India: Pastor & wife beaten, house and church destroyed by backhoe

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Jayapaul had a small church on a hill and had recently begun a project to build another church in one of the six larger villages nearby due to the growth of his ministry and his efforts in street preaching. This is where the RSS stepped in.

Background: The RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) is a militant right-wing Hindu nationalist group whose goal is to redefine all facets of Indian life to match that of the Hindu faith through “Saffron terror.” The term “saffron terror” comes from the color saffron, used by many Hindu nationalist organizations. These organizations are responsible for numerous acts of terror within India, such as bombings, riots, and even burning Christians and their families alive.

The local RSS stepped up their harassment over the summer and Jayapaul requested help from the local police department and government officials. Still, there were no positive efforts made to curtail the RSS by the powers that be.

On August 25th, he and his church began to construct their second church building in earnest, which angered the Hindu leaders. On August 26th, near midnight, the RSS showed up at his home with a backhoe. The group made a ruckus outside their home and taunted them with vulgarities, but Jayapaul and his wife refused to leave their home.

The RSS members proceeded to break into the home and beat them both and drag them out of the house. They moved to demolish his home. Then they turned the massive machine on the church, which was near to their home. With tears in their eyes, they pleaded with them not to destroy the church, but one of the men shut them up by threatening to kill them both, and the men proceeded to destroy the church.

This left Jayapaul, and his wife on the street, without a home and with much of their possessions were destroyed. They have been moving from house to house, those of church members who are doing their best to keep them up. His church members pray for the restoration of their building and the pastor’s home.

Something good has come out of all of this, it got the police and local government’s attention, and they have stepped in to protect the family and the church and permitted them to rebuild. — Final Frontiers Foundation

 

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