Christian Church Preparing for Bleak Future Following Election Results
India’s Christian community is bracing for what they fear may be an even bleaker future, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi might return to power for a third successive term. Following their win, concerns are mounting over increased persecution and discrimination.
For several weeks, Open Doors has been encouraging prayer for the church in India during a major election that could have significant consequences.
After six weeks of voting, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged victorious with 240 out of 543 seats. Although they fell short of the 272-majority mark, the BJP will rely on their National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies to form the government. This result reinforces the party’s mandate to continue its agenda, heavily influenced by Hindu nationalist ideology, or “Hindutva”.
A Decade of Increasing Hostility
Since the BJP first came to power in 2014, religious intolerance towards Christians and Muslims has escalated significantly. Priya Sharma*, an Open Doors local partner says she feels that the pattern of persecution is far from random: “The attacks against Christians have been very systematic and have only increased. Pastors are imprisoned on false charges, churches are closed, and there is forced re-conversion to Hinduism,” she says.
She says that the BJP’s ideology has emboldened Hindu extremist groups to act with impunity, leading to physical assaults, false accusations of forced conversions, and mob violence. Even during the election period, violence continued unabated, particularly in regions like Manipur where extremists attacked polling booths and murdered Christians.
Christians, who constitute around 2.3% of India’s population, face significant challenges in gaining political representation. Sharma notes that Christians are not concentrated in any single region, which dilutes their political influence. Despite this, churches encouraged their members to vote, hoping for change. “They have taken this election seriously and most of them have voted, praying for some kind of change, because they had been aware what kind of situation has been created for them in the past 10 years,” she says. “They believe whatever would be the result, that it’s from God and they would get the strength and grace to handle the situation.”
However, the prospects for Christian representatives in the Indian Parliament, or Lok Sabha, remain bleak. “Even if there is a Christian representative, their voice would not be heard,” Sharma observes.
"Make India a secular country. It’s supposed to be a place for all religions to coexist...We need a place where people can practice their rights and create a safe haven for people of all faiths.”
“They might want to advocate for the Christian community, but they often have to align with party agendas, which overlook minority religious voices.”
Systematic Persecution and Discrimination
The past decade has seen the introduction and enforcement of anti-conversion laws in 12 states, with four states adopting such laws in the last ten years. These laws prohibit religious conversion by force or allurement, but in practice, they are used to harass and arrest Christians on dubious charges. Christian worship services, even those held in private homes, are often labelled as “conversion gatherings,” leading to arrests and church closures.
Sharma highlights the broader societal discrimination Christians face, particularly in tribal areas where they are pressured to revert to their original religions to retain social benefits. Christian-run schools and institutions also face allegations of promoting Christianity, which leads to increased scrutiny and harassment.
India for all
With that said, the close contest between two political parties – Modi’s BJP and the opposition group Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A.) indicates that the people of India are shunning ‘politics of hatred’ and are moving towards a slightly more balanced leadership.
Open Doors partner Rahul Reddy*, who has a bird’s eye view of Indian politics, explains that the uptick in the profile of the opposing party can be good news for minority religions. “Although the election seems to favour the communal party, the emergence of I.N.D.I.A bloc should be applauded. They have become a formidable opponent to the ruling party and have fought neck and neck. Now, there is an opposition that can counter the nationalist government in cases of tyranny and oppression.”
Reddy continues that given the lack of absolute power of BJP, their nationalist moves can now be kept in check. “They cannot misuse things such as the Enforcement Directorate or Income Tax or their allies to threaten opposing ministers and send political opponents to jail… Leaders cannot amend the laws based on serpentine ways. This election gave a gift of democracy compared to the past two term elections that have been biased. This election is clear evidence of the beginning of the fall of hatred politics.”
Finally, OD local partner Priya Sharma’s plea to the new government is to restore India’s secular character. “Make India a secular country. It’s supposed to be a place for all religions to coexist,” she urges. “We need a place where people can practice their rights and create a safe haven for people of all faiths.”
“India’s Christians have been praying and fasting extensively,” says Priya. “They could take encouragement that their prayers have been answered in part by the BJP not reaching an absolute majority. Hopefully, they will continue to pray that the need for collaboration might offer some opportunities for change.”
*Name changed for security reasons
