Modi threatens religious freedom: Christian leaders

Promotion of anti-conversion law and opposition to law against communal violence will end religious freedom, they fear.

By Ritu Sharma
New Delhi:  A group of Christian leaders say religious freedom in India will be further threatened if controversial leader Narendra Modi comes to power leading his nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

“Religious freedom in the country is threatened if Narendra Modi becomes the prime minister. He will fearlessly and forcefully implement the Hindutva ideology in the country,” Richard Howell, general secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship of India.

He and other leaders at a press conference on Tuesday released in New Delhi a report on the Christian persecution.

Reverend Vijayesh Lal, secretary of the Religious Liberty Commission, said that a total of 154 cases of atrocities against Christians were reported last year.

“The cases have been verified, double checked and investigated. Women, rural pastors and home churches have been the main targets of mobs,” he said, adding that police impunity has resulted in most culprits going unpunished.

John Dayal, the general secretary of the All India Christian Council, said that religious freedom in the country is threatened by the anti-conversion law that exist in the some states of the country.

Howell said is "quite sure" that if Modi come to power his government "will not let the Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence Bill come into force in the country. The bill seeks to punish those who instigate and participate in violence on the basis of religion.

The current government had unsuccessfully tried to bring the bill into force in December last year but the BJP was opposed to it and Modi had written to prime minister Manmohan Singh opposing the bill.

Modi is BJP's prime ministerial candidate for the country’s general elections scheduled in nine phases from April- May. The election results would be declared on May 16.

As election fever heats up in India, BJP has been propagating a “Modi-wave” in the country saying people need a change from the current United Progressive Alliance government led by Congress which has been marred by a series of scams in the past few years.

Howell said Modi “clearly focuses on religion, and minorities like Christians" will have a tough time if he comes to power.

Dayal said the anti-conversion laws are in force now in five states--Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. “Even in the states where there is no such law, Hindutva forces think that there is something illegal going on if they see an evangelist or Christian literature.

"There have been hate campaigns against the Christians in other states," he said.