On May 12, 11 Christians were charged under Section 4 of the Jharkhand
Freedom of Religion Act 2017 after they gathered for prayer at a
Christian home in Medhasai village, located in the Chaibasa District of
Jharkhand. Susheela Barla, Manseed Kandulna, Sunil Horo, Jeevan
Kandayaburu, Jone Suren, Mojes Gagarai, Sekindar Bading, Basanth Manji,
Vijaya Thikki, Rajesh Kalkho, and Mothilal Ho were all charged of
engaging in forced conversions (FIR no. 15/18) and have fled their homes
fearing arrest.
On May 30, four more Christians, including two Christians youths to be
married, were arrested for fraudulent conversion activities in Porker
village, located in the Simdega District of Jharkhand. Rupesh Manji, age
24, and Sumanthi Kumari, age 20, were engaged to be married on May 30,
but the local Sarna tribe opposed the wedding. When the young couple
approached police for help, they were taken into custody and falsely
charged under the Jharkhand Freedom of Religion Act 2017 (FIR no.
05/18). Two more Christians, Pastor Sudarshan Manji and Nilam Devi, were
arrested along with the young couple.
“[These]
anti-conversion laws, ironically titled freedom of religion laws, are
actually aimed at taking away the freedom of religion and rights of
tribal and other marginalized sections of the Indian society,” Rev.
Vijayesh Lal, General Secretary Evangelical Fellowship of India, said
in a press statement following the passage of the Jharkhand Freedom of
Religion Act 2017.
Section 3 of the law states, “No
person shall attempt to convert, either directly or otherwise, any
person from one religious faith to another by use of force or by
allurement or by any fraudulent means, nor shall any person abet any
such conversion.”
Punishment
under this bill includes imprisonment of up to three years, a fine of
50,000 Rupees, or both. Similar laws exist in seven other states in
India and state governments have not defined the terms inducement,
coercion, force, or fraud in the context of religious conversions. Due
to this ambiguity, these laws are widely abused by Hindu radicals to
harass and intimidate Christians while claiming to be operating under
the auspices of state law.
Pastor Rajesh Bage, who serves as a pastor in Simdega District told ICC
that the arrests of Christians have become more frequent since the
Jharkhand Freedom of Religion Act 2017 became a law. “The
latest arrests of four people in Porker village is the effect of the
anti-conversion law that came into effect from last year August,” Pastor Bage told ICC.
Another Christian leader from Jharkhand, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “It
is becoming more clear that the anti-conversion law was brought by the
BJP to target Christians in the state. Hindu radicals are feeling
empowered and enjoy a free hand to attack Christians. It is very
unfortunate what is happening to Christians in Jharkhand.”
William Stark, ICC’s Regional Manager, said, “We
here at International Christian Concern are deeply disappointed to see
Christians in Jharkhand being harassed under the auspices of state law.
These Freedom of Religion Laws are widely abused by Hindu radicals due
to the ambiguity within the laws themselves. These laws provide an easy
excuse for radicals to attack Christian leaders with impunity. Following
an assault, one simply needs to claim the pastor was forcefully
converting an individual. As a result, instead of the pastor’s
assailants being arrested, it’s the assailed pastor who is arrested.
With attacks on Christians skyrocketing, the adoption of a law that
would only incite more violence seems to be another step away from India
enforcing religious freedom for all.”
For interviews with William Stark, Regional Manager, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org
Source: International Christian Concern (ICC) - www.persecution.org.
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