NEW DELHI — A pastor in Uttar Pradesh state was filing affidavits stating that 16 people had become Christians of their own will this week when Hindu extremists came and accused him of forcible conversion — resulting in his incarceration.
The affidavits are self-declarations that the signees willingly choose to follow Christ, want to get baptized and were not coerced or offered inducements.
After jailing the 58-year-old pastor on June 18, the Hindu extremists went to the 16 new Christians’ homes and threatened to expel them if they did not recant their faith, but their baptisms were still set to happen, sources said.
India ranked 11th on Christian support organization Open Doors’ 2018 World Watch List of countries where Christians experience the most persecution. (MS)
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