A 60-year-old pastor and his son, along with seven other Christians, have been arrested on allegations of conducting coerced conversions. The arrests took place after members of the militant nationalist group, Bajrang Dal, staged a protest outside a church building in the Fatehpur district of Uttar Pradesh.
On December 28th, Pastor David Gladion was leading a prayer meeting when protestors suddenly gathered outside, accusing him and his adult son, Abhishek, of luring Hindu women to convert to the Christian faith by offering money, employment and free education. The protestors claimed that approximately 150 people were in the church building at the time – many of them women.
After learning of the protest, authorities arrived at the scene. They then transported the two accused Christian men, along with seven unidentified followers of Jesus, to the police station. A case has since been registered against the believers. Police state that "publicity vehicles" were used to invite villagers to prayer meetings. One such vehicle was seized, along with religious literature.
The protest against the believers was instigated by accusations from a local resident who claimed that he and others had been invited to the church. He alleged that the Christians also made derogatory remarks against Hindu beliefs and offered incentives to convert to Christianity.
Police state that the investigation is presently in progress, and that further action will be taken based on the resulting evidence. Many Indian states have laws against coerced conversion activities. Unfortunately, these laws are frequently abused through false accusations. To learn more about the challenges facing our Indian family in Christ, and/or to view related video clips, go to our country profile.
- Ask God to guide the authorities' investigation so that the truth may be revealed and justice will ultimately be upheld.
- In the meanwhile, pray that Pastor David, Abhishek and the other detained believers will experience the Lord's loving comfort, peace and mighty protection.
- In spite of the frequently encountered opposition and false accusations, may the message of God's love and grace powerfully spread throughout India.
Population
