(International Christian Concern) – A series of persecution incidents have raised concerns for many Indian Christians following the re-election of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Since the BJP claimed a landslide victory in India’s national election, International Christian Concern (ICC) has documented at least seven attacks against Christians in just two weeks.
“I expected things to be difficult,” Pastor Roop Sen, a pastor from Lalgunj, Uttar Pradesh, told ICC. “But I never thought it would be so soon. Policemen picked me up from my home and took me to the police station on May 30. I asked them about the reason for my arrest. They told me that someone, likely a Hindu radical, had submitted a complaint that I was involved in forced conversions.”
This is not the first time that Pastor Sen has been targeted by Hindu radicals. Three years ago, in 2016, he was brutally beaten by Hindu radicals.
However, Pastor Sen feels that Christians are now more vulnerable under BJP rule. “Anybody can file a complaint against me or any other Christians and an arrest will immediately follow without proper evidence to back the accusation,” Pastor Sen explained.