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India

• Christian Students Beaten and Forced to Leave

  Militants from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bajrang Dal beat and robbed a group of 280 Christian students on their way to a graduation ceremony in Kota, India.  The graduation ceremonies at Emmanuel Mission take place each February, with students coming from 98 mission centres around India.

  Dr. M.A. Thomas Photo fromhttp://www.hopegivers.com/

  The attackers were waiting as the train from Andhra Pradesh arrived with the students in the early morning of February 19. According to a February 22 report from Compass Direct, the Deputy Mayor, Ravindra Singh Nirbhay, led the group which met the students as they left their train. They beat and robbed the students, as well as those coming to take the students to the mission.  A Catholic nun traveling on the train was also beaten.  Local police rounded up the students and took them to the police station.  They were held in custody until the following evening and were then forced to return to their homes.  The head of Emmanuel Mission, Dr. M.A. Thomas, was not allowed to meet with the students.  The attackers told police that Emmanuel Mission had lured them to Kota with promises of a bicycle and 250 rupees ($14.00 CDN), in exchange for converting to Christianity.  The next day another group of 22 students was beaten and forced by police to return home.  None of the attackers have been detained by police.  Despites threats, Emmanuel Mission plans to continue with graduation as planned.

  Pray for safety for the students and staff of Emmanuel Mission.  Pray for the continued ministry of Dr. Thomas and other Christian leaders reaching out to people throughout India with the Gospel of Christ.  Pray that the students who were mistreated will forgive and then reach out to others with the message of the forgiveness of Christ.

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

• Six Indian Seminary Students Beaten

  Six students at the Gospel for Asia Biblical Seminary in Thiruvalla in Kerala State , India were abducted and severely beaten by members of the right-wing Hindu party, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).  According to reports from Gospel for Asia , the six were sharing their faith and distributing literature on February 13 when they were forced into rickshaws and taken to a home that served as the local headquarters for the RSS.  There they were held for several hours and beaten before being released.  The six were: K.J. Jayakumar, Yogendera Thapa, Simon Thopo, Kiran Chakma, Narendera Roy and Himansu Nayak.  They were treated for head injuries and released from hospital.  Thankfully, there were no critical injuries.  The following day, five local RSS members were arrested, including two senior members of the party.

  Pray for a full healing for these men.  Pray for a continued zeal for the Lord and His service.  Pray that the RSS members involved in this incident will see the love of Christ and respond to His call in their lives.

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

• Cleric Demands Village Church in India Become a Hindu Temple

  A Hindu cleric insists that tribal Christians in the village of Rajura in state of Maharashtra convert their church into a Hindu temple or face social ostracism or death.  According to a February 14 report from Compass Direct, the cleric, Sunil Ji Maharaj, has alleged that the Christians were originally converted by force and demands that they return to Hinduism.  He has also urged Hindu villagers to kill the Christians and threatened to issue a 10,000 rupee ($280 CDN) fine to anyone who maintains contact with the Christians.

  The Christians in Rajura originally migrated from the central state of Madhya Pradesh twenty years ago in search of work.  Many work on farms owned by Hindus.  According to Rev. P.V. Joseph, the priest responsible for the Catholic church in Rajura, there had been no problems in the area until Maharaj called a meeting on January 17, calling for action against the Christians.  Initially, the Christians filed a police complaint but, in the face of threats, the complaint has been withdrawn.

  Pray for a resolution to this issue, so that Hindu and Christian neighbours can restore their peaceful co-existence.  Pray for wisdom for the church leaders in the community, as they determine the best course of action.

  For more information on the some of the difficulties endured by Christians in India , go tohttps://www.vomcanada.com/india.htm.
• Christian School Torched

  On January 19, an angry mob numbering close to seventy people attacked a newly-constructed Catholic school in the village of Nagrijuli which is located in the northeastern state of Assam, India.  Compass Direct reported on January 26 that the mob claimed staff members of the school were attempting to convert Hindus; something the Vicar General, Father Varghese Kizhakevely, denies.  St. Jude's school was about to begin the first day of classes when the attack took place.  Thankfully, the students had not yet arrived for the day and no injuries were reported. 

  A local newspaper claimed that villagers were opposed to the school, something denied by Vinay Masih of the Evangelical Fellowship of India.  He told Compass that, until this incident, there were no tensions between different communities in the area and many of the village people had even helped to build the school.  Catholic officials reported, however, that "certain vested interest groups" had been attempting to intimidate the school authorities in an attempt to prevent the school's opening.

  Pray for the people of Nagrijuli, as they deal with the loss of this resource for their  children. Pray that this incident will not be used to stir tensions between religious communities in the area.

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

• Convent Attacked

  In the early morning of January 23, a group described as "miscreants" uprooted and smashed a cross at a convent run by Carmelite nuns in Ambernath near Mumbai, India.  Hand-written pamphlets were left behind, threatening, "Now it is the Cross, next time it will be your heads", "Run away, otherwise we will not spare you."  Those responsible claim to belong to a militant Hindu group.

  Pray for peace and protection for the nuns.  Pray for Christians in various areas throughout India who face opposition from groups opposed to the spread of Christianity.

  For more information on persecution in India,click here.

• Churches Face Opposition in Various Ways

  The Voice of the Martyrs received two reports this week, demonstrating the challenges facing the Church in India.

  Naxalite rebel

  Zenit reported two separate incidents of violence against the Catholic church in early December.  On December 3, vandals broke into St. Francis of Assisi Church in Mathal, Tamal Nadu.  The door and windows were destroyed, along with the statue of St. Francis outside the church.  Days before, the church had received threats from a militant Islamic group called Byath.  The pastor, Father Perpetual, expressed surprise at the violence, saying that the Hindus, Christians and Muslims had always lived in peace in that area.

