“Now we are told by police that we cannot conduct worship in the village anymore,” Pastor Prasad continued. “Unfortunately, this leaves all my church members without the freedom for corporate worship. Many of them are illiterate and only get to hear from the Word of God when they attend worship services on Sunday.”
Fearing further attacks and police pressure, Pastor Prasad told ICC that he left Domchanch village and is currently staying in his father’s house in another village. “I will continue to serve Jesus,” Pastor Prasad told ICC. “I am only concerned for my children and their future. Please pray for us.”
“This is the norm in these days since the anti-conversion law came into existence in Jharkhand,” Pastor Karmali, another local pastor, told ICC while discussing the rise in persecution in Jharkhand. “There is [a] sense of fear and intimidation among the house churches all across the state.”
While speaking with ICC, Pastor Karmali recalled a similar incident that took place in the Gharuva district. “Pastor Peter Kumar was threatened with death threats if he continued to hold prayers in Dhuraki village,” Pastor Karmali said. “Pastor Kumar conducted regular worship services in Dhuraki village in a Christian home where 80 Christians attended. Two weeks back, while Sunday worship was happening, a mob burst into the Christian home and started to beat everyone. After the attack, the Christians were taken to the police station and were told not hold Christian prayers in the village anymore.”
According to Pastor Karmali, a Christian evangelist named Sarvanan Johnson from Village Gospel Preachers was also recently arrested by police. Johnson and 10 other Christians were arrested on September 17 in Gumla district after they refused to give donations for the durga puja (a Hindu ritual). According to Pastor Karmali, the Christians were kept in police custody overnight and were only released after an advocacy group from Delhi called the police station about the arrests.
While the number and severity of the attacks have left Jharkhand’s Christian community in a state of fear, the reports of police inaction and abuse have been especially concerning. Many Christians fear that their rights will not be protected even when police are called to the scene of an attack. Other expressed concern that the police were working “hand in glove” with the radicals perpetrating the attacks.
Regardless, an atmosphere of impunity has been allowed to gather over Jharkhand. This must come to an end. The rights of the state’s Christian minority must be protected and the perpetrators of attacks must be brought to justice.
For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: [email protected]