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India

• Priest Slain at Hermitage

  A Catholic priest in Bangalore, Karnataka, India, was found dead in his hermitage on October 7, apparently the victim of foul play. While not excluding disputes by neighbours, the investigation is particularly centering on threats he had recently received from militant Hindus, according to Zenit.

  Pray for safety for many Christians throughout India, where pressure by militant Hindu groups against Christians has been increasing in recent months, particularly in states where anti-conversion laws have been passed.

• Threats and Violence Follow Verdict

  With the conviction of thirteen Hindu activists in the burning death of missionary Graham Stewart Staines and his two sons in January 1999. Christians in India fear reprisals from militant Hindu groups. According to a report in the Hindustan Times on September 20, a group claiming to defend Dara Singh, who was convicted of the murders, has threatened to kill a Catholic priest in Orissa if the conviction is not overturned. Father Kuriakose received the letter after Singh and the others were convicted on September 15. Police are investigating the validity of the letter.

  In a separate incident, Mid Day Multimedia reported that Hindu activists stopped a prayer meeting in Borivali, India on September 18, driving at least 100 Christians out and locking the hall. The Hindus claimed that the Christians were planning to convert people to Christianity during the meeting, accusing them of using money as inducements for conversion. According to police, they have received complaints from both the Christians and the Hindus and are investigating.

  Pray for inner peace for Christians in India during this time of tension. Pray that violence will not continue and that there might be continued opportunities for Christians to show the love of Christ to their Hindu neighbors.

• Thirteen Convictions in Burning Death of Missionary

  There are fears of violence and repercussions against Christians in India after the conviction of thirteen militant Hindus on September 15, including a popular Hindu activist. The men were convicted of the deaths of Graham Stewart Staines and his sons Philip, 10, and Timothy, 8, in January 1999 when a mob burned their vehicle while they slept outside a church in Manoharpur, in eastern India's Orissa state. Sentences will be handed down on September 22 and may include the death penalty. The man accused of leading the mob, Dara Singh, was considered a hero by many and was hidden by supporters for over a year after the attack before he was finally arrested. After the verdict was announced, Staines' widow and brother both expressed their forgiveness of the men.

  Join with the Indian church in praying for those convicted, that they might yield to the conviction of God's Spirit and seek His forgiveness. Pray that violence will not erupt in response to the verdict. Pray for Gladys Staines, who continued her ministry to the lepers of Orissa after the death of her husband and sons.

• Villagers Beaten For Building a Church

  In the village of Sudsudia in the Maurbhanj district of Orissa, India, Baidhar Bindhani was building a church on land he owned, with the help of other Christians. Tensions flared because local Hindus felt it was too close to a temple, which was 200 metres away. According to a report from Indo-Asian News Service, a mob of five hundred people attacked the villagers, beating them, forcing them to beg forgiveness and bow their heads before Hindu deities. Police have been patrolling the village to help prevent further violence.

  Pray for Bindhani and other Christians in Sudsudia. Pray for a heart of compassion and love for those around them who are without Christ, in spite of the persecution they have faced. Pray for a peaceful resolution to this issue.

• Conversion Law Withstands Court Challenge in Gujarat

  On March 26, the state of Gujarat passed legislation outlawing religious conversion. Court challenges were filed against the new law by religious minority groups. On June 31, the Gujarat High Court dismissed the two writs, one from the All India Christian Council and the other from a Buddhist organization. Pray that Christians will continue to preach the Gospel throughout India and that many will drawn to faith in Christ.

• One Killed; Another Wounded in Grenade Attack

  One teacher was killed and another wounded on May 22 when a grenade was thrown at the gates of Saint Lukes Convent School in Nai Basti, 50 kilometres from Srinagar, the capital of the troubled state of Kashmir. Two women, Sister Kamlesh and Sister Mary Sipkota, both from West Bengal, were injured and taken to hospital. On route, Kamlesh died of her injuries. There have been no arrests, though militant Islamic groups are suspected to be responsible. Muslim clergy and militant Islamic groups in the area have been speaking out against Christians lately because of reports of up to 20,000 converts to Christianity in the past eight years.

  Sipkota told The Indian Express, "We left our campus at St. Lukes at around 7:15 p.m. to go to a phone booth. We wanted to call our homes in West Bengal and just then a grenade hit us from nowhere."

  Pray for a quick and full healing for Sister Mary Sipkota. Pray for other Christians serving in this predominantly Muslim area of India. Pray for protection and the ability to minister effectively in the name of Christ, exhibiting His love and truth to those who oppose Him.

• Anti-Conversion Law Faces Challenges

  The controversial anti-conversion law passed on March 26 in the state of Gujarat has not yet been officially declared law and may yet face revisions, according to news reports received this week by The Voice of the Martyrs.

