Fwd: EFI Persecution Watch September 26, 2012
Finney Philip
From: Evangelical Fellowship of India <ma...@efionline.org>
Date: Wed, Sep 26, 2012 at 5:00 PM
Subject: EFI Persecution Watch September 26, 2012
To: finn...@gmail.com
Sunday Worship Disrupted in Chhattisgarh
Pastor Arrested in Madhya Pradesh
Christians Beaten Up, Expelled from Village in Chhattisgarh
One Christian Killed, Prayer Meeting Disrupted in Tamil Nadu
An Appeal to Authorities
Sept 26, 2012
We request for the prayers that the church would continue to serve the nation inspite of innumerable suffering and pray also for those who
are persecuting that they may experience the love of Christ.
Sunday Worship Disrupted in Chhattisgarh
On Sept 16 in Durgapur, Balrampur, Chhattisgarh, alleged Hindu extremists disrupted a prayer meeting and accused a pastor of forceful conversion.
According to our correspondent Rev. Akhilesh Edgar, a group of Hindu
extremists accompanied by media personnel barged into the worship meeting at
about 9 a.m. conducted at the house of one believer Uday Paikra and started verbally abusing Pastor Kapil Kerketta and other believers, claiming that the church was involved in fraudulent and forceful conversion.
The extremists, thereafter, dragged Pastor Kapil Kerketta & his wife Monika Kerketta, Uday Paikra &
his wife Boya
Paikra, Kendu Paikra and Kiran to Shankargarh Police Station and lodged
a complaint against the Christians.
However, after police investigation, the Christians were released from the police station at about 7 p.m. without any case registered against them.
Pastor Arrested in Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh police on Sept 7 arrested a pastor after Hindu extremists harassed him and stopped him from distributing gospel tracts in Birmawal, Ratlam.
According to our correspondent, Pastor Jaykar Christi, the extremists attack Pastor John Pargy while he was peacefully distributing the tracts to those who want to take it. They
pounced upon him, accused him of forceful conversion, took all the tracts from him and took him to the Birmawal police station alleging that the Pastor was making derogatory
remarks against Hinduism.
The police arrested Pastor Pargy under Sections 151 of the Indian Penal Code for 'knowingly joining or continuing in assembly of five or more persons after it has been commanded to
disperse' and sent him to Ratlam jail. He was released on bail on Sept 10.
Christians Beaten Up,
Expelled from Village in Chhattisgarh
In Bhanpuri, Balod, Chhattisgarh, alleged Hindu extremists attacked Christians and chased them out from the village for their faith in Christ on Sept 2.
According to our correspondent Rev. Akhilesh Edgar, alleged Hindu extremists stormed the evening Sunday worship meeting held at house of Daminbai Sahu, verbally abused the Christians
and accused a visiting pastor of forceful conversion. Then, they mercilessly beat up the pastor and the believers.
Again on the next day, a mob of about 600 villagers led by area Hindu extremists leaders Manish Sahu stormed the houses of the five Christian families at about 11 p.m.
The extremists accused the Christians of trying to forcefully convert Hindus to Christianity and threatened them of dire consequences if they do not give up their faith.
They broke down the doors of the believers, forcibly entered, damaged household items and forced them to renounce Christ.
The extremists become more enraged after the Christians refused to renounce Christ and forced four believers from three families, Sarjuram Sahu, his wife Janakbai Sahu, Ubhayram Sahu
and Deherram Sahu to leave the village at about 1 a.m under heavy monsoon rain.
After the intervention of the area Christian leaders, the police accepted the complaint letter but refused to file First Information Report (FIR) against the attackers.
Statements of all four Christians have been registered by the Gurur police and the police has been pressurizing the believers for a compromise.
After accepting Jesus as their Lord and Saviour in the year 2006, the small Christian community has been facing social boycott ever since.
The suffering believers are given shelter by the local Christians in Balod at press time. Kindly pray for them.
One Christian Killed, Prayer Meeting Disrupted in Tamil Nadu
Alleged Hindu extremists on August 26 killed a Christian after barging into the worship meeting of Church of South India (CSI) in Nadaikavu, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu.
The extremists suddenly barged in to the prayer meeting and started to verbally abused the Christians and beat them up.
Speaking to EFI NEWS, Pastor Yeshudas who was leading the meeting said, "We were praying when suddenly the armed Hindu extremists barged in, accused me of forceful conversion and
physically attack us".
Two Christians, Gnanamuthu and his son John Gnanamuthu received serious injuries and were admitted in a local hospital.
Thereafter, the furious extremists went on a rampage and attack any Christians they found on their way. Edwin Raj was beaten to dead as he was trying to prevent the extremists from
attacking his father’s shop, reported Vippin John, representative of Church of South India.
Police registered a case against Mr. Dharmaraj, District President of Bharatiya Jananta Party and six others. More than 1000 policemen were deployed in the area.
An Appeal to the
Authorities
As concerned people, kindly write to the Chief Ministers of Chhattisgarh,
Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu appealing them to safeguard the rights of the minority communities and to
provide protection to churches against attacks and to take immediate action against the perpetrators of violence.
For any queries regarding the incidents please call EFI NEWS at +917838284420.
Dr. Raman Singh
Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh
Chief Minister Niwas, Raipur
Email:
c...@cg.nic.in
(O) Tel: (0771) 4066000 ; 2221000 ; 2221001
(O) Fax: (0771) 2221306
(R) Tel: (0771) 2442744 ; 2331000 ; 2331004
Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan
Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh
Email:
c...@mp.nic.in
(O) Tel: +91 755 2441581 ; 2441033
(O) Fax: +91 755 2441096
(R) Tel: +91 755 2442231 ; 2735876
Sushree J. Jayalalithaa
Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu
Secretariat, Fort St. George, Chennai - 600009
Email: cmc...@tn.gov.in
(O) Tel: +91 44 25672345
(O) Fax: +91 44 25671441
(R) Tel: +91 44 24670215
Issued By:
Rev. Dr. Richard Howell,
General Secretary
Evangelical Fellowship of India
New Delhi, India
Evangelical Fellowship of India (established 1951) is a charter member of World Evangelical Alliance, an accredited NGO with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations