Source: Global Christian Relief, January 6, 2023
You might expect India, as the world’s largest democracy, to set the global standard for the protection of human rights, including the freedom to worship. The country’s constitution grants every individual freedom of conscience, including the “right to freely profess, practice, and propagate religion.”
But a recent report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) claims the opposite is true: “In 2022, religious freedom conditions in India remained poor.” The report states that all levels of the Indian government continued to promote and enforce policies and laws that target Christians and other religious minorities.
With nearly 1.4 billion people in 28 states that cover an expanse over one million square miles, India has places where Christians are the frequent targets of extremists.
Global Christian Relief is calling for urgent prayer for believers in these five specific hotbeds of persecution: Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, and Punjab.
Read the full article for details, or check out the USCIRF report on India. That was released in November.
See also 15 Places Where Christians Risk Everything When They Convert from Islam and another article from Global Christian Relief which asks, Does the Bible say if persecution will ever end?
Never heard of this organization? They were formerly Open Doors USA. Learn more about the change in a joint statement from the two organizations.
Meanwhile, Open Doors just released its 2023 edition of the World Watch List, 50 countries where Christians face the most persecution and discrimination. You might have a use for the four-minute video featuring the top ten. North Korea leads the list this year, after losing that spot to Afghanistan last year. Afghanistan is now ranked number nine.