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IBJP workers and supporters wave their party’s Lotus print flags during a roadshow by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Uttar Pradesh
He continued: ‘Over the years we have reported many stories of Indian Christians boldly sharing the gospel – and suffering the consequences. The willingness to suffer for proclaiming Christ is always flesh and blood evidence of the grace of God. From what we have seen and heard time and again, I believe the Indian church can handle pressure; but when the state is conniving with extremists it becomes very complicated.’
Fears for constitution as country goes to the polls
ndia and its Christian population also a concern that attempts will be are in particular need of your made to change the constitution.
prayers as the country heads for national elections in the coming weeks.
Article 25 of India’s constitution currently grants ‘the freedom of conscience, the freedom to profess, practise and propagate religion to all citizens’. The final part of that
The Hindu nationalist party, the BJP, has been in power since the
A TIME TO PRAY
general election of 2014, retaining definition is important, as freedom to its control in a subsequent vote in ‘propagate’ faith means the freedom
The Apostle Paul wrote that ‘there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God’ (Romans 13:1). Please pray:
2019. Nationalistic sentiment seems more prominent than ever as the country goes to the polls again.
to evangelize.
• that whatever the electoral outcome in the next few weeks India’s new government will uphold its own constitution and protect Christians who seek to practise and to ‘propagate’ their faith
Since the rise to power of the BJP various Hindu nationalist organisations have seemed increasingly bold in their attacks on Christians and other religious minorities.
‘When the state is
conniving with
extremists it becomes
In our recent annual Persecution Trends report we noted the view
of some that the nationalist Government is complicit in attacks on religious minorities by Hindu militants. If the current Government is re-elected this spring those extremists will have more power to act without consequence. There is
Nevertheless, in many rural areas Christian pastors planting new gospel ministries have, over the years,
faced violent opposition from Hindu extremists. In addition, more recently, there has been increasing concern as a number of Indian states have passed so-called anti-conversion laws. These have been used to target those sharing the gospel with people from a Hindu background.
• that Christians will remain faithful to the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, even in the face of Hindu extremist intimidation and violence
very complicated’
One news report, at the end of 2023, suggested that in the northern
state of Uttar Pradesh alone, as many as 400 Christians had been arrested in the three years since that state passed anti-conversion laws. Although intended to protect people from being forced to convert to another faith, the legislation has been used to oppose even prayer meetings and Christian relief aid.
Paul Robinson, Release International’s CEO, said, ‘We have heard people saying, “The India
we knew is gone”, which is a stark statement. At the same time the church appears to be growing in parts of India. Our prayer is that Christians in India will continue to live out their faith and remain true to the gospel of Christ, even in these trying times.’
• for Release International’s partners in India as it seeks to support those who suffer for Christ
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