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ICC Investigated One of India's Toughest Districts for Christians
By ICC's India Correspondent
3/6/2015 Washington, D.C. (International Christian Concern
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- "We want to see [the] pastor and kill him for preaching a foreign religion
in our village. Let him come out of the house," shouted an enraged mob of 70
Hindu radicals standing at the entrance of a Christian home in Appampally, a
village in India's Mahabubnagar district. This is one of several areas of the
country where Christians are facing intense pressure for choosing to follow
Jesus. Threats and abuse committed against the Christian community by Hindu
radicals are becoming a more than regular phenomena in many of India's rural
areas.
Mahabubnagar, a rural district in the south, topped the list for number of
incidents of Christian persecution in India's Telangana state last year.
Nationally, Telangana ranked fourth in the country, preceded only by
Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. A significant rise in incidents
of Christian persecution in the district, which has shocked Christians,
followed the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) rise to power at
the national level in May 2014. Right-wing fringe elements gained confidence
following BJP's political victory and began to carry out attacks against
Christian communities across India, such as burning churches and physically
abusing Christians.
In the beginning of 2015, ICC sent its India representative to document the
adverse conditions Christians were facing, particularly in the rural areas of
Mahabubnagar district.
Christians of Appampally Suffer Intense Persecution
Vadde Janardhan, a 50-year-old farmer who became a Christian following a
miracle healing in his family, was recently targeted by Hindu radicals in
Appampally. "I have been attacked almost on [a] regular basis since I came to
faith little over a year [ago]; the latest being on the 23rd of November 2014,"
Mr. Janardhan told ICC.
On November 23, Janardhan had organized a birthday celebration for his
3-year-old granddaughter and invited 20 other Christians from the area to the
event, including a pastor from a different village. During the gathering, more
than 70 Hindu radicals assembled in front of Janardhan's house and shouted
anti-Christian slogans, interrupting the prayers of those at the event. The
Christians confronted the mob outside of the house because they were unable to
carry out their prayers. The crowd of Hindus then started using vulgar
language, particularly toward the Christian women.
Several of them then started beating the Christians, saying, "Let pastor come
out. We want to see him and kill him today." Meanwhile, someone from the
Christian community informed the police about the unfolding incident. When the
police arrived, the Hindu radicals ran in different directions out of the
village. The pastor, who initially came to lead prayers, was forced to hide in
the house that night, fearing for his life.
On the morning of October 28, before the incident that took place at the
birthday celebration, Janardhan suffered another attack. A man named Ramesh,
reportedly a local leader of the Hindu nationalist organization Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) accused Janardhan of accepting a foreign religion and
attempted to smash Janardhan's head with a large stone.
At midnight on December 31, also in t Appampally, a mob of 15 Hindu radicals
caught a 22-year-old Christian named Raju and beat him severely, attempting to
force him into leaving Christianity for Hinduism.
A clear pattern of Hindu radicals preying on the vulnerable Christian minority
community in Mahabubnagar District has been established.
Christian Convert Forced to Choose Between Home and Faith
Gangamma, a 60-year-old woman, lives in Akleshpur, another village in
Mahabubnagar District, with her three grandchildren. With folded hands and
tears in her eyes, she told ICC about the persecution she and her family had
endured for going to church and following Jesus. Before traveling to Akleshpur,
local pastors strongly advised ICC not to visit the region, warning that the
village and its people were dangerous for Christians.
Gangamma's granddaughter, currently in high school, heard about Jesus through
her friend and started attending a church at Narayanpet, a village near
Akleshpur. Gradually, the entire family, including Gangamma, started attending
the church and professed their faith in Jesus. This was the first family to
convert to Christianity in Akleshpur.
Soon after this, Gangamma and her family began to be persecuted. After noticing
that the family was regularly attending church, approximately 100 Hindu
radicals barged into Gangamma's house on December 23. They assaulted the
family, tore down the family's Christian calendar because it had Bible verses
on it, and threw other household articles out of the house and onto the street.
The village leader intervened, telling Gangamma, "You either choose the village
or you choose Jesus. The villagers think that no other religion should be
practiced other than Hinduism in this village."
Unfortunately, Gangamma chose to stay in the village because she felt she had
no other options. Gangamma moved to Akleshpur several years ago after the death
of her husband. With much difficulty, she built a house for herself and her
family in the village. As a widow, she was afraid to leave the village and the
house she built with her own hard-earned money. While meeting secretly with
ICC, Gangamma confessed that during this difficult time of decision-making, her
grandson was also kidnapped by Hindu radicals who were threatening to kill him
unless the family abandoned Christianity. After three days, Gangamma decided to
stay in the village and the Hindu radicals released her grandson.
For many of India's rural Christians, it is difficult enough just to make ends
meet. Now, with a new wave of persecution washing across India, Hindu radicals
are taking advantage of the Christian community's vulnerability, causing great
misery for these believers. In hopes that the voices of the suffering will be
heard, let us stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
For interviews, contact William Stark, Regional Manager for South Asia:
[email protected]
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# # #
You are free to disseminate this news story. We request that you reference
International Christian Concern (ICC) and include our web address,
www.persecution.org <>. ICC is a Washington D.C.-based human rights
organization that exists to help persecuted Christians worldwide. ICC provides
Awareness, Advocacy, and Assistance to the worldwide persecuted Church. For
additional information or for an interview, contact ICC at 800-422-5441 <>.
International Christian Concern
2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #241, Washington, D.C. 20006
www.persecution.org
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