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India

• Church Buildings Destroyed by Militants

  

  In two separate incidents that took place on February 5th, church buildings in India were destroyed by those opposed to Christian ministry. One of the demolished churches was a Catholic place of prayer and hospitality that is located near the city of Mangalore, Karnataka; the other was a Protestant place of worship in the village of Kistaram, Chhattisgarh. For previous reports addressing the persecution of Christians in India, go to our country report.

• Christians Injured in Mob Attack

  

  A Christian advocate has challenged the state government of Chhattisgarh for being directly responsible for the ongoing violence perpetrated against members of the Christian minority. Arun Pannalal, the president of Chhattisgarh's Christian Forum, recounts at least ten reported incidents of Christian persecution in five different locations across the state since early January – and more than 200 incidents during the past two years. "It is a complete failure of the state government," he states.

• Nationalists Demand Cancellation of Church Services

  

  Churches in the Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh, India, are voicing concerns after the Hindu nationalist group Vishwa Hindu Parishad issued a document demanding the cancellation of all meetings held "for conversions and activities of this type." On November 22nd, hundreds of Hindu activists attended a rally to condemn what they allege are mass conversion activities by Christians among tribal people in the district.

• Politician Claims Associating with Religious Minorities ''Will Destroy You''

  

  A member of the legislature in Madhya Pradesh is facing backlash from religious minority leaders after cautioning Hindus from keeping company with Christians or Muslims. Rameshwar Sharma, a member of the ruling BJP Hindu nationalist party, even urged Hindus to stop using the phrase, "Good morning," a greeting he associates with Western culture and Christianity. The comments were made while Sharma was speaking at an annual Hindu festival on October 17th.

  Religious leaders have expressed concerns about this prevalent attitude among members of the BJP since such comments serve only to drive a wedge between communities. Catholic archbishop Leo Cornelio said that the remarks "hurt the sentiments of peace-loving people" and divert from important issues such as illiteracy, malnutrition and unemployment.

• Christians Protest Proposed Legislation and Pastor's Arrest

  

  Hundreds of Christians in India participated in a peaceful rally on October 25th in protest against proposed anti-conversion laws, as well as a recent mob attack on a church that resulted in the arrest of the pastor.

• Pastor Arrested After Large Protest

  

  A protest led by Hindu militants against alleged religious conversions resulted in a standoff with police and charges against a Christian pastor. On Sunday, October 17th, activists belonging to two Hindu nationalist organizations, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal, forced their way into a small church in Hubballi, a city located in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. A video of the incident shows dozens of protesters sitting inside the Bairidevarkoppa Church singing Hindu devotional songs.

• Violent Attack During Worship Service

  

  A frenzied mob of more than 200 people burst into a worship service on Sunday, October 3rd, and began beating Christians, vandalizing the building, and looting items belonging to the church. The violent incident happened in Roorkee, a city located in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand.

• Pastors Charged Due to Anti-Conversion Laws

  

  Seven pastors were arrested on October 10th in the Mau district of Uttar Pradesh, India. They were accused of violating the state's anti-conversion legislation, and subsequently charged with "illegal assembly."

• Christian Teenager Dies After Acid Attack

  

  On August 11th, Nitish Kumar – a Christian teenager from northern India's Bihar state – was attacked with acid, leaving much of his body with severe burns. For more on the incident, view this report.

• Christians Beaten After Mob Storms Police Station

  

  Acting on accusations from Hindu nationalists, police raided a gathering of the New Life Fellowship Ministry in Raipur, the capital of India's Chhattisgarh state, on September 5th. The complainants had accompanied the police and attempted to enter the church but were prevented from doing so. The officers then requested that Pastor Harish Sahu report to the local police station.