Pathakpur, India — A pastor in northern India was told his church should not assemble for prayer and worship anymore because the police cannot guarantee protection of its members.
Pastor David Amarnath of Pathakpur village in Bhadohi District, Uttar Pradesh state, was summoned to a police station after Hindu extremists stopped his church’s worship in December 2017. Officers told Amarnath and his fellow church members to “refrain from all Christian activities,” the pastor said. Police officials said they would not be able to protect church members from Hindu extremists closely tied to government officials.
The Indian constitution guarantees the right to freedom of religion. However, observers believe Hindu hardliners within the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party are moving toward transforming India from a secular republic into a Hindu state. Reports of violence against religious minorities are frequent.
India ranked 15th on Christian support organization Open Doors’ 2017 World Watch List of the countries where Christians experience the most persecution. (MS)
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