by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) - A Christian doctor in India’s Madhya Pradesh state has been suspended from working with COVID-19 patients, and is facing criminal charges, for offering to pray for the healing of one someone in her care, International Christian Concern reports.
Incidents of persecution against Christians in Madhya Pradesh have surged since the implementation of an anti-conversion law that is reportedly often abused by Hindu nationalists to suppress minority faiths.
Dr. Sandhya Tiwari had been working with Madhya Pradesh State’s “Kill Corona” when a local man took offense at her offer to pray, ICC said. Police were called, the doctor’s phone and Christian pamphlets were confiscated, and criminal proceedings were initiated against her.
In a video on social media, Dr. Tiwari said; “What is wrong in telling them that God heals? I did not tell anybody to convert or forced anybody to pray to Jesus, I am being a Christian, I told them that Jesus heals.”
A local Christian source, who asked to remain anonymous, told ICC: “This is the state of religious freedom in our state, we can be booked for a conversion that we might have with people of other faith, in most cases, the facts are twisted to suit to an agenda and sadly the state machinery are handy to victimize the minorities. If the situation is such for a medical professional, the condition for the common Christian could be much worse.”
India currently ranks 10 on the US Open Doors watch list of top 50 countries which persecute Christians. Open Doors says the main threat to Christians in India is from Hindu nationalists.