Photo: VOMC
Amid escalating violence and discrimination against Christians in India, the need for greater awareness and advocacy has become increasingly urgent. On June 9th, a group called the National Christian Front organized peaceful demonstrations in the state of Odisha to protest against government policies that promote Hindu nationalism. Additionally, the protests drew attention to the many challenges facing religious minorities across the country.
Christians from numerous denominations joined together and presented a petition requesting the protection of all citizens within the country. Similar demonstrations were reported to have taken place in several other Indian states as well. One of the major concerns raised by the protestors was the harmful anti-conversion legislation that has already been passed in 12 states. While these laws were officially intended to prevent abusive and coercive religious conversions, in reality, they have often been used to oppose the evangelistic activities practised by adherents of Christianity. Within the first five months of 2025 alone, more than 950 incidents of persecution against Christians have been documented throughout India.
In light of the recent protests, Greg Musselman from VOM Canada reported that India’s churches are banding together to place pressure on Hindu nationalist BJP leaders, urging them to do more to legally protect religious minorities. While emphasizing the importance of intercessory prayer, he encourages believers to pray that the Gospel message will continue to spread – even through peaceful demonstrations like these. "Let's pray that the church in India would be unified," he adds. For reports addressing more specific cases of Christian persecution in this South Asian nation, go to our country profile.
- Pray that India’s governing officials would recognize the need to protect the vulnerable members of their communities, including those belonging to religious minority groups.
- Prayerfully uphold our Christian brothers and sisters in India, asking our Heavenly Father to not only strengthen them spiritually so they can overcome the daily challenges, but also unite their hearts with a greater sense of camaraderie and ministry purpose.
- As a result, may the message of God’s love and grace spread throughout the country, even in the face of systemic opposition.
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