ICC Note:

As the number of attacks on Christians in India continues to rise, stories of Christians being persecuted seems to be a daily occurrence. Recently, Christians in the Indian state of Jharkhand were forced to sign an agreement with local police that if they held a public worship service, they would be forced to pay a fine of about $150.00. India’s constitution declares all citizens have religious freedom under article 25, but it seems that this constitutional protection is not being given to these Christians in Jharkhand. Instead, the authorities meant to protect their rights are infringing upon them. 

7/7/2016 India (UCAN) – Christians who worship publicly in their East Indian village will be fined by the police says a Christian Daily report.

Police have forced the Christians from the village in the state of Jharkhand to agree that they will only worship in their homes or else pay 10,000 rupees (US$150) fines and face other punishments unspecified by the report.

“We were forced to sign the bond, we have no other choice as we have nowhere else to stay except in the village,” Pastor Ravi told Christian Daily.

The police threat of fines follows reports of attacks against Christians in the village by Hindu hardliners who demanded that they give up their faith. Six Christians were beaten up by the hardliners in June, said the report.

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