New Delhi, July 5: The United Christian Forum (UCF) has expressed deep anguish over recent remarks by the Allahabad High Court in a bail order dated July 1, 2024, in the case of Kailash vs. the State of Uttar Pradesh. The UCF is concerned that the observations could expose the Christian community to further persecution.
Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal, while rejecting the bail application, stated, “If this process (conversion) is allowed to be carried out, the majority population of this country would be in the minority one day and such religious congregation should be immediately stopped where the conversion is taking place.”
AC Michael of the United Christian Forum said, “Christians are as much citizens of India as anyone else and deserve equal protection under the law of the land.”
“The Court should have limited its focus to the criminal law aspect of the case rather than being swayed by majoritarian religious considerations and making sweeping statements about a specific religious community. The UCF is concerned that these observations could expose the Christian community to further persecution,” the press release said.
Christians in several parts of India, including Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, and Rajasthan, face targeted violence. The High Court failed to distinguish between voluntary and forced conversions.
Article 25 of the Constitution guarantees individuals freedom to change their religion according to their conscience. Additionally, the constitutional validity of several anti-conversion laws is currently pending before the Supreme Court.
“Given these precedents, the United Christian Forum respectfully urges the Hon’ble Allahabad High Court to suo-motu expunge the sweeping allegations made against the entire Christian community from the order dated July 1, 2024, considering the dangerous ramifications,” said AC Michael of the United Christian Forum.
