By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
NEW DELHI (Worthy News) – A church leader in India’s state of Madhya Pradesh remained detained Monday after being convicted “on false charges of forcing Hindus to convert to Christianity,” Christians told Worthy News.
Trial observers said a court in Jhabua sentenced Pastor Vikas Nimach to five years imprisonment and ordered him to pay a fine of over $1,160 in local currency.
His current legal team intends to appeal the recent verdict, saying a trial lawyer “mishandled” proceedings, “leading to a guilty verdict under Section 10 (2) of the Madhya Pradesh Religious Freedom Act.”
The convicted pastor was initially arrested in December 2021 along with five other Christians after complainants claimed they “bribed Hindus” to come to their church, Christians said.
The accused, who denied the charges, allegedly promised to provide each new congregant over $16 monthly, a motorbike, and free medical treatment and education for their families.
While the other five Christians were granted bail, and Pastor Vikas spent nine months in jail before obtaining bail in September 2022, Worthy News observed.
12 INDIAN STATES
Rights activists say Madhya Pradesh is one of the 12 Indian states implementing anti-conversion legislation.
“These laws are frequently misused by individuals with personal vendettas and those seeking to stoke religious divisions,” added the advocacy group Voice of the Martyrs Canada (VOMC).
VOMC told Worthy News that it has appealed to Christians to “uphold Pastor Vikas in your prayers as he begins to serve his prison sentence.”
It also urged prayers “to keep this church leader strong in his faith and provide for all of his physical, spiritual, and emotional needs. In addition, pray that Pastor Vikas’ appeal hearing will be successful, enabling him to be set free soon.”
The pastor is among a growing number of Christians to find themselves “under threat” in India, a mainly Hindu nation, according to Christian researchers.
“This hostility is often driven by an ongoing belief among some Hindu extremists that Indians ought to be Hindu—and any faith outside of Hinduism is not welcome in India,” said advocacy group Open Doors.
VIOLENT ATTACKS
“This mindset has led to violent attacks across the country and impunity for the people who perpetrate this violence, especially in places where the authorities are also Hindu hardliners,” the group added.
Increasingly, states in India “are also implementing anti-conversion laws, creating an environment where any Christian who shares their faith can be accused of a crime, intimidated, harassed and even met with violence,” Open Doors noted in a recent assessment.
VOMC said it was also crucial to “remember the numerous other followers of Jesus throughout this nation who are facing similar situations, praying that they too will receive ongoing encouragement, strength, and protection.”
Christians comprise just over two percent of India’s predominately Hindu population of more than 1.4 billion people, according to the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).
Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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