FAITH groups and civil-society organisations have united to oppose a new law in Rajasthan state, India, punishing conversion from Hinduism by imprisonment and the confiscation of property.
The state’s Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill came into effect on Thursday of last week, after being signed into law by the state’s governor a month after a vote in Congress. Christian groups say that there have already been incidents of harassment and attacks on their communities.
It is the 12th of the anti-conversion laws passed in states across India, but the penalties that it imposes for those found guilty are some of the harshest of any state. Those found guilty face imprisonment of seven to ten years, and the confiscation of their property. Any fines imposed by the court will be paid to victims, along with compensation.
Penalties increase significantly if the conversions are of members of a “protected group”, according to the Bill — including women, children, members of Scheduled Castes, or Scheduled Tribes — resulting in imprisonment for 20 years. Those found guilty of mass conversions could be sentenced to life imprisonment.
About 20 groups, including the Rajasthan Christian Alliance, the Jaipur Christian Fellowship, the Youth Buddhist Society, the People’s Union for Civil Liberties, and the Communist Party of India, have united to file a writ to the Supreme Court declaring the new Bill unconstitutional. They are also organising mass protests, after celebrations for Diwali.
The Roman Catholic Bishop Emeritus of Jaipur, the Most Revd Oswald Lewis, said: “The Bill was passed in the state assembly on September 9, and since then we have witnessed a rise in organised harassment of Christians in the state.
“The Bill had many loopholes, and even Sunday prayer services, birthday parties, or funerals of Christians may be misconstrued as conversion activities,” he told UCA News.
The Revd Rajnish Jacob, who chairs the Assemblies of God, North India, told the news service Morning Star News, which focuses on the persecution of Christians globally: “We’re seeing church closures in Dausa and Alwar, Ajmer, and other towns close to Jaipur. Pastors are being arrested and detained, while investigations target children’s homes, Bible colleges, and house churches. Even acts of Christian charity are now viewed with suspicion as potential conversion attempts, and any third party can file complaints that put the burden of proof on us.”
The CEO of Release International, which campaigns for persecuted Christians, Paul Robinson, said: “Recent incidents in Rajasthan graphically illustrate a very disturbing trend in India.
“For a number of years now, Christians, especially in rural areas, have suffered violent attack for sharing the gospel. More recently, it seems that state-based anti-conversion laws are fuelling Hindu nationalist and extremist groups to increasingly oppose Christians and Christian activity.”
Christians make up just 0.14 per cent of Rajasthan’s population, according to the latest census. Hindus make up 88.49 per cent, and Muslims nine per cent.