Non-Hindu Religious Activity Banned In India

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July 23, 2014 5:24 PM

Church leaders in India have state officials to reverse a ban on non-Hindu religious activity in Chhattisgarh

The head of the Religious Liberty Commission of the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) wrote to Union and Chhattisgarh officials on July 10 that the bans in the Bastar District villages, including some that include a prohibition against non-Hindus entering the hamlets, could lead to large-scale persecution of Christians and other minority communities.

National director of the commission, Vijayesh Lal, wrote, “The government must reverse the decisions of these [villages] immediately to restore the confidence of the Christian community in the state, which is under considerable stress in recent days.”

According to the law, “To stop the forced conversion by some outsiders religious campaigners and to prevent them from using derogatory language against Hindu deities and customs, the Sirisguda Gram Sabha [Village Council] bans religious activities such as prayers, meetings and propaganda of non-Hindu religions,” the resolution states.

There are 1.9 Percent of Christians living in Chhattisgarh, India.

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