It appears the anti-Christian tactics of some BJP Party members from India’s Rajasthan’s State Assembly to shut down India’s largest Christian ministry may have back fired. Earlier this spring the assembly passed an anti-conversion bill, but now it is on hold because the state governor has refused to sign the legislation into law.
While most Christians are claiming victory, others contend it would have been better if the governor had signed the law. That’s because religious rights activists wanted to take the law to the India Supreme Court where it would likely have been declared unconstitutional.
The governor’s decision comes after a series of attacks by Hindu radicals earlier this spring against Emmanuel Mission, known as Hopegivers International in the United States. Hopegivers has spent more than 20-years serving the people of Rajasthan state. Its hospital in Kota, orphanages and schools throughout Rajasthan are helping to meet the medical, social and educational needs of thousands of Indian children. Most Hindus familiar with Emmanuel will tell you the ministry is a valued neighbor in their communities.
But BJP radicals are playing politics, hoping to firm up their Hindu nationalist base and regain Muslim votes lost to the Congress Party in the last national election. They’re shifting their tactics and are now bashing Christians instead of Muslims. So, once again they’re demanding the arrest of Hopegiver’s President Dr. Samuel Thomas. Last March he was arrested on false charges that he distributed an anti-Hindu book called, Haqeeqat. He was released on bail after serving a month and a half in jail. Now, the radicals want him re-arrested on charges that he is an anti-nationalist.
Look for the harassment of Hopegivers and other effective ministries in India to continue and the persecution of Christians will likely intensify because as many more Dalits (so-called untouchables) come to Christ, the lives of the lowliest in Indian society are being transformed. As Christian evangelists continue to strive to fulfill the great commission in India, people of power and privilege will continue to resist the transformation of their nation… and the Savior who is bringing it about.