  Two days later, Naxalite rebels ransacked and burned down the Church of Matha Mary in the village of Pusnar in the state of Chhattisgarh.  According to Bishop Simon Stock Palathra, the Maoist Naxali rebels do not want the people to become either Christian or Hindu, but to "retain their tribal culture."

  On another note, St. John's Church of England in Jatni in the eastern state of Orissa is facing a legal battle with a Hindu temple.  In 2002, Hindu villagers built a Hindu temple on the grounds of St. John's Church.  According to a report from Compass Direct, the 150-year-old church is on land formerly owned by a church member who died without a will in 1989.  The land was passed to her brother who also died without a will in 1991.   The Hindu temple was built fifty metres from the church on the property claimed by the church.  The church has appealed to the National Human Rights Commission, asking for intervention in the face of inactivity by local authorities.

  Pray for the difficulties facing Christians in India from various sources, whether authorities, individuals or militant groups opposed to the spread of the Gospel.

  For more information on the challenges of being a Christian in India,click here.

• Church Ransacked

  On November 7, a mob numbering 15-20 disrupted a Sunday prayer service in Kodikal, Mangalore, vandalizing the church and warning the worshippers against taking a part in religious conversions.  The attackers hurled stones and smashed windows, chairs, fans, pots and musical instruments. There were no injuries reported and twelve suspects have been arrested.

  Logo for Bajrang Dal

  Priscilla D'Souza, president of the Jesus Bread of Life Ministry, lodged a complaint accusing the militant Hindu organization Bajrang Dal of involvement.  She told Compass Direct that a local newspaper, Kravali Ale, had published a derogatory report against Christians on November 2, saying that their prayer hall would be attacked.  They have faced repeated threats since the hall was built in September 2003.

  Pray for this church as they repair the damage and face continuing opposition.  Pray for Christians throughout India as they face the threat of groups opposed to conversions.  At a three-day national executive meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) last week, it became obvious that the former governing party is reverting to its anti-minority, pro-Hindu platform that observers fear could lead to increased violence against Christians and Muslims in India .

  For more information on India and the challenges facing Christians there,click here.

• Native Missionary Severely Beaten On the morning of November 19 Budhudas, a Gospel for Asia missionary, was severely beaten by a mob opposed to his ministry.  The mob beat and kicked him while others ransacked his home, burning over 200 New Testaments and other literature, including his son's schoolbooks.  They also stole money found in the home.

  According to Gospel for Asia , the son of a local police official intervened but was also beaten.  Finally the police official was able to stop the beatings but was forced to ask Budhudas to leave the village immediately.  Budhudas has fled for safety, along with his wife and children.

  Pray for healing for those injured in this attack.  Pray for the continued ministry of Budhudas and other Christian workers spreading the Gospel in India .  Pray for those who participated in this attack, that the Lord will work in their lives, leading them to faith in Christ.

  For more information on persecution in India ,click here.

• Five Christians Face Trial for ''Wounding Religious Feelings''

  On October 21, Abhiram Dhala, a local Christian convert, and four companions from Mumbai, Pastor Karl Silva, Roshan D'Souza, Ganesh Wankhede and Ramesh Thawar Chandwa, traveled to Suliapada in the Baripada district of Orissa, to address a Christian gathering and distribute Christian literature. Baripeda district is in the tribal belt of Mayurbhanj, Orissa.

  According to a November 2 release by Compass Direct, local police arrested the five Christians later that day, after a student lodged a complaint against them claiming that they had insulted him when he asked them to stop preaching near a shrine dedicated to the Hindu goddess Durga. The five were charged under Sections 294, 295(a), 298, 506 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. Charges included "uttering obscene words in a public place," "uttering words with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of others," and "issuing threats or criminal intimidation to several persons." While the sub-divisional Balipada court rejected an appeal for bail on October 22 and sentenced the five to police custody, the five were released on October 28, after a Sessions Court granted bail.

  Pastor Karl Silva, one of the accused, told UCA News, "The case is fabricated. We were at least one kilometre away from the Puja Pandal [shrine] in an open square, and we were simply sharing the love of God…. When we felt a section of the people could turn violent, we went to the police station, hoping we would be protected by the police, but the police turned against us. They didn't even allow us to make a phone call. On the contrary, one of the policemen abused us."

  Their lawyer, Pratap Chhinchani, contends that this complaint is a deliberate attempt to malign Christians. He told Compass Direct that the student complained that the preachers had used abusive language and threatened to kill him when he asked to refrain from preaching near the shrine. Chhinchani pointed out that the preachers did not even know the local tribal language and could not have used the obscene and abusive language that they are being accused of.

  Father Dibakar Parichha, a Catholic priest in Bhubaneswar, told UCA News he believed the complaint was part of a hate campaign of Hindu extremist groups against Christians. The World Hindu Council (VHP) has been aggressively carrying out a "reconversion" drive in Orissa unhindered by local authorities. Local Christians reject the term "reconversion" as many of the tribal people were traditionally animist before turning to Christianity. However, Indian law categorizes all tribal peoples as Hindu, placing them at the lower level of the Hindu caste system.

  Pray for these five men as they prepare for their trial on these false charges. Pray that local Christians will remain faithful to Christ in the face of relentless pressure by the VHP.

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

• Kidnapped Pastor Released

  The October 6 Persecution and Prayer Alert reported on the kidnapping of two pastors in India, one of whom escaped (click here for details). Gospel for Asia has since reported that the remaining pastor, Tulsiram, was released on October 6, after being kept in an unknown location and beaten.

  Continue to pray for Pastor Tulsiram, that he will completely recover from his injuries. Pray for the continued outreach into the village of Chhattisgarh and throughout India.

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