CHURCH BUILDING DEMOLISHED, PASTOR AND MEMBERS ARRESTED IN SOUTHERN INDIA
In the early morning of March 9th, authorities ordered the destruction of a Christian church building in the town of Chelur in Karnataka State. The pastor and ten other Christians were arrested.
According to Voice of the Martyrs Korea representative Dr. Hyun Sook Foley, the authorities were spurred on in the action by Hindu militants, and the church leaders were charged with alleged document discrepancies despite the pastor demonstrating that all required building permissions were in place.
Members of a demolished church in Chelur, India remain in prison awaiting release on bail.
All eleven remain in detention, and efforts are ongoing to secure bail for them.
“China isn’t the only country where church buildings are being demolished by authorities,”
says Representative Foley.
“India is a country of growing concern for Christian persecution. Ever since Prime Minister Modi came into office in 2014, persecution of religious minorities in India has increased.”
In its 2019 report, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said this about India:
“Over the last decade, conditions for religious minorities in India have deteriorated. A multifaceted campaign by Hindu nationalist groups like Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sang (RSS), Sangh Parivar, and Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) to alienate non-Hindus or lower-caste Hindus is a significant contributor to the rise of religious violence and persecution. Those targeted by this campaign—including Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and lower-caste Hindus—face challenges ranging from acts of violence or intimidation to the loss of political power, increasing feelings of disenfranchisement, and limits on access to education, housing, and employment.”
“Authorities in China are realizing that demolishing buildings does not demolish the faith of Christians. We need to pray the same thing for India,”
says Representative Foley.
“Please pray that the case against the pastor and church members in Chelur would be dropped and that justice would prevail over the destroyed church. Also be praying for the families of those arrested, those seeking to help them, and also for their persecutors.”
Map of India showing the location of Chelur
Individuals or churches interested in helping persecuted Christians in India and around the world can visit www.vomkorea.com/donate or give via electronic transfer to
- VOM Korea website : vomkorea.com/donation
- Bank Account : KB bank 463501-01-243303 예금주: (사)순교자의소리