Mike Barbee

Mike Barbee handing out tracks in a mountain village


Church congregation worship


Store in small village


Laundromat in jungle village

With over one billion people, India is the most populous functioning democracy in the world. Since achieving independence in 1947, India has officially been a secular nation with guarantees of constitutional freedoms of speech and religion that the government typically works to uphold.  From the mid-1990s on, however, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiua Janata Party (BJP) has been a regular contender for power. Christians face continued opposition due to the deterioration of freedoms under the influence of militant Hinduism or Hindutva.

The caste system is deeply entrenched in Indian society. Until the middle of the 20th century, “the untouchables” were for centuries regarded as the refuse of society. In 1950, they began to be referred to as “Dalits” and were given a “Scheduled Caste” status. While most upper caste opinions remain the same to this day, the 1950 law guarantees a certain quota of Dalits in specific societal institutions. However, Dalit converts to other religions lose their Scheduled Caste status, thus denying them basic human rights in many cases.

Anti-conversion laws remain in place in seven states (Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Arunachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh), giving support to militant groups and resulting in ongoing violence against Christians. The state of Tamil Nadu, which was the first state to adopt anti-conversion legislation under the BJP, was also the first to repeal that law when the government changed hands. Contrary to the action taken in Tamil Nadu, some states (mostly governed by the BJP) have actually worked to tighten anti-conversion laws.

Reports of violence against believers, village churches being destroyed and church leaders being threatened by local Hindus continue to be a daily reality in India. Other persecution faced by Christians is more subtle, as converts to Christianity are often cast out of their families, denied inheritance rights and face poverty and ostracism.

In August 2008, widespread and unprecedented mob violence against Christians erupted in Orissa state following the assassination of World Hindu Council (VHP) leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati. Although Maoists claimed responsibility for the leader’s murder, Hindu militants continued to use it as a pretext to attack Christians throughout the state, burning Christians’ homes, shops, churches and killing believers. Militants throughout the country were emboldened by the violence and launched attacks on believers in over 12 states. Thousands of Christians were forced to flee their homes for government relief camps, where militants used violence and intimidation in an attempt to force them to deny Christ and convert to Hinduism.

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