by Jordan Hilger, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) - Significant attacks on Christians occurred in the days prior to US President Donald Trump's first visit to India, during which religious freedom was expected to be a main item in discussions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Besides 22 people killed and 200 people injured in north-east Dehli in protests against a new citizenship law discriminating against Muslims, ten attacks on Christians in a representative sample of Indian states preceded the beginning of Trump's two-day visit on February 24th.
Vijayesh Lal, national director of the Religious Liberty Commission of the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI), called “these regular spates of violence against the minority community” a summons to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure the “fundamental right to practise, profess and propagate the faith" of Indian citizens' choice.
India has risen from 31st to 10th on Open Doors USA's World Watch List for the persecution of Christians under the leadership of the Hindu nationalist Modi since he was elected in 2014.