India (MNN) — India’s Supreme Court will examine critical religious matters on Monday, May 8.
“The tussle is between the constitutional rights and the new legislative laws imposed by the Hindutva force,” Voice of the Martyrs Canada partner Sushil George says. George oversees the Sui Juris Law Firm, a Christian entity based in Indore, India.
During the past year and a half, Supreme Court judges examined state-level anti-conversion laws, examples of Christian persecution, interfaith marriages, and more in monthly hearings.
“The Supreme Court has directed that all the states having these (religious) issues [transfer them] to the Supreme Court bench. On May 8, the important sections which [have] been challenged will be discussed,” George says, highlighting two controversial issues raised by recent laws.
One issue is rooted in a 2021 law requiring anyone who changes their faith to a non-Hindu religion to register with the government. This requirement creates a central database or list of religious minorities and the alleged “crimes” they’ve committed.
“If [someone] gives a written complaint to the police station, your case is registered. A lot of false written complaints have been given, in [turn creating] false cases” and detainment, George explains.
“Sui Juris has fought a lot of cases in which we have given 31 believers bail, and 7 [believers] have been acquitted from false charges.”
George does not expect any final decisions or rulings during the May 8 hearing, but “the Supreme Court’s trend is favoring religious freedom,” he says.
“We are praying that at the end, they (Supreme Court judges) will give in favor to us.”
Concerning the date of an expected decision from the Supreme Court, George says, “We cannot say when it will be, but…the ruling is coming closer.”
Pray that when the time comes, India’s Supreme Court will rule in favor of religious freedom. Persecution is ongoing and violent nationwide. Christians who evangelize may be beaten, murdered, or have their churches ransacked and burned. More about that here.
“The situation is very volatile in India. Christians are very much frightened because a lot of the churches have been forced to close down,” George says.
Header image courtesy of VOM Canada.
