Source: Morning Star News
Hindu nationalists weaponize ‘anti-conversion’ law against Christian.
September 21, 2023 By Our India Correspondent
Bajarang Rawat faces baseless charges of fraudulent conversion in Uttar Pradesh, India. (Morning Star News)
Pastor Bajarang Rawat, a 47-year-old convert from Hinduism faces charges of converting people by “allurement” even though police could find no witnesses against him, and the only evidence they presented was his Bible, the pastor said.
“Reprimanding the policemen, the magistrate told them that it was not a crime to possess a Bible, and that he himself has a Bible at home,” Pastor Rawat told Morning Star News. “The policemen stood silent, but even after this conversation, I was sent to jail.”
Wife and children of Pastor Bajarang Rawat in Mohanlalganj, Uttar Pradesh, India. (Morning Star News)
The following weeks left his wife and two daughters, ages 3 and 10, near starvation, but police had received intense pressure from Hindu nationalist, government authorities to prosecute him, he said. Pastor Rawat has yet to find a source of income after Hindu nationalists ruined his sales stall and he was forced to leave the area.
In the prior four years, police had regularly monitored Pastor Rawat’s activities but always responded positively to the people who gathered for worship at his place.
But Loni Katra police arrested Pastor Rawat, who ran a stall beside his shed where he sold petty items at a railway crossing, on the complaint of Vijay Hindustani. Hindustani alleged that Pastor Rawat was involved in alluring people to convert to Christianity with the help of a dozen unidentified people.
The day of his arrest, six or seven officers accompanied by about 12 Hindu nationalists and a few news reporters with cameras and microphones arrived at his place at 11:30 a.m. while he was leading Sunday worship, Pastor Rawat said.
The news reporters asked congregation members questions about their faith, reasons for their gathering and whether they were offered any allurement, he said.
“The people boldly stepped forward to give amazing testimonies of healing that they and their families have encountered, and they refused to deny their faith,” he said, noting that as a poor man without a proper home and job, he had nothing to offer people besides his prayers.
Spontaneous Church Plant
About 50 to 60 congregation members gathered in the open beside his makeshift stall every Sunday for prayer to hear the Word of God, but the church began without him intending to start it, he said.
“One day someone visited me on a Sunday and found my family in devotional prayer,” he told Morning Star News. “They joined us, and in this way, people began to flock every Sunday knowing that they would find us praying and they would get prayed upon.”
Area Christian Anand Masih said Rawat never went to school and could barely read, “but God’s anointing was so much on him that he began to read the Bible and preach a strong and powerful message.”
As people began to come and receive healing prayer, the church grew, Pastor Rawat said. In addition, he would offer to pray for people who stopped by his sales stall and share about their problems and illnesses, he said.
“More than 300 people have come to me for prayers, and God has been so kind that all have received healing without any exception,” he said.
Different police patrols questioned Pastor Rawat at various times about the gatherings, to which he would reply, “We gather to pray to Jesus,” and they would say that was fine, he said.
Family Devastated
Christian leaders heard about Rawat’s unique ministry and his arrest and sought his release on bail.
“With much difficulty we traced his wife and daughters, who were living in a dilapidated shed,” Chandra told Morning Star News. “They had no food to eat. Their condition was beyond what I can describe.”
Pastor Rawat’s wife, Shashi, said she was left homeless after he was taken to the police station.
The team of Christian leaders helped Pastor Rawat’s family and also procured his release on bail on Aug. 7. He and his family moved to an undisclosed location with rented living quarters.
His congregation members found out where he was and continue to visit him.
“Families are still coming for fellowship, prayer and to hear God’s Word, but they all come individually and not in a group,” he said.
Police have not returned his Bible and songbooks. One of his church members asked how he would teach, and how they would sing praises, he said.
“God’s Word fills my heart, and His songs are on my lips – even if they have taken away my Bible, I can still preach,” Pastor Rawat responded.
Pray for Pastor Rawat, his wife Shashi and their children, that God would provide for them abundantly and that they would be able be able to continue their ministry.
Pray for protection for Pastor Rawat and his family and that he wouldn't be taken back to jail again.
Pray for the community and Pastor Rawat's accusers that they would come to faith in Jesus.
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