by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
NEW DELHI (Worthy News) – Christians have expressed concern after India’s central Chhattisgarh state adopted what they describe as the country’s toughest legislation against “coerced or forced religious conversions,” amid concerns about a broader crackdown on minority groups in the Hindu-majority nation.
“While many Indian states have instituted laws aimed at preventing coerced or forced religious conversions, the newly passed legislation in Chhattisgarh is notably more severe. Signed into effect by the governor on April 7, the law replaces a 1968 statute that Christian leaders say was already frequently used as a weapon against minority communities,” advocacy group Voice of the Martyrs Canada (VOMC) said.
The new anti-conversion legislation is expected to make it even more difficult for evangelists and missionaries to preach the Gospel publicly or demonstrate their faith through charitable works, according to a Worthy News assessment.
On April 13, more than 30,000 people reportedly gathered in the city of Jagdalpur to protest the new law and call for its repeal. Similar demonstrations have since spread to other communities across Chhattisgarh, Christians said.
PROTESTS, LEGAL CONCERNS GROW
VOMC said it understood the protesters’ concerns. “The new law further enables potential abuse by making it a non-bailable offense to convert anyone through force, allurement, undue influence, misrepresentation, marriage, and now also digital platforms,” the group told Worthy News.
The legislation also mandates that individuals seeking to convert must give 60 days’ advance notice, allowing officials, family members, and others to scrutinize their intent. Police are then authorized to intervene and make arrests if any violation is suspected.
The law specifically exempts conversions to Hinduism, stating that reconverting to one’s “ancestral religion” is not treated as a religious conversion.
Punishments for violating the statute are “particularly harsh,” with standard offenses carrying prison sentences ranging from seven to ten years, along with fines of roughly $5,150, according to Christian experts.
HARSH PENALTIES EXPECTED
“If the converting individual is classified as vulnerable—such as a woman, minor, mentally ill person, or someone from India’s Scheduled Castes—punishments are doubled,” VOMC noted.
In addition, a “mass conversion” involving more than one person could result in life imprisonment, the group said.
Christian advocacy organizations have called the law unconstitutional and discriminatory, arguing that it is designed to harass religious minorities.
Vaguely defined terms such as “allurement” and “undue influence” have been misapplied in the past, often leading to false accusations, Christians told Worthy News.
INDIA’S BROADER LEGAL LANDSCAPE
At least a dozen of India’s 28 states have enacted anti-conversion laws in some form, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Odisha, making such legislation a growing nationwide trend.
“While genuinely coerced conversions should be discouraged, laws of this nature have repeatedly been used to falsely accuse, harass, intimidate, and mistreat Christians,” VOMC stressed.
India is home to an estimated 60 to 70 million Christians—roughly 4 to 5 percent of its population of more than 1.4 billion people—making it one of the largest Christian populations in the world.
However, the country ranks 11th on the 2026 Open Doors World Watch List of nations where it says Christians face the most severe persecution.
RISE OF HINDU NATIONALISM
Investigators claim the rise of Hindu nationalism has contributed to increasing hostility toward Christians, particularly in rural areas, where converts from Hinduism often face social exclusion, violence, or legal pressure.
Rights groups say local authorities sometimes fail to intervene in attacks or, in some cases, detain Christians themselves under anti-conversion laws.
VOMC urged prayers for believers and authorities, calling for “justice, protection, and freedom for all those affected by these measures.”
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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