Six pastors and one other Christian in India were wrongfully convicted June 12 and sentenced to five years of prison. Their churches have shut down, and believers scattered. (Morning Star News, July 23)
At a five-year-old’s birthday party two years ago, Angad Singh Maravi, an anti-Christian follower of indigenous religion who was not invited, caused a commotion by offering people alcohol and threatening to beat the Christians present.
The child’s father, Suday Singh Maravi, called the police. But when they got there, they arrested seven Christians instead of Angad, who falsely claimed he overheard one of the pastors offering villagers “lots of money” if they converted to Christianity, while threatening them if they did not.
Pastors Santosh Paraste, 21, Sanjay Markam, 20, Amit Kumar, 24, Pramod Singh, 28, Karan Singh Maravi, 40, and Chhot Singh Dhurve, 49, were arrested April 28, 2024, along with another Christian, Jeet Singh, 48, two days later.
This year on June 12, they were convicted by Justice Shiv Kumar Kaushal, Second Additional Sessions Judge, Dindori (M.P.), who sentenced them to five years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of 100,000 rupees ($1,040) for “promoting enmity, hatred, or disharmony between different religious groups,” and “deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage the religious feelings.”
This conviction is the second under Madhya Pradesh’s anti-conversion law. The first was from the Sagar District Court in March 2024. In that case, Hindu extremists with the group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) instigated Abhishek Ahirwar to accuse Pastor Ramesh Ahirwar, and his wife Sakshi Ahirwar, of abducting his estranged wife and pressuring her to convert to Christianity. But the woman had returned to her parents’ home when she left her husband. (Morning Star News, April 3, 2024)
“The right-wing mob has been eyeing me,” said pastor Ramesh. “They came to my house in my absence with sticks and threatened my family of dire consequences if I held the church worship services.
“I am not discouraged, because whatever is happening to us is according to the Bible…. But, when we look at the children, we fear what will happen to them when we are sent to jail,” he explained. Also, “my wife has health issues, and I fear how will she manage in the jail….. We do fear the uncertainties of the future but choose to trust God.”
Anti-Christian persecution in India has intensified significantly over the past couple of years. Believers are often harassed, interrogated, and arrested.
Lord, please be a Shield around Santosh, Sanjay, Amit, Pramod, Karan, Singh, Chhot, Jeet, Ramesh, Sakshi. Keep them from torture and harm, and arrange for their quick acquittal and release. Be near to them every moment. Let them hear Your voice, feel You empowering them and giving them courage. Watch over their health, especially Sakshi’s, and bring them through this stronger and all the more anointed to do Your will. Even now, open the way for them to share with prisoners and guards about the hope found only in Christ, and give the lost around them a deep hunger for Truth. Please also encourage the believers who have scattered from the churches these pastors led. Give them courage and guide them to meet together in prayer, even as the Christians in the New Testament prayed for Paul and the others who were in prison. Break the chains that bind their accusers Angad, Abhishek, RSS Hindu extremists, as well as judge Shiv and all others who worked toward the false convictions. Give them such powerful encounters with You that they tremble in fear of the Lord, turn from their false gods and surrender to Your love. Build within every Hindu a deep hunger for something more. As they bow to idols, make every ritual feel hollow and wrong. Give them courage to defy tradition and seek You with all their hearts until they find You. For every Christian persecuted, bring 1,000 Hindus to You. For ever church closed, plant 1,000 more. Do this for Your glory, Great and Mighty God. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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