Source: www.persecution.org
Date: November 7, 2020
India (International Christian Concern) – In Late-October, a Christian pastor and his family in southern India were attacked by a mob of Hindu religious fanatics. In the days following the attack, the fanatics falsely accused the pastor of committing blasphemy and instituted a social boycott against the Christian family.
On October 20, Pastor Vasu Nayak and his family were attacked in their home by a mob of 60 religious fanatics in India’s Karnataka state. During the attack, the pastor was told by the mob to worship a Hindu deity and convert to Hinduism. If he refused, members of the mob threatened severe consequences.
Pastor Nayak reportedly refused to bow to the deity and was then manhandled by the mob. He was dragged outside of his home and accused of attempting to destroy the deity.
“I was called to a village meeting the next day,” Pastor Nayak told International Christian Concern (ICC). “They ridiculed and beat me. The leaders of the meeting announced that my family and I were cut off from the village and that we should have no association with other villagers.”
When the social boycott of Pastor Nayak and his family was publicly announced, villagers were told no one could talk to the Nayak family, give or take work from the Nayak family, or even buy groceries from the shop owned by the Nayak family. If any villager was found in violation of this boycott, they were told they would be charged a fine of 10,000 rupees (approximately $134.00).
“The Hindu radicals did not stop there,” Pastor Devedrappa, another local pastor, told ICC. “They registered an FIR against Pastor Nayak falsely alleging he insulted the Hindu religion by destroying the Hindu deity on October 20.”
“However, when Pastor Nayak tried to file a complaint about the October 20 attack, the police refused to take the complaint,” Pastor Devedrappa continued. “The police threatened they would send Pastor Nayak to jail.”
“We are not safe in the village and do not know when the trouble is going to come upon us,” Pastor Nayak told ICC. “However, we trust in God for his protection.”
HOW TO PRAY: Pray for healing for those injured in this attack. Pray for the social boycott against Pastor Nayak’s family to be lifted. Pray for protection for this family and India’s wider Christian community.