News from India
Rajasthan Set to Become 12th Indian State with Anti-Conversion Law
The North Indian state of Rajasthan last week approved an anti-conversion law that makes it mandatory for people wishing to convert to another religion to inform authorities at least two months in advance.
Pastor Charged with Converting People Through Prayer
A Baptist pastor who also works as a teacher was arrested last week in the Northeastern state of Assam following complaints from villagers that he was attempting to convert people through prayers.
Ethnoreligious Violence Continues to Rock India’s Manipur State
Recent weeks have seen a spike in ethnoreligious violence in northeastern India’s Manipur state after a period of relative calm.
Christians Increasingly Face Persecution Throughout India
In 23 of India’s 28 states, Christians endure discrimination and violence daily, according to a report by the New Delhi-based civil society organization United Christian Forum (UCF).
Overseas Funding Blocked for Christian Orgs’ Alleged Conversion Activities
After the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power at the national level in 2014, many large Christian organizations that had been receiving funds from abroad came under government scrutiny and were charged with embezzlement and other corrupt financial practices.
Christians Increasingly Targeted in BJP-Controlled Odisha
Just six months after the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in tribal-dominated Odisha state, the number of attacks against Christians has spiked.
Police Watch as Mob Attacks 14 Christians in Chhattisgarh
As police officers watched, hundreds of people attacked 14 Christians on Oct. 30 in Chhattisgarh, India, after they defied orders to abandon their Christian faith and harvested crops from a communal farm.
High Court Calls for Regulation of Christian Institutions in India
The High Court of Tamil Nadu made a significant statement on Oct. 23, saying there is a need for Christian institutions to be regulated by a statutory government endowment body, like Hindu and Muslim institutions.