ICC Note:

Following a series of attacks on Christians celebrating the Christmas holiday in India, many other Christians are now fearful going into the holiday. Last week, Christians in two states were attacked and beaten by radicals. The Christmas holiday is a time when Christians are more visible in India and thus more vulnerable. Pray for Christians celebrating Christmas this year. Pray for a peaceful and joyful holiday. 

12/22/2016 India (Christian Daily) – Many Christians in India are now afraid to celebrate Christmas after two incidents took place in which Hindu radicals beat up believers for merely singing Christmas carols.

Last week, a mob of 25 Hindu radicals barged into a house in Madhya Pradesh State and attacked the 30 Christians inside who were singing Christmas songs. The assailants dragged the believers out onto the streets and beat them up for allegedly forcibly converting villagers, the International Christian Concern (ICC) details.

Aside from that, the radicals also brought four pastors to the police after accusing them of the forced conversions. They are reportedly still waiting to be bailed out of the station.

“We have carol rounds during the day,” a local pastor told ICC. “Because of fear of attacks from the radical Hindu groups, the Christians of this area are scared and cannot celebrate Christianity freely.”

In a separate incident in the village of Tikariya in Rajasthan State, about 20 to 30 suspected Hindu radicals beat up 20 Christians with wooden clubs and sticks. Fr. Stephen Rawat, one of the victims of the mob attack, told Crux that they must have been targeted for their faith since he has no enemies.

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