A delegation of Christian leaders has urged India’s federal government to ask 11 states to repeal the sweeping anti-conversion laws, which they say target Christians.
“The anti-conversion law has been weaponized to target religious minorities,” an eight-member delegation from the United Christian Forum (UCF) told federal minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju.
The delegation met the minister in his office on July 20 and asked him to “issue an advisory to the state governments to repeal the anti-conversion law.”
Stringent laws that criminalize conversion have been enacted in 11 states, most of them ruled by the Hindu right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Christian forum monitors anti-Christian violence in the country and its delegation presented a memorandum to the minister highlighting the rising persecution against Christians.
“The minister agreed to look into our grievances,” said A C Michael, a delegation member.
This story was originally published in ucanews.com. Read the full story here.