Why Indian Christians Are Being Fined For Their Faith
CBN News 07-02-2016
Christian persecution in India has reached a new level as believers in one state are reportedly being fined for worshiping Christ.
Hindu radicals have attacked and threatened Christians with the "tactical approval" of the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) government, reportsPersecution.org.
Last month, a public meeting turned brutal when Hindu villagers tied up and beat 25 Christians.
"About 100 people from three neighboring villages were waiting when we reached the place and started to tell us that it is wrong for us to pray to Jesus and that we should follow Hinduism and perform Puja (Hindu ritual) to the idols only," said Pastor Ravi who survived the attack.
The group refused and instead Pastor Ravi told Morning Star News that he shared his testimony with the crowd. He told them that Jesus healed him from an illness in 2007 and that he has been a faithful follower ever since.
"The pastor's testimony enraged the crowd more," said Rev. Akash Nandi, an area Christian leader. "They started to beat him and the other five Christian men while they shouted that they should renounce Christ or else they will kill them. They told them to chant, 'Jai Shri Ram {Hail lord Ram},' perform the Puja and worship the idols there and then."
The villagers attacked six of the men from the group for about 30 minutes. Pastor Ravi suffered was also attacked leaving him with severe chest pain, as well as a cuts to his hands and his body.
One man's hands were broken and four others suffered cuts and wounds on their mouth, eyes, hands, and legs.
"The extremists threatened to tie up the women as well while they mocked and hurled all sorts of vulgar abuse at them," Pastor Ravi said.
The attack finally ended with the Hindus telling the Christians to leave the village.
They left the next day and went to the police station to report the attack, but officers refused to register the case.
A few days later the group was summoned back to the station only to be confronted by police and 50 villagers.
Police forced the Christians to sign a statement that they would only worship at home or else be fined 10,000 Rupees (the equivalent of $148 dollars) along with other possible punishments, reports Morning Star's Delhi correspondent.
"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 said.
They were also denied rice, wheat, sugar and other good at subsidized rates.
Pastor Ravi said that the group was also cut off from the list where houses were allotted to the villagers by the state authorities.
"We can only pray in our homes with our respective family, our movements are closely watched and the extremists told us to leave Christ and threatened to beat us up at every opportunity they could find," Pastor Ravi said.
