Indian state sanctions life in prison for converting people to Christianity

Religious freedom for Christians continues to say no in India, with the most recent news being that the northern state of Uttarakhand has amended the punishment for breaching its anti-conversion law to incorporate as much as life imprisonment.

Anti-conversion laws in India are theoretically meant to stop people from using force or coercion to alter an individual’s religion. In practice they’re used to stop people from leaving Hinduism.

According to the amended law in Uttarakhand, using social media or other online technology to advertise conversion is now an offence, as is using any foreign funding in a conversion. Criticising one religion and praising one other may additionally fall foul of the law.

One anonymous Christian in India, who partners with anti-persecution charity Open Doors, said of the updated law, “This newly amended bill is a big threat for odd Christians. The simplest act of kindness to a different person might be seen as an ‘inducement’ to convert them they usually might be punished severely.”

They continued, “Several Hindutva-led state governments are amending their anti-conversion laws including Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Hindutva nationalists are misusing these laws and attacking Christians and churches. With such stringent laws, following Christ in India comes with painful consequences.”

Hindutva refers to a type of Hindu nationalism, which essentially claims that to be Indian is to be Hindu.

Local Christian groups have opposed the amended law, saying they’re discriminatory, an infringement on religious liberty, and can be used to harass Christians and stoke community tension.

While the amended law has not yet passed – requiring approval from the governor – this is anticipated to be forthcoming.

Despite its status because the “world’s largest democracy”, religious freedom in India is under significant attack. In its annual persecution index this 12 months, Open Doors ranked India because the eleventh worst persecutor of Christians on the planet, worse than Islamist Saudi Arabia and the military junta in Myanmar.

While unlikely to be persecuted by the state directly, in lots of places Indian Christians are susceptible to mob violence, which the authorities may or may not punish. This is along with the assorted anti-conversion laws that are getting used against Christians.