Thousands gather to protest in Arunachal Pradesh

Thousands of Christians united on Thursday 30 April to express their dissent against the Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act (APFRA), fearing that it could be used to target them.

Despite being instated in 1978, the act has remained inactive until recent years due to strong opposition and a lack of implementation guidance.

However, talks have been underway since 2024 regarding its enforcement, prompting tensions to escalate between the Arunachal Christian Forum (ACF), which has been leading the protests, and the state government.

In response, a High-Power Committee (HPC) was formed comprising government representatives alongside members of the ACF and indigenous groups. Despite seeming progress, meetings held by the committee on 19 March and 21 April failed to reach a resolution. During the April meeting, ACF representatives walked out in protest, stating that the committee did not fairly represent Christians as most of them supported the law.

“The state government, by constituting the HPC, is now trying to forcibly impose the APFRA and is rushing to frame rules by the end of April 2026,” an ACF representative stated. “In response, the ACF organised a statewide protest on 30 April against the alleged attempt to forcibly frame the rules of the Act.”

Growing fears 

The fears of many believers are rooted in the repeated abuse of laws concerning conversion and religious freedom. Such legislation has often been used to condemn or harass minority faiths, and is spreading in many parts of India. Currently, 12 states have implemented anti-conversion laws, with Maharashtra state potentially the next.

The protests were held during a week where tribal believers in parts of Chhattisgarh were facing, and continue to face, intensifying pressure to reconvert.

Standing united

Despite growing opposition against many Christians in India, the thousands of protesters who gathered on 30 April did so with marked peace. Believers from different denominations gathered under the banner of the ACF, emphasising unity and peaceful protest. In the capital city, Atangar, believers stood together for more than six hours, despite the heavy rain.

Local partners Tali* and Arup* observed the positive atmosphere. “There is a noticeable shift,” Arup shares. “People are not just expressing opposition, but they are doing so with awareness and discipline.”

This article was originally published on https://www.opendoorsuk.org/news/latest-news/india-protests-apfra/