by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) - A pro-Hindu news outlet reported approvingly on May 24 that authorities in India’s Odisha state shut down a church following complaints about local tribal residents converting to Christianity. Persecution against Christians in India has intensified greatly since the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party came to power in 2014.
The Church in Geluta in Odisha’s Bhadrak district was sealed off on May 24 after the district administration determined that peace in the local community had been disturbed by apparent conversions of “innocent” tribal people to Christianity, Opindia reported. The decision to close the church was made by the Executive Magistrate and IIC of Rural PS.
“There were complaints regarding tribals being converted to Christianity. We found out that there is some breach of peace between communities. District administration has enforced Section 144 in Getlua, three persons are allowed to gather in the vicinity of the Church,” Manoj Patra, Sub Collector of Bhadrak told Opindia.
Commenting on the church closure another pro-Hindu news outlet, Sanatanprabhat, attested in an ‘Editorial Viewpoint’: “Hindus may demand that the Administration inquire if this happens in all the churches and if so investigate and take similar action against the offending churches.
India ranks 10th on the US Open Doors Watch List 2022 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted.