[Today’s Prayer] India’s Chhattisgarh State Enforces Hardline “Anti-Conversion Law”… Life Imprisonment Possible for Converting Two or More People

India’s Chhattisgarh state has passed an extremely strict religious freedom bill under the justification of preventing forced and fraudulent conversions, raising growing concerns among local Christian communities and human rights groups. Christian leaders have criticized the new law, saying it is likely to be abused as a tool to suppress minority religions rather than to protect religious freedom.

Christian Daily International (CDI), citing a source, reported that Governor Ramen Deka signed the “2026 Chhattisgarh Religious Freedom Bill” (Dharm Swatantraya Vidheyak) on April 7 (local time). The law will take effect upon publication in the official gazette and will replace the existing conversion-related law enacted in 1968.

(omitted)

Conversion activities conducted through digital platforms such as social media are also included. Such offenses are classified as cognizable and non-bailable crimes.

(omitted)

At the heart of the controversy is an “exception clause” in the law: conversions to Hinduism are explicitly excluded, and reconversion to one’s “ancestral religion” is also not punishable. In response, the Christian community has protested, calling it “discriminatory legislation that protects only a specific religion.”

The Progressive Christian Alliance, a coalition of pastors and church leaders, stated: “This law does not protect religious freedom but is an attempt to systematically restrict and criminalize the legitimate expression of faith by minority religions, especially Christianity, in Chhattisgarh.”

They added that the existing 1968 law has been used for decades to file false accusations against Christians, noting that cases accusing pastors, evangelists, priests, nuns, and ordinary believers of forced conversion have repeatedly occurred.

John Dayal, spokesperson for the All India Catholic Union, said that this measure is part of a political strategy to shrink the space for religious minorities across India. He pointed out that the Hindu nationalist ideology of “Hindutva” is marginalizing Christian and Muslim communities and pushing toward the goal of establishing a Hindu nation.

(omitted)

In fact, there have been a series of anti-Christian incidents in Chhattisgarh in recent years. In 2023, in the Narayanpur area, mobs destroyed churches and clashed with police. Last year, Catholic nuns were arrested on charges of human trafficking and forced conversion but were later released on bail. During the Christmas season, Hindu nationalist groups also damaged decorations in shopping malls.

The Christian community responded immediately. On March 28, thousands of Christians held large-scale protests across all 33 districts of Chhattisgarh, demanding the repeal of the new law. Participants labeled the bill as an “evil law” and attempted to march toward the governor’s residence.

(omitted)

Source: Christian Today

He will bring it about at the proper time—He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To Him be honor and might forever. Amen.

God, we hear the news that in India’s Chhattisgarh state, an extremely strict religious freedom law has been passed that punishes those who convert others, while excluding Hinduism.

Because of this, the Progressive Christian Alliance has criticized the anti-conversion law as an attempt not to protect religious freedom, but to systematically restrict and criminalize the legitimate expression of faith by minority religions, especially Christianity. As thousands of Indian Christians are currently holding large-scale protests calling for the repeal of the law, Lord, we ask that You intervene and work.

Please care for our brothers and sisters in India who are suffering from ongoing anti-Christian incidents in Chhattisgarh. Let all ideologies and theories that oppose You in Chhattisgarh be brought down. Please also break the schemes of India’s leaders who seek to establish a Hindu nation.

At this time, let the church in India become a church that seeks only Your work and Your glory to be revealed in the nation. Even in such times, let the Indian church not fear preaching the gospel, but boldly proclaim Jesus Christ. Let this unjust law that seeks to tear down the church in India be repealed, and let the global church actively help in this effort.

So that all the nations of India may give glory and honor only to Jesus Christ, the one true Sovereign and King of kings, and that India may become a nation that leads all peoples to the Lord.