The March 19 side event was organized by the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) and co-sponsored by CSI
The March 19 side event, organized by the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) and co-sponsored by Christian Solidarity International (CSI), shed light on how anti-conversion laws are being weaponized against religious minorities, with an Indian journalist sharing his perspective on the legislation.
Alarming surge in violence
The statistics paint a grim picture. According to the United Christian Forum (UCF), violence against Christians has skyrocketed by more than 555% since Prime Minister Modi took office in 2014 – from 127 documented incidents to an alarming 834 verified acts of violence and intimidation in 2024 alone.
Cece Heil, Senior Counsel at the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), emphasized that these figures represent real human suffering: “These attacks range from arson of churches to physical violence sexual assaults and even murders.” Between January and September 2024 alone, nearly 600 church services were disrupted by Hindu extremists, leaving congregations vulnerable and afraid to practice their faith openly.
The paradox of “freedom” laws
At the heart of this crisis lie the anti-conversion laws currently enforced in approximately12 of India’s 28 states. These laws, with the earliest dating back to 1967 in Odisha (formerly Orissa), ostensibly aim to prevent conversions through force, fraud, or undue influence.
“The bitter irony is painfully evident,” notes Vishal Arora, a Christian Indian journalist and editor at Newsreel Asia. These laws, despite being called “freedom of religion” acts, “impose restrictions rather than uphold freedoms.”
The mechanism of this suppression lies in vague language. Terms like “inducement,” “allurement,” “force,” and “misrepresentation” are so broadly defined that they create dangerous ambiguity. Shaheryar Gill, another Senior Counsel at the ACLJ, illustrated this point with disturbing clarity: “if you feed poor people, if you hand out Bibles or literature or if you are praying for a sick person – that could be an offer of a gift or gratification under the law.” He further elaborated that “inducement” includes “any benefit, pecuniary or otherwise.” The bitter result: “Feeding poor people is prohibited.”
Arora provided concrete examples, where individuals faced accusations of attempted conversion for bringing a birthday gift to a party—an innocuous act transformed into “allurement” under the broad sweep of these laws. In another instance, healthcare workers conducting medical camps with explicit government authorization found themselves accused of using healthcare as a covert means of religious conversion.
When singing carols becomes a crime
The real-world application of these laws has led to absurd yet devastating consequences. Individuals have been arrested for singing Christmas carols or distributing Christian literature. Healthcare workers running government-authorized medical camps have faced accusations of attempted conversion.
Perhaps most telling is the pattern of accusations. According to Arora, most complaints are filed not by individuals claiming to have been coerced, but by unrelated third parties – often with direct ties to political organizations.
“The conviction rate tells the real story,” Arora emphasized. “Fewer than five known convictions in decades, despite hundreds of cases.” This suggests the primary purpose isn’t legal justice but harassment through lengthy, expensive legal battles and pre-trial detention.
An American pastor’s nightmare
The human cost of these laws was brought into sharp focus by Pastor Bryan Nerren, who shared his harrowing experience in India between 2019 and 2020.
Nerren, a pastor from the United States, had for many years traveled to India to run programs for needy children. But in 2019, he found himself facing charges under the anti-conversion laws, and was not permitted to leave the country while the case was pending.
“I had declared my activities to the Indian government upon arrival,” Nerren recounted. “Yet I found myself facing threats of a seven-year prison sentence for allegedly ‘having given false hope to Hindu children’ through educational support work.”
Constitutional contradictions
The side event also examined the constitutional context of these controversies. The speakers acknowledged the right to practice and propagate religion guaranteed by Article 25 of the Indian Constitution. However, they also noted the Supreme Court’s interpretation in the 1977 Reverend Stanislaus case, which held that the right to propagate religion does not necessarily include the right to convert others.
Arora argued that this ruling took a narrow perspective, primarily focusing on the distinction between propagation and conversion without adequately examining the broader implications of the vague definitions within the anti-conversion laws and the burden of proof imposed on the accused. Consequently, significant constitutional questions regarding the full scope of religious freedom in the context of these laws remain unresolved, allowing for their continued application in ways that impact religious minorities.
The European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) urged international bodies to place religious freedom in India on the diplomatic agenda and demand an end to the persecution – so far with little response.
CSI continues to monitor the situation in India and advocate for the protection of religious minorities. Learn more about our aid and advocacy efforts in India.
Watch the video of the UN side event
