Five Christian pastors in custody on false allegations of forcing people to convert have been beaten by their jailors.
The Christians were in custody in central Chhattisgarh state. They were arrested after a mob of Hindu extremists had disrupted a church service on July 20, shouting Hindu slogans and accusing them of forcible conversions.
The local police intervened and responded by bussing nearly half the Christian congregation to the police station in Jamul. Six pastors were charged and moved to a jail in nearby Durg. The following morning they were questioned and asked to remove clothing for inspection. One of them, Pastor Moses Logan, was spared, as he had told them he was unwell. Upon hearing that they were pastors, the jailor ordered that the other five be beaten up.
Pastor Logan told Morning Star News: ‘The Christian community is no longer safe in their homes, in churches, and now they are not safe even inside jails.’
The jailors hit the pastors on their thighs, the backs of their knees and their buttocks with long wooden sticks—batons that police use in India, Pastor Logan explained.
Other Christian leaders and family members managed to secure bail for the pastors, who were all released on the evening of July 21. The five who had been beaten were now traumatised and fearful, Pastor Logan added.
A video which was posted on social media shows the mob shouting slogans outside the church meeting, declaring that the pride of the nation is Bajrang Dal (a Hindu nationalist organisation). Pastor Logan had been called by his friend, Pastor Abhinav Baksh, who was leading the meeting. To keep the congregation safe he had locked the church gate and church doors.
Pastor Logan added, ‘Here in Chhattisgarh they [the Hindu extremist groups] are targeting all the smaller churches. Many churches have been shut down. Hindu extremists target every private celebration taking place in Christian homes. They barge into homes, disrupt their joy, create chaos, falsely accuse them of carrying out forced conversions and register false complaints against the Christians.’
Release International anticipated incidents like that in its annual Persecution Trends Report, which was published at the beginning of the year.
The report, the cumulative assessment of Release International’s partners around the world, had warned that growing persecution in India was likely to see opposition extending to the prohibition of home meetings of Christians—including even housewarmings and birthday parties.
A Release International partner in India said, ‘North Indian pastors and workers live in fear. The right to practice your faith is under assault now.’ He added, ‘It is unacceptable that pastors get arrested and face physical violence.’ He urged Christians to pray for the church in India as right wing Hindu groups target Christian workers.
Paul Robinson, Release International’s CEO, said, ‘This distressing story is indicative of a growing trend in India. Over the past decade or more we have seen sporadic attacks on Christian pastors and evangelists, particularly in rural areas, by various Hindu extremist groups. In the last couple of years these groups have increasingly made use of state laws in an attempt to stifle gospel ministry.
‘This is despite the fact that India has a constitution that grants freedom not only to practice but to propagate religion.
‘We need to pray at this time that Christians in India—especially leaders—will know the Lord’s grace and strength as they seek to proclaim the gospel of Christ. Pray also that the government of that country and its judiciary will uphold its constitution.’
