Christians in India Urge U.S. to Protect Rights

Indian Christians have asked the United States to do more to protect religious rights in India, where there has been a resurgence of attacks against religious minorities, an Indian evangelical bishop said during a meeting with State Department officials last week.

At a meeting on Capitol Hill, Ezra Sargunam, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Church of India, submitted a memorandum on behalf of the Social Justice Movement of India highlighting alleged human rights violations.

He said the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has changed tactics toward religious minorities by introducing legislation such as the Anti-Conversion Law, which punishes Indians who convert to Christianity by revoking privileges accorded certain tribes and castes upon their conversion. The bishop also cited recent attacks on Christian priests.