NEW DELHI — The Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party in Gujarat state has implemented an "anti-conversion" law passed in 2003, increasing Christians’ fears that it will open the door to false accusations by Hindu extremists. India’s Freedom of Religion Act, referred to as anti-conversion laws, are supposed to curb religious conversions made by "force," "fraud" or "allurement."
But Christians and human rights groups say that in reality Hindu nationalists invoke them to harass Christian workers with spurious arrests and incarcerations. Rules of implementation under the Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act of 2003 were framed April 1, adding that those convicted of "forced" conversion could receive up to three years in jail. Christian leaders said such legislation also has a negative social impact.
"Christian workers are prevented from reaching out to the needy, who will also continue to suffer," said Dominic Emmanuel, spokesman of the Delhi Catholic Archdiocese.
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