News from India
India’s Modi Visits D.C. as Anti-Christian Hate Soars Back Home
After a trip earlier this week to France, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now in Washington, D.C., visiting with President Trump, Elon Musk, and other key figures in the new administration. Reports indicate that Modi’s meetings are largely centered on economic considerations, including the regulatory approval Musk’s Starlink company is awaiting in India and the threat of increased tariffs between the two countries.
Film’s Depiction of Conversions to Christianity Sparks Concern
A film produced and released on Feb. 7 in Odisha state has created a huge uproar among the Christian community, many fearing it may stoke communal tensions and even lead to riots.
Supreme Court of India Orders Chhattisgarh to Demarcate Burial Sites for Christians
On Jan. 27, the Supreme Court of India gave the government of Chhattisgarh a two-month deadline to demarcate exclusive burial sites for Christians to prevent disputes over burial grounds in the state.
Christian Husband, Wife First to Be Convicted Under Anti-Conversion Law
A Christian evangelist couple in India was convicted on Jan. 22 for the mass conversion of Dalit community members under Uttar Pradesh’s anti-conversion law. This is the first time that such a conviction has occurred in India. The convicted couple was deemed culpable under section 3/5 of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Act.
The couple, Pastor Jose Pappachan and his wife Sheeja Pappachan, were found guilty of forced religious conversions and were sentenced to five years of imprisonment with a fine of Rs 25,000 each (about USD 300). A special court in the Ambedkar Nagar district known for redressing offenses against socially disadvantaged castes like the Dalits convicted the Christian couple.
The term Dalit, which is Sanskrit for “broken/scattered,” is used for “untouchables” or outcasts who represent the lowest stratum of the castes in the Indian subcontinent and refers to any member of a wide range of social groups that are marginalized in Hindu caste society. Legally, they are also known as scheduled castes.
India’s Supreme Court Sides with Deceased Pastor’s Son in Fight for Right to Christian Burial
The Supreme Court of India (SCI) on Jan. 18 reprimanded authorities in Chhattisgarh for not assisting in the burial of a Christian in a tribal village in the state’s southern province of Bastar.
Chhattisgarh Follows Uttar Pradesh’s Lead with Proposed Change to Anti-Conversion Law
The central Indian state of Chhattisgarh is set to replace its existing anti-conversion law with a new one like Uttar Pradesh’s draconian anti-conversion law to make it difficult to change one’s religion.
Indian Christians Petition President, Prime Minister
Nearly 400 Christian leaders and 30 church groups have written a letter to Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling for urgent action to address the rising violence and systemic challenges that India’s Christian community is facing.
Hindu Nationalists Disrupt Christmas Services Throughout India
A spate of violent attacks marred the 2024 Christmas celebrations across India despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi extolling the virtues of love and harmony taught by Jesus Christ in his Christmas speech.