Freedom of Religion, Conversions

Indian court jails first Christians under anti-conversion law https://www.ucanews.com/news/indian-court-jails-first-christians-under-anti-conversion-law/107657 

An official of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which runs the state government, filed a complaint against the couple in January 2023, accusing them of engaging in the religious conversion of people from tribal and socially poor Dalit backgrounds. The couple denied the charge, arguing that they were providing education to children and helping people stop drinking alcohol and quarreling among themselves. The couple had spent eight months in prison until they were granted bail by the Allahabad High Court last September. Christian leaders say judgment will not stand as an actual conversion was not proven

The state recorded 209 anti-Christian incidents in 2024, the highest in any Indian state, according to the New Delhi-based United Christian Forum (UCF), which tracks violence against Christians across the country.

At least 70 Christians, including pastors, are in prison in the state for allegedly violating the stringent anti-conversion law.

https://www.theindiacable.com/p/us-state-department-report-directly 

The US state department’s annual report on religious freedom around the world documents instances of concern from India, and secretary of state Antony Blinken noted his government’s concern while releasing the report [ ] in Washington, DC: “In India we see a concerning increase in anti-conversion laws, hate speech, demolitions of homes and places of worship for members of minority faith communities,” the department presser quotes him as saying...

 https://www.theindiacable.com/p/us-state-department-report-directlyUS State Department Report Directly Criticises India's Record on Violence Against Minorities; Heist of Education System in the Land of Nalanda
Inequality report says 88% of wealth in the hands of upper castes, Ayodhya temple trust says water leak in sanctum sanctorum not from ceiling but from pipe, Big jump in Telugu population of US JUN 27, 2024

Secretary Antony J. Blinken 2023 International Religious Freedom Report JUNE 26, https://www.state.gov/secretary-antony-j-blinken-2023-international-religious-freedom-report-rollout/  2024Extraordnary Ambassador Hussain, Extraordnary In India, for example, Christian communities reported that local police aided mobs that disrupted worship services over accusations of conversion activities or stood by while mobs attacked them and then arrested the victims on conversion charges.

Biased, Selective Facts: MEA Rejects US' Report On Treatment Of Religious Minorities In India https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dogASvtbg5Y HW News English 
Jun 29, 2024
The United States’ 2023 International Religious Freedom Report has sparked a significant diplomatic row, with the Indian government branding the document as ""deeply biased"" and lacking an understanding of India's intricate social fabric. The report, released by the US State Department, highlights concerns over the repression of religious communities in India, and violence against Indian minorities prompting a strong rebuttal from New Delhi.

India's 12th state plans law to criminalize conversions https://www.ucanews.com/news/indias-12th-state-plans-law-to-criminalize-conversions/105460 

Christians face severe atrocities in the neighboring state of Uttar Pradesh, ruled by the BJP.

The draconian anti-conversion law was first enforced as an ordinance in 2020 and adopted by the state assembly the following year as the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act 2021.

Since the implementation of the law, close to 400 Christians, including Catholic priests and pastors, have been jailed in the state under the sweeping law.

“We cannot rule out a similar situation in our state,” said a priest attached to the Udainagar diocese in Rajasthan.

India's Majority Population Would Be In Minority One Day If Conversions In Religious Congregations Not Stopped: Allahabad HC
Sparsh Upadhyay
1 July 2024  https://www.livelaw.in/high-court/allahabad-high-court/allahabad-high-court-india-majority-population-minority-conversions-religious-congregations-not-stopped-261962   "Article 25 of the Constitution of India provides for Freedom of conscience and free profession, practice, and propagation of religion, but it does not provide for conversion from one faith to another faith...The word 'Propagation' means to promote, but it does not mean to convert any person from his religion to another religion," the Court said.

Importantly, the bench also noted that it has come to its attention in several cases that unlawful conversions of people from SC/ST castes and other economically disadvantaged groups to Christianity are occurring at a "rampant pace" throughout the State of Uttar Pradesh.

Whatsapp: MAC:  I wish the concerned Judge had gone through the matter properly and appropriately investigated to find out if the said people were actually converted instead of making his own conclusions...The fact remains that till today there is not a single conviction of anyone being forcefully converted in any courts of law anywhere in our country though there are hundreds of cases filed against pastors with allegations of forceful conversions. Most of them have been acquitted by the courts. ..The judge in the same order acknowledges that the said brother is not converted to Christianity. In the order he goes on to say that huge numbers of people were taken to Delhi to convert them by paying huge money. What proof does he have to make such a statement?