{"id":3094,"date":"2022-08-15T08:02:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-15T07:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/opendoorsuk.org\/?p=3094"},"modified":"2024-02-14T12:46:51","modified_gmt":"2024-02-14T12:46:51","slug":"persecution-india-precipice-2","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/wwl.opendoorsuk.org\/ireland\/blog\/news\/latest-news\/persecution-india-precipice-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Religious minorities \u2018on a precipice\u2019 as violent persecution spirals across India"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The situation facing Christians and other religious minorities in India is \u2018unprecedentedly grave\u2019, says an Open Doors spokesperson.<\/p>\n\n\n    <section class=\"standard-page \" role=\"document\" style=\"\">\n        <div class=\"container\">\n            \n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"780\" height=\"520\" src=\"https:\/\/wwl.opendoorsuk.org\/ireland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/08\/india-independence-780.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3095\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wwl.opendoorsuk.org\/ireland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/08\/india-independence-780.jpg 780w, https:\/\/wwl.opendoorsuk.org\/ireland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/08\/india-independence-780-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wwl.opendoorsuk.org\/ireland\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2022\/08\/india-independence-780-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Demonstrations in Madhya Pradesh against Christian converts from Hinduism<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across India, people are celebrating the 75<sup>th<\/sup>&nbsp;anniversary of Indian Independence. Christians and other religious minorities will be joining in the celebrations \u2013 but also recognising that they face discrimination that is \u2018unprecedentedly grave\u2019, in the words of Heena Singh*, Open Doors spokesperson on India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe gravity of the situation, for Christians and Muslims especially, is at its peak,\u201d says Heena. \u201cEvery day we receive new prayer requests from friends, for another Christian family attacked, or a pastor arrested on false accusation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Hostility against Christians is getting worse<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There is a very large number of Christians in India \u2013 almost 69 million, according to Open Doors research \u2013 but this is only about five per cent of the country\u2019s population. Christians and other religious minorities have long experienced some hostility, but attitudes are hardening and persecution is worsening as the influence of Hindutva increases.<\/p>\n\n\n    <div class=\"pull-left-wrapper \">\n        <blockquote><p>&#8220;Now it is often entire communities attacking and expelling converts.&#8221;\r\n<\/p> <cite>HEENA, OPEN DOORS<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt is no longer small extremist groups attacking converts, now it is often entire communities attacking and expelling them, beating them or handing them over to the police on false accusations,\u201d says Heena. \u201cExtremists are propagating the hatred through social media, instigating mass protests, and rallies, rousing hatred and spreading misinformation. These can lead in turn to mob violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMob violence is common in most villages and small cities. A few extremists gather a crowd from the local community, brainwashing them about how Christians are polluting the society and how they are luring people to conversion. They then come and raid the service, beating the people brutally, they even go and bring a police officer to arrest the leaders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Reports of such violence have been rising sharply, according to research compiled for the Open Doors World Watch List. A recent joint submission to the Human Right\u2019s Council\u2019s Universal Periodic Review of India spoke of incitement and violence against religious minorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite a constitutional promise of religious freedom, to \u2018profess, practise, and propagate religion\u2019, 11 states have so far passed anti-conversion laws. There are punishments of up to ten years in prison for those found to have coerced conversion from Hinduism. In practice, these laws are often abused to target and harass Christians and other religious minorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\u201cReligious minorities are on a precipice\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cReligious minorities across India are standing on a precipice,\u201d says Dr David Landrum, Director of Advocacy and Public Affairs for Open Doors in the UK and Ireland. \u201cTheir legitimacy, and in some cases, their very presence is threatened if the current wave of violent intolerance goes unchecked.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n    <div class=\"pull-right-wrapper \">\n        <blockquote><p>\u201cReligious minorities across India are standing on a precipice.\u201d\r\n<\/p> <cite>DR DAVID LANDRUM, OPEN DOORS<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMahatma Gandhi\u2019s dream of a society where \u2018[All] are born equal, meaning that we have a right to equal opportunity,\u2019 is in danger of dying for good.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Universal Periodic Review of India\u2019s Human Rights is being overseen by the United Nations Human Rights Council. Submissions are currently being made and will be considered from November by a UNHCR working group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cNow is the time for governments and citizens to speak up. There is no reason why people should have to hide who they are and what they believe,\u201d says Heena.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This Indian Independence Day, please join with the Indian church in praying for true religious freedom, as guaranteed by the Indian constitution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>*Name changed for security reasons<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The situation facing Christians and other religious minorities in India is \u2018unprecedentedly grave\u2019, says an Open Doors spokesperson.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":3095,"parent":8268,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[129],"class_list":["post-3094","news","type-news","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-news","tag-india"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Religious minorities \u2018on a precipice\u2019 as violent persecution spirals across India - Open Doors Ireland<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Religious minorities \u2018on a precipice\u2019 as violent persecution spirals across India 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