians 4:9-14, 16). Pray that all charges will be dropped against Thakur, Bharti and Raul. Pray that oppressed believers throughout India will put their hope in the Lord as the One Who upholds their cause (Psalm 146).

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