Woman Accuses Her Family of Forcible Conversion

A woman in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India has accused six of her uncles and their pastor of trying to forcefully convert her to Christianity.  According to a May 11 report from Compass Direct, the men claim that the accusations stem from a dispute over a drainage channel that flows by her door. They allege that, rather than trying to resolve the immediate issue, Saroj Maurya went to the local newspapers and accused her uncles and their pastor, Mehboob Masih, of attempting to force her to convert to Christianity.

As a result of the accusations, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a campaign against Pastor Masih. On May 6, three local BJP leaders threatened to kill him if he did not stop holding prayer meetings in his home. Later that day, a senior police officer ordered Masih not to hold the prayer meeting the following day and said police would not be responsible if any "untoward incident" took place. He also threatened to arrest Masih if there were any disturbances.  When Masih filed a complaint with the authorities on May 7, the police refused to give him a signed copy of his complaint as required by law. Instead, they informed him that a forcible conversion case had been filed against him.

Pray that these men will maintain the attitude of Christ, entrusting themselves to God Who judges perfectly (I Peter 5:1-4). Ask the Lord to protect Pastor Masih from any attempts on his life. Also ask God to give him wisdom as he provides spiritual leadership to these believers (James 1:5). Pray that the prayer meetings will continue uninterrupted.

For more information on the persecution facing Christians in India, click here.  A newly-released video report on the trials facing Christians in India is available at https://www.vomcanada.com/.

India Information

  • Current Ministry Projects

    VOMC assists persecuted Christians with legal support and rehabilitation assistance, and cares for children of martyrs by providing them with a safe place to be nurtured physical and spiritually. VOMC also partners to equip Christians in India with Biblical training and works to strengthen and support marginalized and persecuted Christian women. Additionally, VOMC helps to provide medical assistance to believers who have faced injuries after being attacked.”

    Project Funds: Families of Martyrs, Equipping the Saints, Legal Defense, Relief and Development, Women’s Ministry, Medical Fund

  • Country Information

    Population
    1,399,179,585 (2023 est.)

    Ethnicity (%)
    Indo-Aryan (72), Dravidian (25), other (3)

    Religion (%)
    Hinduism (79.8), Muslim (14.2), Christianity (2.3), Sikh (1.7), other (2)

    Leader
    President Droupadi Murmu (2022)

    Government type
    Federal parliamentary republic

    Legal system
    Based on English common law; separate personal law codes apply to Christians, Hindus and Muslims.

    Source: CIA World Factbook

  • Pray for India

    Despite the intimidation and violence that have taken place in many of India's states, may Christians wisely yet unashamedly preach the Gospel. Pray that indigenous Christians and foreign missionaries will minister in ways that do not hint at fraudulent conversions, unmasking the intentions behind the anti-conversion legislation. Intercede for India's leaders, that they may reign with justice and righteousness.

India News

  • Supreme Court to Review Anti-Conversion Laws
    The India Supreme Court building is surrounded by trees.
    The Supreme Court of India.
    Photo: Wikimedia / Subhashish Panigrahi (cc)

    The Supreme Court of India has agreed to hear a series of petitions challenging the constitutionality of anti-conversion laws enacted by several of the country's states. On September 16th, the court issued notices to the respective state governments, requesting their formal responses within four weeks. The case is scheduled to be heard in six weeks, and the judges have indicated that they may consider ordering the states to pause the enforcement of their existing laws until a decision is made.

  • New Policies Further Restrict Religious Freedom
    A brightly lit church building is filled with people.
    A church in India.
    Photo: Flickr / Ashish Kumar Milap (cc)

    Recent developments in two Indian states have raised serious concerns for Christians, particularly in relation to the newly heightened restrictions on religious conversions. In the first incident, police in Chhattisgarh notified more than 200 house churches around the state capital city of Raipur that worship gatherings within private homes are no longer permitted.

  • Pastors Arrested and Assaulted
    A crowd is gathered around a church building.
    A screenshot of people disrupting the service in Bhilai.
    Photo: Morning Star News

    On July 20th, six pastors were arrested after a mob disrupted a church service in Bhilai, a city located within the Indian state of Chhattisgarh. The assailants chanted Hindu slogans and accused the pastors of engaging in forcible conversions. As the mob grew increasingly vocal, shouting obscenities and threatening violence, Pastor Baksh locked the church doors to protect his congregation members.