Indian Christians Face More Persecution than Ever

Christians in India are facing more persecution now than any other time in their history, according to the head of a mission organization. "Our leaders on the mission field tell me that it has become such a regular, daily event that they now report

By Lillian Kwon, Christian Post Reporter Saturday, February 25, 2006

Christians in India are facing more persecution now than any other time in their history, according to the head of a mission organization.

"Our leaders on the mission field tell me that it has become such a regular, daily event that they now report only the worst cases," said Gospel for Asia President K.P. Yohannan.

Yohannan accounted a battle for economic power and control to be the cause of the growing wave of persecution with a group of extremists, holding the supremacist ideology "Hindutva" (Hindu-ness), attempting to control the low-caste majority.

Tracing the power rage back to the Crusaders who tried to control the Holy Land, Yohannan said "without Christ, the human heart never changes – it is always hungry for power."

What is happening now in India is a radical minority attempting to “Hinduize” a nation of over a billion people, he continued.

Hundreds of thousands of activists recently attended the much-feared Shabri Kumbh festival in Dangs district, Gujarat, which ended peacefully last week. Christians all over the world had feared a reconversion festival that would result in violent attacks against the Christian population. While violence did not erupt, religious leaders and event speakers called for the reconversion of Christians and urged the Indian government to enact an anti-conversion law.

"It is nice that the Kumbh has passed off peacefully, but the inflammatory speeches delivered during the three days have sown seeds of possible conflicts," said Sheela Shende of the Church of North India, according to the New Kerala news agency.

"Why persecute Christians?" asked Yohannan. "Because, just like in England and America in centuries past, believers in Jesus are the ones today working and praying toward the liberation of millions of 'slaves' (Dalits and other lower castes) on the Indian subcontinent."

Christian missionaries from the Bible Society of India were recently forced to shut down their relief operations in the Jammu and Kashmir regions as villagers accused them of carrying out conversions. Recent reports also state that militant anti-social elements are seeking to prevent the graduation of over 10,000 Bible school and seminary students from the Emmanuel Theological Seminary in Kota, Rajasthan, according to Hopegivers International, a leading Indian Christian organization.

"Today, India is at a crossroads," Yohannan said. "And we as believers in Jesus have the opportunity to help make an impact on this nation that will last for eternity."

Christians around the world are being called to a prayer for peace and freedom in India throughout February and March. Dr. Samuel Thomas, president of Hopegivers International, marked Feb. 25-26 in Kota as an All India Day of Prayer in which Christians from every state of India and around the globe will gather to pray for the welfare of India.

"Our hope is in God to protect innocent people from a new wave [of] communal hatred and violence," said Thomas.

"Let us pray with compassion, love and faith for these millions to understand Christ and His love," said Yohannan.