India: Police side with Hindu extremists in Uttar Pradesh

On 26 January 2021, Morning Star news reported that a mob of around 20 Hindus attacked Christians attending a Sunday service at Heavenly Gospel Mission Church in Shahjahanpur District, Uttar Pradesh, on 3 January 2021. Men, women and children were beaten with wooden batons and chairs, and four Christians and the Hindu owner of the rented building were dragged outside and threatened with death. Nearby police officers did nothing to stop them, who then proceeded to hit and arrest some of the Christian men. Later at the police station the head officer threatened and made derogatory remarks against them and their Christian faith. Rolf Zeegers, persecution analyst at World Watch Research, comments: "According to the World Christian Database, Christians only make up 0.25% of a total population of 228,306,000 in Uttar Pradesh and Hindu extremists there can attack Christians with full impunity. Indeed, violence against Christians has increased since BJP politician and monk Yogi Aditnayath was appointed Chief Minister of the state on 26 March 2017. The incident reported above shows that the police not only look the other way when Christians are attacked but also assist Hindu extremists by arresting the victims instead of the aggressors. This is typical of India today, where the BJP is in control."