Indian state arrests two Pentecostal Christians over accusations of forced conversions

Authorities in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh have arrested two men who were accused of conducting forced conversions.

Rev. Gyan Singh and fellow Pentecostal Rambhajan were detained by the authorities in Dubolia last Thursday after several villagers were reportedly "instigated to falsely accuse them of forced conversions," Asia News reported.

The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) denounced the arrest, alleging that the accusers acted "on the basis of mere suspicion and got together to cause great confusion."

The group said that the accused were visiting a village in Bugauliya Block, Basti district. The Pentecostal Christians were later taken to a police station and were accused of disturbing the peace, according to GCIC.

Sajan K. George, the president of the group, said the accused were not disturbing the peace.

"Villagers falsely accused them and caused a ruckus. This is why those innocent and vulnerable Christians were taken into custody," he argued.

India's Constitution allows citizen belonging to any religion to "announce their faith without alluring or compelling anyone [else]. Yet the Pentecostals were quickly accused of forced conversions," he said according to Asia News.

The authorities assured the GCIC on Friday that there would be no formal charges against the two Christians, and promised to release them later that afternoon.

Anti-conversion laws are currently in effect in several other states in India, including Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand.

A number of arrests have taken place in other states over accusations of forced conversions. In May 2017, 11 Christians were detained on two separate occasions while they were transporting 71 children to a Christian camp in Madhya Pradesh state.

The latest state to pass an anti-conversion law called the "Freedom of Religion" bill was Uttarakhand. According to Morning Star News, the legislation was signed by Gov. Krishna Kant Paul on April 18.

Christians have feared that such laws can be used to accuse them of engaging in forcible or fraudulent conversion.

"This could be misused against minorities," Dr. Satish John, vice president of the Minority Commission of Uttarakhand, told Morning Star News. "We must safeguard ourselves by approaching the Minority Commission if discrepancy is noticed in any individual case. The commission is established to make sure that such laws are not abused," he added.

The incidents of Christian persecution in India has prompted the charity Open Doors to rank India as the 11th most dangerous country to live as a Christian, up from 2017 when it was ranked at No. 15.