On 26 February, we reported that in a recent social media post, two Hindu extremists attempted to call 5,000 people to gather on 1 March, to join ‘Gau Nyay Yatra’ (cow justice parade). Participants were asked to publicly commit obscene acts, especially against Christian women and girls in three Christian-majority villages in Chhattisgarh, India: Bishrampur, Janakpur and Ganeshpur.
We praise the Lord that this large-scale violence was cancelled! Thank you for praying for our Christian brothers and sisters in India. Local Christians are grateful for the fervent prayers and request continued prayers for peace and harmony in Chhattisgarh State.
The violent attacks were aimed against ‘cow slaughterers’, a term that Hindu extremists use for Christians. News of the posts attracted worldwide attention. Soni soon uploaded a video to say he was postponing the event indefinitely. Later, he stated that it may be considered cancelled. In his video announcing the cancellation of the 1 March rally, Soni stressed that this is not the end of their mission, telling his supporters to remain vigilant to ensure that no illegal activities of cow slaughtering take place.
A state-level meeting was held in Raipur, the capital city of Chhattisgarh. Various government officials and Christian leaders attended, to address the incitement of large-scale violence. After the meeting, police provided assurances that there would be protection and security for the Christian-majority villages.
There were no reports of violence or persecution throughout the day. The situation in the three villages remained peaceful and calm, with vigilant police officials patrolling constantly.
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