ICC Note: Christians in India are afraid that persecution is the new normal after 15 anti-Christian attacks were recorded in just 14 days in July. These attacks range from physical assaults and church demolitions to false accusations of forced conversions and social boycotts. Since assuming power in 2014, the BJP-led government has presided over an administration that has done little to combat growing religious intolerance. Four years later, this lack of action has resulted in ever growing levels of intolerance and violence.

07/18/2018 India (Christian Today) – Indian Christians have suffered at least 15 attacks during the last fortnight, according to International Christian Concern.

The incidents include forced conversions away from Christianity, false accusations of forced conversions to Christianity, physical assaults and a church demolition.

Among the incidents reported by ICC, on July 6, six Christians were forcefully converted to Hinduism in the Kunti District of India’s Jharkhand State. On the same day, six Christian families from a village near Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand, were given an ultimatum to recant their Christian faith by July 15 or face ‘severe consequences’.

On July 8, Hindu radicals assaulted a pastor, his wife, and three other Christians inside a prayer hall in Paguthampalayam village located in southern Tamil Nadu State. According to local Christians, the assailants also stripped the pastor’s wife. Following the attack, four of the Christians were arrested by police after radicals filed police complaints against them.

On July 15, a Christian family was socially boycotted in Kotetharaa village, located in the Janjgir-Champa District of Chhattisgarh State. Hindu villagers were told that they would have to pay a 10,000-rupee fine if they were caught speaking with the Christian family.

Also on July 15, a church was attacked during a worship service in Rajendra Nagar, located near Raipur in Chhattisgarh State. The assailants beat men, women, and children who attended the church service. The Christians were further assaulted at the police station by a mob of Hindu radicals.

According to ICC, the incidents demonstrate a ‘growing anti-Christian sentiment’ in India.

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For interviews with William Stark, ICC’s Regional Manager, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: [email protected]