ASHBURN, Virginia — Religious freedom advocates, church leaders, legal experts, and community representatives gathered at the FIACONA Religious Freedom National Conclave on August 8 in Ashburn, Virginia, expressing concern over what they described as escalating persecution of Christians in India and the potential impact of proposed amendments to India’s Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). The event was organized by the Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America (FIACONA), an umbrella body representing Indian Christian churches and organizations across North America.
The conclave brought together pastors, religious freedom advocates, community leaders, and policymakers to discuss challenges facing Christian communities in India, including attacks on pastors and believers, disruption of worship services, intimidation of Christians, and criminal cases filed under state anti-conversion laws. Participants said these developments raise serious concerns about the state of religious freedom in the world’s largest democracy.
“Participants expressed concern that increasing violence, intimidation, and discriminatory treatment of Christians pose a serious challenge to religious freedom in India,” FIACONA said in its statement following the conclave.
The concerns raised at the gathering were reinforced by recent reports documenting a rise in anti-Christian incidents across India. According to data compiled by the United Christian Forum (UCF), 834 incidents of violence and intimidation against Christians were documented in 2024, compared with 127 incidents in 2014, reflecting a dramatic increase over the past decade. The reported incidents included physical assaults, vandalism, harassment, threats, and restrictions on religious gatherings.
The UCF report documented 149 physical assaults, 209 incidents of property damage, and 798 cases involving intimidation or harassment. It also recorded hundreds of cases in which Christian prayer meetings and worship gatherings allegedly faced obstruction.
Concerns regarding religious freedom in India have also drawn international attention. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), in its 2025 Annual Report, stated that religious freedom conditions in India continued to deteriorate during 2024 and cited attacks against religious minorities, including Christians, as well as the use of anti-conversion laws against members of Christian communities.
FIACONA called for protection of “the constitutional right of every Indian citizen, regardless of faith, to profess, practice, and propagate his or her religion without fear or intimidation.” The organization emphasized that freedom of religion remains a fundamental constitutional guarantee and urged authorities to ensure equal treatment for all citizens regardless of religious affiliation.
Focus on Proposed FCRA Amendments
A major portion of the conclave was devoted to discussion of the proposed Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026. Participants expressed concern that some provisions in the bill could adversely affect Christian churches, ministries, educational institutions, charitable organizations, and other faith-based bodies that receive foreign contributions and use them to support religious, educational, and humanitarian work.
According to discussions at the conclave, particular concern centered on proposals that could place foreign-funded assets under the control of a designated authority if an organization’s FCRA registration is cancelled or not renewed. Participants argued that such provisions have created uncertainty among churches and Christian institutions that have developed schools, hospitals, charitable ministries, and places of worship through decades of lawful contributions and overseas support.
FIACONA urged policymakers to incorporate safeguards protecting religious institutions and charities from unintended consequences of regulatory action.
“The conclave urged that administrative action involving FCRA registration should not jeopardize the property rights, religious activities, or legitimate charitable work of churches and Christian organizations,” the organization stated.
Participants also emphasized the importance of due process and transparency in administrative decision-making.
FIACONA called for “due process, timely and transparent administrative decisions, meaningful opportunities for appeal, and safeguards against arbitrary or discriminatory enforcement.”
The organization further urged that provisions “that could adversely affect religious freedom, the independent functioning of churches, or their legitimate property rights should either be withdrawn or revised with adequate safeguards.”
The concerns voiced during the conclave reflect wider discussions among Christian organizations and religious minority institutions regarding the potential ramifications of the proposed legislation. Public commentary surrounding the bill has highlighted questions about the future administration of assets acquired through foreign-funded charitable and religious work.
At the same time, FIACONA reiterated its support for accountability and transparency in the use of foreign contributions. The organization stated that legitimate churches, ministries, educational institutions, and charitable organizations should be able to continue their work without undue restrictions or uncertainty.
Honors for Religious Freedom Advocates
One of the major highlights of the conclave was the presentation of the FIACONA Religious Freedom Champion Award 2026 to Dr. Babu Verghese and Siju Thomas, National Director of ADF India. The awards recognized their contributions to defending religious liberty and supporting Christians facing persecution.
Dr. Verghese, a journalist, historian, linguist, author, and Bible teacher from Mumbai, was honored for more than three decades of documenting Christian persecution and advocating for religious freedom. His published works include Let There Be India and Burnt Alive, and several feature films have been produced from his writings. FIACONA noted that his latest film, GAWAH, is scheduled to premiere in New York on August 29.
Siju Thomas was recognized for legal advocacy on behalf of Christians who have faced religious persecution and discrimination. According to information presented during the conclave, initiatives under his leadership have resulted in more than 200 favorable court decisions, contributed to the release of approximately 3,400 Christians, helped reopen more than 1,100 places of worship, and provided training to over 100,000 Christians, pastors, church leaders, and lawyers.
The awards were presented by Mike Epp, Vice President of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), and Phil Bondesma, Director of Tract League.
Broad Participation and Continued Advocacy
The conclave drew participants from multiple U.S. states, including California, Michigan, Oklahoma, Colorado, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Florida, and Washington, D.C. The presence of delegates from India and the United Kingdom added an international dimension to the discussions.
Among the principal speakers were Dave Beckwith, Republican nominee for Virginia’s 10th Congressional District, Mike Clancy, Siju Thomas, Dr. K. Babu Verghese, and Rev. Mano Daniel. FIACONA President Bimal John, along with other organizational leaders, guided the proceedings.
The event concluded with prayers for Christians facing persecution in India and a renewed commitment by FIACONA to continue raising concerns about religious freedom, human dignity, equality before the law, and constitutional rights on national and international platforms.
As debates over religious freedom and the proposed FCRA amendments continue, FIACONA leaders said they will remain engaged with policymakers, faith communities, and international stakeholders in an effort to safeguard the rights of religious minorities and ensure that Christians are able to worship and serve their communities without fear, discrimination, or intimidation.
