Indian pastors arrested after attack by Hindu mob

Three pastors have been arrested in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh after they were attacked by a mob of Hindus.

The Protestant pastors of the Gospel Missionary Society were accused of attempting to convert Hindus to Christianity, which is illegal in the state, for showing a film about Jesus’ life.

The man who made the accusation said that he was offered 5,000 rupees (£50) to convert to Christianity - a charge that the society strong denies.

The three men - Stephan Rajkumar, Hari Lal and Anil Kumar - were later released on bail in Majhgawan town, Madhya Pradesh state.

Pastor Ritesh James, of the society said the arrests were politically motivated. "Their arrest was illegal and motivated to target Christians," he said. It is a matter of "serious concern that we are being persecuted for nothing," James told UCANews.com.

"This is part of a well orchestrated conspiracy to intimidate and wipe out Christians from the area.”

Christians in India earlier this year protesting against the rise in attacks on churches (PA)

Madhya Pradesh state, governed by the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP, Indian peoples party) outlaws attempts to convert a person through inducements or without permission from state authorities.

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, they say.

"It is high time Christians of all denominations come together to fight against such atrocities against us," said Christy Abraham, head of India's National Christian Forum, told UCAnews.com after hearing of the arrests.

Rajiv Singh, a local Christian, told UCANews.com that the Indian constitution as well as the Supreme Court in the country, "has given every citizen the freedom to believe in whichever religion one wants" but it is an irony that police are unable to safeguard this right.

Christians make up 0.3 percent of some 73 million people in Madhya Pradesh.