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India

• Anti-Conversion Law to be Repealed

  

  In the state elections held in Karnataka on May 10th, the secular Indian National Congress party won a majority of seats over the former ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Moving quickly on election promises to reverse the "unconstitutional decisions" that were previously made, the newly elected government plans to introduce legislation that will repeal the state's "Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Act," widely referred to as the anti-conversion law. The new bill will be introduced in the upcoming assembly session, beginning on July 3rd. The new government also plans to reverse the previous changes made to school textbooks that had promoted aggressive Hindu nationalist (Hindutva) ideologies.

• Pastor and His Family Detained on False Accusations

  

  On April 24th, Pastor Kirubendran and his family were detained for allegedly conducting "forcible conversion" activities and "insulting religion." The pastor's wife, Manju, was released on bail in early May, along with their 18-month-old daughter. While the toddler had not been charged, she was detained along with her mother. Despite repeated attempts to post bail, Pastor Kirubendran was not released from custody until May 24th.

• Church Attacked by Sikh Group

  

  On May 21st, Christians who had gathered together for worship at the Sukhpal Rana Ministries Church in Rajewal, Punjab, were viciously attacked by a mob dressed as traditional Sikh warriors. Members of this armed Sikh order, known as "the Nihangs," are distinguishable by their blue robes and large turbans.

• Violence Leads to Dozens of Deaths

  

  Ongoing ethnic tensions in the Indian state of Manipur ignited into a disturbing outbreak of violence after some took offence to a peaceful protest on May 3rd. During the resulting unrest, over 50 people had reportedly been killed, another 150 received injuries, and more than 50 church buildings were burned to the ground. At least 20,000 people have been forcibly displaced, many of them seeking protection in military camps. View one of the eyewitness videos of the ongoing destruction.

• Christians Denied Humanitarian Aid Rations

  

  Ten Christian families in Bara Chomri village, Madhya Pradesh, have been denied government rations due to their faith affiliation. These families were summoned to a village gathering on January 26th where they were pressured to give up their Christian faith. The believers were told that if they did not comply, they would be denied provisions distributed to the poor by the government.

• Mob Violently Protests Alleged Conversion Activities

  

  Hundreds of villagers converged on a Catholic church in the Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh on January 2nd. Spurred on by accusations of alleged religious conversions, the crowd entered the church building armed with wooden sticks and iron rods. Significant damage was done to the church and presbytery. Several police officers, including the district superintendent, were injured when they attempted to intervene.

• Ministry Leaders Appeal for Pastors' Release

  

  A group of pastors in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh is appealing for the release of 30 fellow pastors who are being detained in prisons around the state. According to Pastor Jitendra Singh, General Secretary of the Pastors' Association of Uttar Pradesh, all of the detained church leaders have been falsely charged under the state's anti-conversion legislation which was enacted in February 2021.

• Christians Expelled from Tribal Village

  

  On December 4th, a group consisting of 13 Christian families were expelled from their home village in rural Chhattisgarh because they refused to deny their faith. The families, comprising a total of 66 individuals, were summoned to a village council meeting in the town of Mungwal. The villagers opposing these families tried to pressure them to deny their faith in Jesus Christ, mandating that they return to their former tribal religion.

• Christians Dealing with Aftermath of Mob Attack

  

  A small gathering of Christians suffered severe beatings during an attack on November 13th in which a mob, accompanied by a village leader, interrupted their Sunday worship service. The mob burst into the home where the believers had gathered and forcibly removed two families from the residence before brutally beating them. Since coming to faith in Christ four months prior to this attack, these families received harassment from other villagers. They have been accused of converting to a foreign religion and luring innocent tribal people to Christianity.

• Christians Arrested at Wedding Reception

  

  Numerous arrests took place at the wedding reception held for a pastor's daughter and son-in-law on November 28th. Acting on accusations from Hindu nationalists in the community, police raided the gathering at the pastor's house in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh. The host attempted to explain that it was simply a wedding reception and not, as alleged by community members, a "conversion program." However, his pleas were ignored. Nine pastors and the newly married couple were arrested and charged under the state's anti-conversion legislation.