Authorities in India have charged a group of 271 Christians of trying to illegally convert Hindus and have shut down their place of worship.  The group are being defended by the international human rights organisation, the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF). Tehmina Arora, Director of ADF India said nobody should be persecuted because of their faith. “In Uttar Pradesh we now sadly witness the results of anti-Christian propaganda that we have had to put up with over the last few years. 271 people have been wrongly accused and put on trial. The only thing they have done wrong is to be faithful Christians,” he said.

“We should no longer stand by and watch as radical groups target Christians and other minorities for their faith. India’s Constitution protects the right to freely live out one’s faith. The right of Pastor Yadav and many others to follow the faith of their choice without fear of reprisal is clearly being violated.”

The Christians face the accusation of illegally converting hindus by spreading false information about Hinduism to persuade people to embrace Christianity. They allegedly drugged visitors with illegal medication and substances in order to induce them to convert. Moreover, the pastor has been charged with “demonic worship.”

In India, Christians, Muslims, and other religious minorities face the highest levels of discrimination. The most recent PEW Research Center report on restrictions on religion, from 2016, ranked India number one on its list of countries with high social hostility against religious groups.