As of now, you have probably heard the news that the March 1st cow-saving protest, which was a planned violent attack against three Christian villages, was canceled. Not only that, but some Hindu party leaders also met with the villagers and had a peace talk. That is one of the most beautiful things that has happened. As the Scriptures say, the prayers of the righteous avail much.
The Chhattisgarh Christian Forum extends a heartfelt thanks to everyone who stood with them during this time of crisis. Thank you, dear brothers and sisters, who shed tears, brought attention to this issue through the media, and gathered as a church to cry out for India. Our God is a prayer-answering God.
That said, the battle against evil is far from over. We continue to receive reports of churches and homes being burned. For the past few years, Indian Christians have faced intense persecution. Let me share just a few recent incidents:
- In December 2024, two women in the state of Odessa were beaten with slippers and tied to a pole by their villagers for preaching the Gospel.
- In Uttar Pradesh, a Dalit man who converted to Christianity was forcibly shaved, paraded through the streets, beaten, and taken to a Hindu temple, where he was forced to bow down.
- Many poor village pastors have been imprisoned since 2024. There have been no court hearings—judges refuse to take up their cases, leaving them in legal limbo. Their wives and children are left with nowhere to go, many struggling in extreme poverty. In areas with high illiteracy, these families often don’t even know how to appeal in court. Christian volunteers are doing their best to secure bail for these pastors.
I personally know of nine pastors I am working to help get out of jail—men who have no one else to advocate for them. Some sources suggest that around 80 pastors and other Christians are currently imprisoned in Uttar Pradesh alone, but verifying the exact number is nearly impossible. The list of injustices goes on and on.
I often have to pray that my heart doesn’t grow numb from witnessing beatings and vandalism almost daily. Sometimes, we receive tragic news, like the case of Pastor Prem Chauhan, who was brutally beaten by a mob, then taken to the police station and beaten again. When he was finally released, he passed away just two days later, leaving behind his wife and four children.
We cannot forget the tears of these families. We must continue to pray. India has a population of approximately 1.5 billion people, yet Christians make up less than 4% of the population.
May God bring justice and protection to His people. Keep praying.
