India (MNN) — Believers celebrate a small “win” as India’s Supreme Court asks states to reconsider anti-conversion laws.
Even though the Supreme Court has now decided that the laws are unconstitutional, there’s been a strong push in recent years to pass anti-conversion legislation at the state level. Read more about that here.
The laws were “passed because of the strong support and the rise in power of the BJP government, which is a strong pro-Hindu, anti-Christian political party,” explains John Pudaite with Bibles For The World.
(Photo courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs Canada)
Still, this moment calls for gratitude. “It’s taken quite a bit of effort behind the scenes for the Supreme Court to take notice and to take this action, so I do see that as a small win and just an answer to prayer that so many of our listeners have been joining with us on,” Pudaite says.
Prayer remains essential. The leaders of the nine states in question – Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh – have four weeks to respond to the Supreme Court’s request.
After that, “we are going to have a hearing in six weeks, [which] is a tight timeframe in India in their judicial system,” Pudaite says.
“Pray that the Supreme Court may continue to treat the issue and the responses that come in from the states truly objectively and according to the Constitution of India, with all of its intents to protect religious freedom.”
For now, enforcement continues. Authorities and Hindu radicals often use anti-conversion laws to target Christians and other religious minorities, leaving these communities vulnerable.
“The context in India is so difficult for us to share the Gospel. If we’re out evangelizing in the streets or sharing Christian literature, they’ll just come and attack us,” Pudaite says.
“You can’t even have a Christian family get-together because if you pray before your meal or you sing a song together, you might get attacked for that.”
Despite the challenges, hope remains. You can stand with believers in India: consider partnering with Bibles For The World to help distribute God’s Word, sponsor Christian students, or provide healthcare in Jesus’ name.
Header image depicts buildings that house India’s Supreme Court. Photo courtesy of the Supreme Court of India.
