CHRISTIAN BROTHER HARASSED FOR CONDUCTING HOUSE WORSHIPS IN CHHATTISGARH

The continual persecution of Christians in the conflict-ridden state of Chhattisgarh shows a staggering rise of illegal assaults and arrests and countless number of unprecedented attacks for no other reason than for following their faith. This distressing time for Christians is a wake-up call for the church to unite in prayer now more than ever. The pressure to recant by nationalist religious radical entities has led to not only ostracization of Christians from their dwelling places but also an abrupt abortion of socioeconomic aid. The story of Brother Ram Rajgiri and the Christian brethren of Badkapara, Chhattisgarh brings to fore the religious animosity that Christians face for standing undauntedly in and for their faith in Jesus Christ.

The incident as narrated and reported by the Christian brother Ram Rajgiri and Brother Deepak, a devout Christian brother who risks his life for the Christians, by standing and fighting the illegal cases against them, reveals a growing hatred towards the Christian community in the State of Chhattisgarh, district Surajpur, village Badkapara. His crime according to the religious fanatics was that he was conducting and attending house worship services and was allegedly involved in conversion practices. In one such incident that took place on Dec 12, 2021 at the house worship of one sister Tumpa’s home, attended by the brother, he, sister Tumpa and sister Anupriya and her 8-year-old daughter were badly assaulted along with the rest of the Christians gathered there by a group of 100 zealots. Brother Ram Rajgiri was brutally beaten up that caused internal injuries in his body and bruises on his face. The mob kept hurling abuses and accusations of conversions at them. He has since been undergoing treatment in the local government hospital for the internal injuries he suffered.

This incident showcases the discrepancies of law that had Brother Ram Rajgiri and sister Anupriya arrested and brought to the Surajpur local police station by these fanatics and interrogated by the police. They were unlawfully detained, booked under Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 under sections 151, 107, 116 and none of the allegations charged against them were proven. Sister Anupriya was released in the evening the same day and Brother Ram Rajgiri was locked up for a day and released on bail the next day 13.12.2021 after the intervention of a fellow pastors and Christian Association in Surajpur. With no clear evidence of such false accusations of conversion instances, the group also instigated the village folk to lie against the brother. No FIR copy was handed over to him as proof of the same. He was also been summoned to the Surajpur Tehsildar’soffice on January 7, 2022.

Pastor Ram Rajgiri has been a practicing Christian since 2006 and though faced with several challenges of ostracization by his family, discrimination and now a near fatal attack by the zealots, he remains grounded in his faith in Christ.

Impunity is another device used by these extremist groups to push their anti- Christian propaganda by recruiting and conducting violent attacks on the Christian minority community. 

Please pray for Brother Ram Rajgiri, sister Tumpa, sister Anupriya and her daughter and the Christian brethren of Badkapara village, Surajpur, Chhattisgarh who cannot verbalize their injustice, needs and emotions, that God in His profound mercy and wisdom will protect, guide and fulfill their every need.

Please pray that the perpetrators who carry out these heinous acts of violence will come to the saving grace of Jesus Christ and receive His love in their hardened hearts.

Please pray that the minds of those who control the persecutor groups on the ground and instigate them to live hate-filled lives may know the power and sovereignty of our God who alone rules over the hearts of men.

Please pray that the laborers for establishing God’s kingdom increase and a massive harvest of souls break forth for His glory in the conflict-ridden State of Chhattisgarh.