A pastor and group of church members were attacked by Hindu extremists Saturday evening (Dec. 13) for singing Christmas carols in the Indian City of Hyderabad. The Christian Post reports that the Hindu extremists accused the pastor and 15 church members of trying to convert others to Christianity and violently attacked the group.
Pastor Bhim Nayak and four others were injured in the attack; Nayak remains in critical condition after being beaten unconscious.
John Dayal of the Indian government’s National Integration Council said that Hindu extremists are becoming increasingly influential in India, which threatens safety of Christians.
"There has been a sharp rise in hate campaigns against Christians by political organizations. This threat of purging Christians from villages extends from Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh to now Uttar Pradesh, and to the borders of the national capital of New Delhi,” Dayal said.
Extremist Hindus are also pushing for Christian “purification,” as group members violently force churches to convert into temples. The state of Uttar Pradesh has been declared a Christian-free zone by the extremists, leaving Christians in the region in danger of violence and attacks.
Publication date: December 15, 2014
