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India

• Church Attendance Dwindling in the Face of Threats

  

  Prior to May of this year, Pastor Singh's congregation in Jhabua, located in rural Madhya Pradesh state, numbered more than 200. Faced with increasing threats from militant Hindus, several families have stopped attending in recent months -- to the point that attendance is now down to about 50 or 60 people.

• Falsely Accused Christians Released

  

  Four Christians in Jharkhand have been imprisoned since May, following an accusation made by the father of one of these believers that they had attempted to physically force him to convert to Christianity. According to the police report, Somaru Manjhi's daughter, Sumanti, was to be married on May 30th. Opposing his daughter's desire for a Christian wedding, the 65-year-old man claimed that he was beaten with a bamboo stick by Sumanti, her fiancé Rupash, and two Christian missionaries.

• Plans of Weekly Church Closures

  

  Christians residing in the Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra state have been warned by fellow villagers of the intent to close one church every week. Since June, more than a dozen homes belonging to Christians have been attacked across five villages.

  The believers have been told that, unless they renounce their faith, the water supply will be cut off and food subsidies will be stopped. In a recent incident that took place on August 5th, Gallu Kowasi was badly beaten in the village of Kospundi by locals who were demanding that he abandon his faith. Several others have faced threats of death or expulsion.

• Prayer Meeting Attacked; Twenty Injured

  

  Twenty Christians were seriously injured after a mob stormed the prayer meeting they attended. According to local reports, more than 150 believers were gathered together on July 2nd when 25 Hindu villagers attacked them, beating them with wooden rods. When the mayhem finally concluded, 20 Christians were severely injured; some with broken bones. Ten motorcycles were also damaged, along with furniture and musical instruments.

• Anti-Conversion Legislation Being Repealed

  

  Anti-conversion legislation has been a part of several Indian states for many years. It was first introduced in Orissa in 1968 and has since been introduced in six other states -- the most recent being Uttarakhand in March 2018. (For more details, visit this page.)

  In a surprise announcement, the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh intends to repeal the 1978 Freedom of Religion Act. In making the proclamation on June 28th, he stated that the act, rather than providing freedom of religion, "could undermine secularism and is probably targeted towards Christians." According to The Hindu news service, Christians account for more than half the population of the state.

• Anti-Conversion Legislation Expanding
  
  Photo: Mission Network News

  The North Indian state of Uttarkhand is now the seventh state in the country to pass legislation restricting religious conversions, particularly from Hinduism to Christianity. This law carries a jail term of up to two years.

• Efforts to Rewrite Indian History Worrisome to Christians

  

  Several months ago, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi appointed a committee of scholars to study the history of India and the role of Hinduism in the country. It is only recently that details of the committee's recommendations are becoming publicly known, raising concerns among Christians and Muslims in the nation.

• Ministry Partners Acquitted
  
  Photo: Mission Network News

  Family and friends of eight Christian workers in India were elated when the men were acquitted of all charges. Nine years ago, the men were serving in a Children's Bible Club sponsored by Mission India. The attackers disrupted the meeting, beating those attending and burning Bibles and other materials. The workers were then charged with "forceful conversion."

• Pastor Found Slain in His Home
  
  Photo: Morning Star News

  The body of a pastor in southern India was found hanging in his home on January 20th, one week after a complaint had been filed about harassment from militant Hindu groups in his area. Gideon Periyaswamy, 43, was pastor of the Maknayeem Church in Adayachery village, Kanchipuram District. He was found in the early morning by two women coming to clean the building. Reports indicate that, while posed to look like a suicide, there are strong indications of murder, including a cut on his neck under the rope.

• Elderly Man Perseveres Despite Fierce Opposition
  
  Photo: VOM Australia

  A year after facing persecution for the eighth time, 90-year-old Jatya is prepared to suffer yet again. Despite fierce opposition, the elderly Christian man remains eager to share the good news of the Gospel to all who are willing to hear. The frail yet energetic believer lives in a village of southern India that's heavily populated with paid informants for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a national volunteer organization that aims to intimidate and even force Christians into returning to their nation's "Hindu roots."