On 28th September, a delegation of the Christian community was invited for a special conference in New Delhi by the Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India chaired by Hon’ble Minister of Minority Affairs Sh. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and attended by Sh. John Barla, Minister of State for Minority Affairs.

The delegation of 50 Christian representatives, including Archbishop Anil Cuoto, Dr. Williams, United Christian Forum and Tehmina Arora, Director, ADF India, urged the federal minister of minorities, among other points, to ensure the repealing of anti-conversion laws enacted by some state governments, inhibiting religious freedom and giving rise to persecution of church leaders and congregations alike.

The delegation also sought the federal ministers’ support in curbing incidents of victimisation of the minorities as well as repealing stringent laws that inhibit foreign funding being utilised in India for the betterment and upliftment of the poorer and deprived sections of the society.