Extremist Hindus attacked Christians

By a group of 12 assailants in the Anand Nagar area of   Ambala Canton in Haryana State, Rev. Sanji Kumar and Rev. Injit were attacked as they and their families held church services and sang hymns on the roof of a believer's house.

In an interview with the Morning Star, Rev. Kumar said the assailants seized a notebook containing personal sermons and notes. They were looking for the names and addresses of people who had been converted by two priests.

After severely beating both priests, the assailants asked them to sing hymns to the Hindu Gods, or they will be taken to the Hindu temple to worship the Indian idols. After both priests denied, assailants set the Bible on fire and threaten to kill them both if church services continue in the area.

Recently, Hindu nationalists have launched a wave of anti-Christian violence under the pretext of forced conversion and instilled fear in India's small Christian minority.

According to the United Christian Association (UCF), a legal entity that maintains a database on violence and intimidation in India, by 2021, there were 486 cases of harassment against christians. This represents a 74% increase over 2020.

Nine of India's 29 states have enacted anti-conversion laws that critics say are often used to target religious minorities. Since 2017, five states governed by the BJP have passed new anti-conversion laws, or amended existing ones. The updated laws impose tougher penalties and provide more reasons to ban conversion.

According to the Open Doors Organization, India is among the top ten most dangerous countries for Christians.

Source and Credit: CP, CN

Photo: thenews.com