India: Christian Villagers Face Extreme Discrimination
By Joseph DeCaro, Worthy News Correspondent
NEW DELHI, INDIA (Worthy News)– During the last two months, Christians in the Southern India village of Vanagiri Menavar have been banned from corporate worship and their children refused access to school, but now Hindu leaders have banned them from fishing.
In a community that has traditionally shared its boats, Hindu extremists have now denied Christians their sole source of income and the only means of making a living.
When the Minister of Fisheries attempted to bring the Hindus and Christians together to reconcile their differences, a mob attacked attendees of a Christian prayer meeting, beating them and demanding they recant their faith in Christ; when they refused, six homes were looted as many suffered serious injuries.
International Christian Concern reported that 22 families fled to neighboring villages and forests, hiding in fear for days before returning.
After the Christian families returned and the injured were discharged from the hospital, another attempt at reconciliation last week allowed the Christian children back into the school, but as of press time, their parents were still banned from fishing.