ASIA/INDIA - A Pastor and a Christian couple attacked by Hindu extremists

Wednesday, 21 September 2016 violence   hinduism   christianity   religious minorities   religious freedom  

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Kharghar (Agenzia Fides) - Aggression against a Pentecostal Christian Pastor and a Christian couple in Kharghar, in the municipality of Navi Mumbai, in the Indian state of Maharashtra. As Fides learns, on September 16 Pastor Prashant Bhatnagar, Sachin Shenge and his wife Manisha were distributing pamphlets, when some men belonging to the “Shri Ram Pratishthan” militant group started to protest against the distribution of those pamphlets that invited passers-by to a Sunday liturgy. The three were kidnapped and taken by force to an isolated place where they were threatened, beaten and abused verbally and physically. Some militants also urinated on the injured Pastor.
The Christians were taken to hospital, and filed a complaint to the police of Kharghar, for kidnapping and violence.
Sajan K. George, president of the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC), told Fides: “We strongly condemn the attack against Pentecostal Christians. India is a secular Country and the Christians were not doing anything illegal. The extremists falsely accuse Pentecostal Christians of conversion activities, indulge in violence and sow distrust and suspicion towards Christian citizens, creating damage to Indian society”. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 21/09/2016)


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