INDIA: CHRISTIAN STUDENTS FACE INCREASING PRESSURES & THREATS

India’s Christians Face Rising Persecution: A Call to Prayer and Action

India is the seventh largest country in the world and the second most populous. Governed by a central government in New Delhi, it oversees foreign affairs, defense, and the national economy. Though its constitution declares India a secular state, the reality on the ground is shifting.

In recent years, Hindu radicals have called for Hinduism to become the official national religion. They are also pushing to enforce anti-conversion laws across the country. Violent attacks against Christians have drastically increased, with the legal system often misused to falsely accuse believers. Constitutional provisions and sections of the Indian Penal Code are frequently leveraged against pastors and church members.

Hindu extremism is not limited to urban areas. Radical groups have set up networks across the nation—even in remote villages—to monitor Christian activity. Believers frequently face harassment when preaching the gospel or baptizing new Christians.

The persecution is also being carried out through government institutions. Agencies such as the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) and ED (Enforcement Directorate) are sometimes used to target Christians, trap them in legal troubles, and imprison them under false pretenses. Converting to Christianity is treated like a crime, and many believers are pressured to reconvert to Hinduism.

Several Indian states are home to tribal societies, and Hindu nationalist groups like the RSS have infiltrated these communities, turning them against Christians. Pastors and tribal converts are often threatened, boycotted, raped, or even killed. Mob lynchings have become tragically common.

Recently, a pastor from Uttar Pradesh visited Grace Bible College to enroll two young women. He had spent three months in jail after being falsely accused of religious conversion. His colleague, who was charged with the same offense, was killed by a mob.

Another pastor from Chhattisgarh shared that he planned to bring six students for admission but was met with intense opposition. He and his family were threatened with loss of education, water access, inheritance rights, and total social expulsion. The abuse was verbal, psychological, and physical.

As long as the current government remains in power, such persecution is likely to continue. We urgently need to pray for India—for protection for Christians and for change in leadership through the 2024 elections. May God intervene and bring justice and peace to His people.

—Rev. Dr. Pramod Tantarpale
Principal, Grace Bible College, India