I can’t underestimate your prayers or you sharing this message. It matters more than you think.
About a year and a half ago, many of you prayed, spoke up, and shared about a man who threatened to hold a massive rally in a Christian village in Chhattisgarh under the excuse of “protecting cows.” In that speech, he called cows “mother,” accused Christians of killing “their mothers,” and then went further—saying Christian women, their mothers, daughters, and daughters-in-law should be raped.
That wasn’t rhetoric. That was a threat.
And because people like you didn’t stay silent—because you prayed and spoke out—there was backlash. It gained attention, even internationally, and the authorities were forced to step in and stop it. That happened because people refused to ignore it. Don’t forget that. But let’s be real—this didn’t stop anything underneath.
In the same Chhattisgarh there have been ongoing reports—Christians being pushed out of villages, young women harassed after church, sometimes right in front of police. Graves have been opened. Bodies pulled out because “Christian burials pollute the land.” Churches have been attacked. Pastors have been arrested. Believers have been falsely accused of “conversion.” Nuns have even been accused of running brothels. This is not random. This is a pattern and it hasn’t stopped.
Now, it is getting worse.
The government has moved ahead with a new law—Chhattisgarh Dharm Swatantra Vidheyak 2026 —replacing the 1968 law. On paper, it bans forced or fraudulent conversions which sounds fine, but the definition of “allurement” is so broad it basically criminalizes kindness: money, help, education, medical care, even the promise of a better life.
So now, helping someone can be twisted into a crime if they choose to follow Christ. Penalties are harsher with 10–20 years in prison, heavy fines up to ₹25 lakh (over $20,000), and bail becomes extremely difficult. And here’s the part that should bother everyone: if someone wants to change their faith, they have to give notice up to 60 days in advance to the authorities.
Sixty days. Sixty days where their decision is exposed.
What do you think happens to them in those 60 days? In a peaceful place, maybe nothing. In a hostile environment? Pressure. Threats. Intimidation. Worse.
Let’s not rewrite history. When there was little access to education or healthcare in many parts of India, it was often Christian missionaries who built schools and hospitals. Now that same service is being labeled as “allurement.” If that alone caused conversion, India wouldn’t have such a small Christian population. That argument doesn’t hold. We’re already seeing prayer meetings and small gatherings being labeled as “conversion activity.” With laws like this, the risk of misuse only increases. If enforced aggressively, it becomes a tool to target vulnerable communities.
And if this works in one state, it will spread.
Believers in Chhattisgarh are asking for prayer, for awareness, and for people not to look away. The Chhattisgarh Christian Forum is organizing a rally on April 18, 2026, in Raipur to protest this. This is a critical time.
