A Baptist pastor has become the first person arrested under a controversial new law in India’s Assam state that criminalizes prayer healing. It marks what religious freedom advocates call a concerning escalation in restrictions on Christian practices, including in Great Britain.
Pastor Pranjal Bhuyan was arrested on November 22 after villagers complained he was attempting to convert people through prayer. The arrest came under the newly enacted Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Act of 2024, which makes it illegal to heal people through prayer.
“This law claims to be about science and protecting health, but let’s call it what it really is: a thinly veiled attack on Christianity,” said Jeff King, president of International Christian Concern (ICC), a leading watchdog organization monitoring religious persecution globally.
The arrest comes amid what The Wall Street Journal reports as growing concerns over religious freedom in India. According to Fox News, the law is part of a broader pattern of legislation targeting religious minorities in various Indian states.
The Assam Christian Forum has strongly condemned what they term a “wrongful arrest,” arguing that the law’s non-bailable provisions give police sweeping powers to detain individuals without due process. The Washington Times reports that religious leaders are particularly concerned about the law’s broad interpretation of what constitutes “healing practices.”
Local sources indicate that before his arrest, Bhuyan, who also works as a teacher, had drawn scrutiny for sharing Bible teachings with children. Parents subsequently filed a police complaint, leading to his detention under the new law.
“By equating prayer with magic and making it punishable with prison time, the Assam government has turned compassion and hope into crimes,” King stated, noting that Christians represent only 3.74% of Assam’s population.
The case has drawn international attention, with religious freedom advocates warning it could set a dangerous precedent for religious expression in India’s northeastern states.
–Metro Voice