Across Karnataka, radical Hindu fanatics have been emboldened by the state government’s plan to enact an anti-conversion law.
The plan of enacting the anti-conversion law has led radical groups to attack every Christian gathering, including church meetings, worship services and nail it down as conversion when no such thing was happening.
Many churches in India’s Karnataka state are canceling their regular Christmas programs due to worries over surging attacks on Christian gatherings by radical Hindus presumably by groups from Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal.
The situation has become extremely dangerous in some churches in the Belagavi District that they have canceled Sunday gatherings and completely shut down church operations.
“We are in a critical situation,” Pastor Yellappa, head of an independent church in Gokak, told International Christian Concern (ICC). Pastor Yellappa was compelled to shut down his house church after his landlord received multiple threats from radicals.
“The landlord told me to vacate the house with immediate effect,” Pastor Yellappa explained. “The radicals put pressure on the landlord.”
“I’ve given up the work that I have been building for the last nine years,” Pastor Yellappa continued. “I feel sorry for my congregation.”
“In the last nine years, I was attacked a number of times and arrested three times,” Pastor Yellappa said. “But I never thought a situation would come where I had to shut down the church. This is the situation for all the house churches. It is very uncertain and only God can help us.”
For months, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) politicians have accused Christians in Karnataka of illegally converting Hindus to Christianity; however, they have produced no evidence. These accusations and the BJP’s championing of the proposed anti-conversion law have led to a dramatic increase in attacks on Christians and their places of worship across the state and even in Madhya Pradesh.
Several house churches have decided not to have any Christmas programs,” a local church leader, who requested anonymity, told ICC. “Of all the house churches in the district, which there are nearly 300, more than half are shut down due to fear and intimidation. This might even get worse leading up to Christmas. We need prayers.”
This situation was confirmed to International Christian Concern in an interview with Pastor Andani, head pastor of a church in Kanadala.
“Only 50 of the 200 members are coming to the church in the last two weeks,” Pastor Andani told ICC. “I am not sure how many will turn up next Sunday. I was told by my church members that in three villages the RSS has told Christians not to attend church on Sundays.”
“This is a difficult situation for me as a pastor,” Pastor Andani continued. “I am even restricted from visiting my church members and praying in their houses. If this continues, all the church work will have to be done secretly.”
Adding to the already tense situation, Pastor Andani reports local radicals are organizing a rally to protest religious conversions. This rally will only further embolden those intimidating Pastor Andani’s church community.
“I don’t know the date of the rally, but I do know I will be the prime target,” Pastor Andani said. “There is only one church in Kanadala village.”
The Winter Session of Karnataka’s Legislative Assembly is scheduled to start on Monday, December 13. Many believe the BJP-led government will propose and enact the controversial anti-conversion law during this session. This view has contributed to the recent spike in anti-Christian sentiments.
Historically, the enactment of anti-conversion laws has been a trigger point for increased attacks on Christians and their places of worship.
Radical Hindu nationalists exploit these laws as a legal cover for anti-Christian operations and everything is labeled as conversion, even a simple Chrisitan gathering and it looks like an attempt to subvert Christianity in India. These extremists accused Christians of engaging in illegal religious conversions as a justification for mob violence, physical assaults, and the destruction of property.
Christmas is going to be stormy for Christians all over India, it seems.