A Catholic bishop has expressed his concern about increasing attacks and harassment against Christians in the northern Indian state of Madhya Pradesh after two Protestant ministers were arrested by police.
“The law and order situation in the state has almost collapsed as government officials act [in a] biased manner against Christians," Bishop Gerald Almeida of Jabalpur (pictured) said. "When a family cannot sit together and pray, you can imagine the situation.”
Reverands Sunny Oommen and John Alexander of the Church of North India were arrested while praying at the home of Kapoor Chand Jairam. The ministers were charged under controversial anti-conversion laws after being held for five hours.
The local police claim that the pastors paid 10,000 rupees (£98) to Mr Jaraim to convert to Christianity from Hinduism.
Reverand Oommen told UCA News: "The police case is based on a fake complaint. We went to Jairam's house on his invitation to pray."
The incident is the latest in a long list of harassment, abuse or violence from the state and local population against Catholics and Protestants.
Last May, Hindu radicals attacked three churches in Indore, in the northern state, and a temporary home of Augustinian nuns nearby which housed a centre for disabled children. The mob threw heavy stones, destroyed crosses and set fire to one of the places of worship.
Earlier in the same month, local government officials said that they will refuse any permits requested for large scale Christian meetings “as a matter of course”.
Bishop Almeida said that attacks against Christians have increased after the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in Madhya Pradesh. The party is seen as the political wing of Hindu hardliners working to create a Hindu theocratic state. The state population is more than 90 per cent Hindu.
Christian leaders said there have been at least 100 attacks on Christians since the BJP came to power in 2003, with more than 20 occurring in the last six months.
"We cannot predict what will happened to us," Bishop Almedia said but added that Christians will "continue to uphold the law of the land".
Richard James, the Madhya Pradesh spokesman of the National Christian Forum added: "The constitution guarantees following any religion of our choice and the radicals are infringing upon our rights."
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