by Jordan Hilger, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) - At least 328 incidents of persecution against Christians occurred in India in 2019, according to Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) India, though Christian leaders there are expecting more to come in 2020.
"There are all kinds of surveys and research being carried out by right-wing groups who want to systematically erase Christians," an unnamed Christian leader told International Christian Concern as Narendra Modi enters his second term as India's Prime Minister.
Indian pastors report that many of their church activities have had to be moved indoors for fear of being spotted by roving bands of Hindu nationalists, who increasingly have free reign and legal impunity to harass Christians, burn down churches, and disrupt home meetings.
“It has become very challenging to keep our church members from recanting their faith due to threats or fear-mongering by the Hindu radicals,” said a Christian leader named Pastor Suryam, whose church was burned down last year.
“The present situation is like we are compressed and out of breath, even when it comes to conducting prayers in our church members’ homes,” he explained.
India has been ranked the number 10 worst persecutor of Christians worldwide for a second straight year on Open Doors USA's World Watch List 2020.