Over 200,000 Indian Christians have gathered in Arunachal Pradesh, India, to rally against the state’s anti-conversion laws.

The law, set to be implemented by the end of March is known as the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act. Eleven Indian states currently have ‘anti-conversion’ laws.

Protesting the act is a group called the Arunachal Pradesh Christian Forum (APCF). They say that the law restricts freedom of religion, as it states that churches must apply for permission to do baptisms.

President of the APCF, Tahr Miri, told Christian Solidarity Worldwide: “Whosoever wants to convert has to obtain permission from the district administration before he or she can convert and take baptism.

“But if it is done without permission, then the priest or pastor conducting the baptism can face arrest and fine. This is against secularism and against our rights.”

The state of Arunachal is comprised of 26 tribal cultures. Proponents of anti-conversion laws claim that the spread of Christianity will erase tribal practices.

Tahr Miri said: “The other tribal religions are protected – but not Christianity. We have the same practices even after converting to Christianity. We have only stopped practices of animism.”

Animism is the belief that plants, rocks, and inanimate objects have spiritual power.

CSW’s Founder President Mervyn Thomas said: “As we have seen in eleven other states in India, anti-conversion laws are unconstitutional.

“We call on the government of Arunachal Pradesh to heed the concerns of the state’s Christian community and not to implement the APFRA, and urge the governments of all states in which anti-conversion laws are already in place to repeal these laws and acquit anyone currently facing charges under them as a matter of urgency.”