Christians in India Fear That Tighter Laws Target Them

Christians in India are worried that new laws may be used against them. In the state of Maharashtra, churches are asking people to sign forms saying they came to services on their own and were not forced to. This is happening because a new anti-conversion law is about to take effect, and church leaders want to protect themselves from false claims.

Around 4,000 churches in the Mumbai area have started collecting these consent forms. Church leaders say a dozen prayer meetings have been disrupted in the past six months by Hindu right-wing groups. These groups claimed that Christians were forcing Hindus to change their religion, which church leaders strongly deny.

Maharashtra's new law takes effect on August 28 and makes it a crime to convert someone through force, tricks, or gifts. Anyone who wants to switch religions must tell the government 60 days ahead of time. Breaking the rules can mean up to seven years in jail.

Maharashtra is now the 13th of India's 28 states to pass such a law. Anti-conversion laws have existed in some states since the 1980s, but they have become stricter and more common over the past ten years. This growth has happened as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP party has won elections in more states.

In the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, about 200 cases are ongoing against Christians under that state's anti-conversion law. More than 800 people, including pastors and churchgoers, have been arrested or held by police. A 30-year-old pastor named Shiv described how a group stormed his prayer meeting in January, causing people to flee in fear.

Shiv said he had held prayer meetings in his village for three years, mostly for poor farmers and laborers who wanted a few hours of peace. He said he never forced anyone to come or to change their religion. Police arrived an hour after the attack and arrested him, holding him for 26 hours before charging him under the anti-conversion law.

Critics say the laws are being used unfairly. A lawyer in Uttar Pradesh said acts like giving food or teaching are sometimes treated as bribes to get people to convert. Some police complaints even list the Bible and a cross as evidence of forced conversion, which critics call absurd.

These laws hit some groups harder than others. Women, young adults, Dalits, and tribal communities are often treated as if they cannot make their own choices about religion. A group of civil society organizations held a press conference in Mumbai on August 24, calling the laws an unfair invasion of personal freedom.

India's Supreme Court has also stepped in. On October 17, 2025, the court threw out five police complaints against 90 people, including pastors and hospital workers accused of mass conversions. The judges said the law should not be used to harass innocent people based on unbelievable evidence.

Christians are also worried about a separate law involving money. The Indian government wants to change rules about how non-profit groups receive donations from other countries. If passed, the new rules could let the government take over schools, hospitals, and buildings that were built with those foreign donations.

Church leaders say Christian groups run thousands of schools, hospitals, and orphanages in India that depend on overseas funding. They fear the new rules could allow the government to seize those properties. Archbishop Joseph D'souza called the proposed change a 'legalised loot of the Indian Christian community.'

Politicians in the United States have criticized the proposed changes. A US congressman called it a 'clear attack on Christians,' and a US senator said the changes were 'deeply concerning.' US Secretary of State Marco Rubio even visited a famous charity in Kolkata during his India trip, drawing attention to the issue.

India's government says the changes are not aimed at any religion. Home Minister Amit Shah told concerned groups the amendment was religion-neutral and that there was no intention to harm the Christian community. India's ambassador to the US said the changes were simply about improving transparency for foreign donations.

Critics remain unconvinced. Human rights activist John Dayal said that taking away assets built with legal donations would hurt the poor communities those groups serve. A development worker in south India warned that millions of volunteers and needy people would suffer most if funding was cut off or assets were taken away.

Facing pressure from US politicians, the Indian government sent the bill to a parliamentary review committee on August 12. Some people hope the committee will remove the harshest parts. But others doubt that much will change, saying the government has shown little concern for the worries of religious minorities.