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India

• Rajasthan State to Introduce Anti-Conversion Legislation

  

  In an affidavit filed earlier this month before India's Supreme Court, officials from the Indian state of Rajasthan announced their plans to introduce legislation that would ban so-called forced religious conversions. The proposal comes after the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took control of the state following elections in late November, unseating the more centrist Indian National Congress.

• Young Convert Killed and Widow Forced to Flee

  

  On May 4th, 22-year-old Kosa Kawasi was killed during a violent mob attack while at his home in the village of Kapanar, Chhattisgarh state. The mob, believed to have been led by the young man's uncle and cousin, was angered that Kosa and his wife Jime had converted to Christianity. As a result, the opposing villagers had unsuccessfully tried to force the Christian couple from their home. Following this incident, the angry community members physically confronted the believer – ultimately inflicting a lethal stab wound.

• Prison Sentence for Alleged Forced Conversions

  

  A Christian couple was recently sentenced to prison after accusations were made that they had been involved in pressuring others to convert to Christianity. Pastor Ramesh Ahirwar and his wife Sakshi are from the village of Vivek Nagar in Madhya Pradesh. A man had accused the couple of abducting his estranged wife Sapna (who also happens to be Pastor Ramesh's niece) before allegedly pressuring her to convert, holding the woman against her will, and not allowing her to return home to be with him. He also purported that the Christian couple offered to build Sapna a home and give her money each month. The complainant, Abhishek, further claimed that the Christians attempted to convert him as well, offering him a job in return.

• Land Dispute Escalates to Violence

  

  For several years, villagers in Janwada, which is located within India's Telangana State, have been demanding that a road in their community be widened. On February 13th, workers moved into the area to start construction. However, it was discovered during the building process that the construction had encroached by several feet onto the property belonging to the community's Methodist Church, which had existed there for 50 years.

• Family Attacked for Refusing to Renounce Christianity

  

  Ayatu Ram Podiyami, a believer who lives in Gufanpal, Chhattisgarh, came to faith in Christ alongside his family in 2020. On February 6th, an opposing group of about 20 people from the village approached the Christian man and asked him if he would convert back to Hinduism. After Ayatu refused to renounce his Christian faith, a larger mob began to gather outside his house, further pressuring him to return to the Hindu religion. Fearing for his safety, the harassed believer fled into the jungle.

• Christian Couple Beaten and Threatened

  

  A Christian couple in Uppaladinni, Karnataka, was recently beaten for their faith and threatened with death if they continued to practise Christianity. The attack on Vijayalakshmi Chavhan and her husband Ashok happened on January 10th, the day after Vijayalakshmi was accused by several media organizations of conducting forced religious conversions.

• 42 Christians Questioned, Resulting in Several Being Charged

  

  Police in the Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh detained 42 Christians and formally charged nine of them after receiving a complaint about an alleged "Christian conversion racket." The accusations outlined tactics purported to be used by the believers in leading members of the state’s impoverished and tribal communities to convert to Christianity.

• Positive Court Ruling on State Anti-Conversion Law

  

  A recent ruling by the Allahabad High Court has brought encouraging news to Christians in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. This court decision may help to more precisely determine who is legally qualified to file a grievance under the state's anti-conversion law, as well as provide some beneficial legal guidelines on what constitutes "allurement."

• Pastor and Family Detained; Multiple Other Christians Arrested

  

  A pastor, his wife and their three-year-old son have been jailed in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh after holding a prayer service at their home in Haidargarh on July 30th. Pastor Harendra Singh and his wife Priya were arrested and remanded on allegations of "luring innocent people to Christianity." Because both of these parents were detained, they had to take their young son with them to prison.

• Five Arrested at Family Celebration
  

  Bibha Kerketta made her vows to become a nun six months ago and came home in early June to celebrate with her family and friends in Balachhapar, a village located in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh. However, as people gathered at her mother's home on June 6th, a group of Hindu militants barged into the house, accusing the Christians of conducting a healing service and insulting other religions.