Indian Law Could Strip Christian Churches of Schools and Hospitals

Faith Facts

• A new Indian foreign funding bill threatens government seizure of Christian schools, hospitals, and charitable institutions built over decades
• Church leaders warn the legislation could hand the government control over faith-based assets and operations across the country
• The measure adds to growing concerns about religious freedom restrictions facing India’s Christian minority community

Christian leaders in India are sounding the alarm over proposed legislation that could result in government confiscation of churches, schools, hospitals, and charitable organizations established by faith communities over generations.

The sweeping foreign funding bill represents the latest challenge to religious liberty in the world’s most populous nation, where Christians comprise a minority of the population. Church leaders warn the measure would give authorities unprecedented power to seize assets built through decades of ministry and service.

Faith-based institutions have long provided essential services to Indian communities, including education, healthcare, and social assistance to the poor and marginalized. These schools and hospitals have served all Indians regardless of religious background, operating as expressions of Christian charity and compassion.

The proposed legislation targets organizations that receive international funding, a common practice for many Christian ministries and humanitarian groups. Under the bill’s provisions, the government could take control of these institutions on the grounds of foreign financing concerns.

Religious freedom advocates view the measure as part of a broader pattern of increasing restrictions on Christian communities in India. Believers have faced mounting pressure in recent years, including attacks on churches, harassment of worshippers, and obstacles to peaceful religious practice.

The bill raises fundamental questions about property rights, religious liberty, and the future of Christian witness in India. Church leaders emphasize that their institutions have operated transparently and served the public good for generations, making the threatened seizures particularly troubling.

American Christians should remain attentive to the plight of their brothers and sisters in Christ facing persecution and property threats abroad. Supporting international religious freedom remains a vital expression of faith and solidarity with the global Church.

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