India (MNN) — Police in India’s most populous state arrested 10 Muslim men under a brand new anti-conversion law, Reuters reports. These allegations follow an arrest made on December 3, mere days after the Vidhi Virod Darmantaran Act 2020 became law.
Supporters of the law say it curbs interfaith marriages, while critics claim the legislation feeds Islamophobia. Todd Nettleton with Voice of the Martyrs USA says the new law also affects Christians. “This is another chapter in the persecution of religious minorities,” he explains.
“The Government of India is run by a Hindu nationalist organization, and they are using the power of the federal government to move India towards a Hindu homeland. What that means is if you’re not a Hindu [and] you’re some other faith, you’re not welcome,” Nettleton continues.
“This is not your land because it’s the land of the Hindus.”
Help India’s persecuted Christians
Indian authorities claim they passed the law to protect Hindu women from “love jihad.”
“That is a term Hindu nationalists use in India to talk about Muslim men who ask Hindu women to marry them to convert them to Islam,” Nettleton explains.
However, as ICC notes, Indian authorities often twist anti-conversion laws and use them to persecute believers. Ask the Lord to empower India’s believers and give them supernatural courage.
“The natural dampening effect is [to] be quiet; [believers think] ‘maybe I won’t invite my neighbor to come to church with me this week.’ One of the first things we can do is pray for courage,” Nettleton notes.
“This law doesn’t change the call of Christ to go and make disciples. It could make it more difficult, but it doesn’t change what we’re called to do.”
Find more ways to support persecuted believers through VOM here.
Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Syed Rifat Hossain on Unsplash.