  According to an article in the Times of India on April 4, the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) has directed the Gujarat government to delete a clause requiring permission from a District Magistrate before any conversion. According to the NCM Chairman, Tarlochan Singh, none of the other states where similar legislation has been passed has a similar requirement. He added, "This clause is in violation of fundamental rights of a citizen ensured in [sic] country's Constitution."

  If the contested clause remains, the Times of India also reports that the state government may incorporate a clause into the Bill that will allow Hindus to convert to Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, and vice-versa, without seeking any permission.

  Though passed by the state assembly, as of last report, the bill had still not been signed into law by Gujarat Governor S. S. Bhandari. There is speculation on the cause, but the governor is under strong pressure, particularly from Christian groups in India.

  Meanwhile, a petition by the All India Christian Council against the bill was rejected by the Gujarat High Court since the bill was not yet law. The Chief Justice of the High Court J. N. Bhatt ruled that it can be challenged only after the governor signs the bill into law.

  Pray that this bill will not be signed into law. Pray that similar laws in Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Tamil Nadu will be overturned and that there will be freedom of faith and conscience throughout India.

• Anti-Conversion Bill Passes Without Debate

  Christians in the Indian state of Gujarat are shocked and vowing to continue to oppose an anti-conversion bill passed on March 26. According to Ecumenical News International, the bill passed without debate. Ironically, this legislation is called the "Freedom of Religious Conversion Bill." It is modeled after similar restrictive legislation in Tamil Nadu. The law provides for three years in prison for any conversion ruled to have been by "use of force or by allurement or by fraudulent means." Any conversion must also receive prior approval from the head of the district or risk one year in prison.

  Pray for wisdom for Christians in Gujarat as they consider the best way to deal with this new legislation. Pray that this bill will not impede the spread of the Gospel and that Christians will demonstrate the Spirit of Christ.

• Concerns for Freedom of Religion Continue

  A series of recent events in India have intensified concerns for the Christian Church in India. Please take these concerns to the Lord as you pray for the India.

  (a) Police joined with local Hindu activists to drive a Christian evangelist from a village in northern India. According to a report from Christian Aid on February 27, Hindu militants threatened him if he didn’t leave and then took him to a local police station, saying he was trying to convert Hindus. The police sided with the militants and he was forced to leave the village.

  (b) In the days leading up to elections in four Indian states, the ruling BJP party used Hindu nationalism in an effort to sway the vote, disregarding the concerns of religious minorities. Four measures in particular have raised concerns of Christians in India:

  (1) The BJP has struck a deal renewing its relationship with the RSS, an organization dedicated to spreading the Hindu culture and the establishment of India as a Hindu nation and who have often used violence as a means to that end.

  (2) A commitment by the BJP to building a Hindu temple on disputed land in Ayodhya. The 16th-century Babri Mosque stood on the site until RSS militants destroyed it in 1992. According to an article in today's Hindustan Times, the Allahabad High Court has ordered excavation to verify if a Ram temple formerly stood on the site in order to determine the rightful owner of the land. The BJP has asked the Muslims to 'gift' the disputed piece of land in the interest of national integration and brotherhood in order that a Hindu temple could be built.

  (3) A nationwide ban on the slaughter of cattle, which are considered holy by Hindus.

  (4) A national ban on religious conversions, similar to that in Tamil Nadu and other Indian states.

  (c) On February 25, Gujarat state government leader Sunder Singh Bhandari introduced the Freedom of Religion Bill to the legislature with a final form of the bill to be decided imminently at a government meeting. Similar bills banning conversions introduced in other states have brought protests by many religious and human rights organizations.

  Pray for the Church in India during this time of uncertainty and pressure by governments. Pray that Christians will be free to worship and practice their religion in this country where Christianity has been active for 2000 years.

• Militant Hindu Group Cleared of Involvement in Missionary's Death

  Four years after the murder of Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons, the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) has claimed that none of the suspects are members of the militant Hindu group, Bajrang Dal. Graham Staines and his two minor sons -- Philip and Timothy -- were burnt alive as they slept in a jeep at Manoharpur in Keonjhar district in Orissa on January 23, 1999. Eyewitnesses to the murder reported that those responsible were shouting, "Bajrang Dal Zindabad" ("Long live Bajrang Dal"). Several of those arrested for the murder were also reported to be members of the group that is actively opposing Christianity and Islam in India, including training volunteers to fight against them.

  The website for Bajrang Dal (www.hinduunity.org) acknowledges that they are a militant organization, saying, "Hindus who love India and wish to protect Hinduism and are willing to die for it are behind this organization." However, Bajrang Dal denies any responsibility for the attack on Staines. "We were framed," said Subash Chouhan, the chief of the Bajrang Dal's Orissa unit. "Now the truth has come to light."

  Christian spokesmen in India believe the group benefits from its close association with national leaders of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

  Pray that the truth will be found as the trials and investigations continue. Pray that there will be complete freedom of religion throughout India; the freedom to believe, practice, and promote their faith. Pray for Christian workers facing continued opposition from individuals and groups such as Bajrang Dal.