Indian Converts Must Get Government Permission (One Month in Advance) or Face Prison

New law discourages Christians in Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.

Converting to Christianity? Don't forget to ask your local government officials for permission first—at least one month in advance.

That is, if you live in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh state, which has passed legislation sending converts to Christianity—and their pastors—to prison for failing to obtain such permission before conversions.

The bill requires the governor's signature before becoming law. Existing law in Madhya Pradesh requires those who convert to notify government officials after conversion; the new legislation not only requires prior permission but also obligates religious leaders to report the conversions, and it increases prison terms from one to three years for clergy and converts who fail to do so.

With India already on a "watch list" of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, India's Christians were aghast at the bill's level of interference in private personal belief. Read more