GFA missionary still in detention

Yashpal Bhuta Masih, the Gospel for Asia missionary who was arrested on 'forceful conversion' charges, continues to be in detention in Madhya Pradesh.

Police arrested Yashpal, last week, after three people from his village accused him of "offering them education, money and jobs in exchange for converting to Christianity." This however has been denied by the GFA group, who affirmed they "do not use such tactics to share the Gospel."

Despite continued efforts and prayers, Church leaders lamented that Yashpal is still in custody of the police who charged him with "attempting to convert three people to Christianity."

The group urged "Christians to pray for justice to be done in this case, that the Lord will grant Yashpal the strength to endure this trial and for comfort for his wife and children while he is being held."

Madhya Pradesh is one of the seven states that have passed the draconian anti–conversion law. An offense under the law will be non-bailable and punishable by imprisonment of up to four years and a fine up to Rs 1,00,000.

For years, Church leaders have been pleading with the government and political heads to anneal the anti-conversion laws, which numerous times have been misused to suit the Hindu aggression over Christian missionaries. Tamil Nadu was the last state to repeal the anti-conversion law, which it had enacted in October 2002.