Police in India Press Churches to Provide Information on Activities

Christians in Sharda Nagar, Madhya Pradesh were distressed as Hindu extremists disrupted their house church worship. 

(Morning Star News screenshot)

 Posted at Morning Star News:

Notices have chilling effect on worship gatherings.

HYDERABAD, India, (Morning Star News) – Police in India have issued questionnaires to at least 40 churches in Indore, Madhya Pradesh state seeking information that Christians fear will be used by Hindu extremists to attack them, sources said.

The questionnaires are intrusive and discriminatory, as they were sent only to Christians, church leaders said.

“We contacted the police commissioner and told him that it is an unjust order and very discriminatory – why only Christians?” Indore Catholic Diocese Bishop Chacko Thottumarickal told local media. “The questions in the letter are also very suspicious. This is not in good spirit.”

The 16-point questionnaire issued by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Information Centre of Indore, addressed to all police stations, seeks information about Christians’ activities in the city over the three months prior to its issue date of July 7. It has had a chilling effect, with many churches stopping in-person worship and going to online services, sources said.

“Although the police commissioner had stated that they withdrew the alleged notices, the police are still approaching the churches and enquiring about the same details and asking the pastors to fill out the document,” a source who spoke on condition of anonymity told Morning Star News.

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