05/09/2018 Washington D.C. (International Christian Concern) – Persecution is not an uncommon experience for Christians living in the Bastar District of India’s Chhattisgarh State. In fact, it has become a part of their daily lives. However, this persecution is reaching a breaking point after a heavy deployment of security forces was needed to protect an annual Christian gathering in the village of Madota last month.

Tight security was required for the prayer gathering held on April 17 through 19 by Christians in Madota after Hindu radicals made threats against the gathering. Police were deployed to protect the safety of more than 300 Christians who gathered to peacefully practice their faith.

Still, the presence of police did not completely dispel the fears of an attack.

“We had to cut down our evening programs due to fear of attacks,” Rev. Abimalik Sona, one of the organizers of the event, told International Christian Concern (ICC). “Although we have concluded the annual prayer gathering peacefully, we felt that our rights had been trampled as we had conducted these spiritual meetings under tremendous threat.”

The Christians of Madota have been facing intense persecution for years. Much of the violence began back in May 2014 when Madota joined 50 other villages in the Bastar District in passing resolutions that banned the practice of non-Hindu religions. Discrimination against the Christian community spilled into outright violence on October 25, 2014 when a mob of hundreds of Hindu radicals attacked a group of Christians with iron rods and clubs. This resulted in seven Christians suffering severe injuries including broken limbs.

“We have been harassed by Hindu radicals all through and through,” Mangal Mandavi, a Christian victim of the October 2014 violence, told ICC. “The latest incident was when Christians of Madota wanted to have an annual prayer meeting. We were threatened to cancel our prayer meeting, but with the prior permission from the police and security provided by the administration, we were still able to have our three-day prayer meetings.”