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Open Doors
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Open Doors
World News

'A dark time for the Church in India': Christian charity warns as highest court rules against Hindus converting to other faiths

by Alex Collett

Christian persecution charity Open Doors believes is a "very tough time for Christians in India" as the country's Supreme Court ruled against Hindus converting to other faiths earlier this month. 

The Supreme Court justified the decision after urging India's government to act against what they call "fraudulent religious conversion" and stating that it was a potential danger to national security. 

Lisa Gentile, representing the coalition for Open Doors told Premier there is no evidence of widespread forced conversion to Christianity or Islam in India. 

However, Gentile did stress that there is a worrying trend and evidence of violence rising against religious minorities, particularly, against Christians. 

She told Premier: "This is a very, very tough time for Christians in India and being a Christian means that you might be falsely accused of forcibly converting someone at any point.

"Also when you're meeting with fellow other Christians, your prayer meeting or your service might be interrupted by a mob of angry extremists wanting to beat you up and report you to the police."

Gentile said Muslims have also subjected to "increasing mob lynching, cow vigilante attacks, public beatings, even calls for genocide". 

She went on to ask people to pray for all Christians and religious minorities in India: "This is a very dark time for the church in India, but the churches are standing strong, they're boldly refusing to give up on their faith and also give up on sharing their faith peacefully with others. 

"Please also pray for the government. Pray that they will listen to the voices of all their citizens, regardless of their religion, that that they will recognise that there is a plot problem in their country and that they have to address it urgently.

"An ultimately, I would also say please pray for or governments such as the UK Government to speak up and to address this situation with the Indian government directly."

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