India Denies Visa to Rev. Franklin Graham

India has refused a visa to Rev. Franklin Graham, the president of Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. As a result, he is barred from participating in Christian events in the largely Christian state of Nagaland.

Graham, a well-known evangelical supporter of former President Donald Trump, was scheduled to attend a gathering organized by the Kohima Baptist Pastoral Fellowship. Just days before the event, Nagaland’s Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio reached out to Home Minister Amit Shah, asking for permission for foreign visitors to take part in the festival, but that request was denied.

The Naga Students’ Union criticized this decision, claiming it was “selective and discriminatory” and expressed that it severely offends the feelings of the Naga people.

Graham, who frequently encourages Trump’s supporters to vote, has also recently urged the public to pray for negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, emphasizing the need for divine favor in those discussions.

It’s worth noting that Graham may have upset Indian authorities in the past with comments criticizing Hinduism. In a now-deleted 2010 interview, he stated, “An elephant with 100 arms can’t do anything for me. None of their 9,000 gods can lead me to salvation.” He also remarked that believing in a collective spiritual service would improve the world is essentially naive.

Some local media speculate that these past remarks may have influenced the visa denial, while others suggest it reflects his ties to Trump. This decision comes at a time when Trump has been working to strengthen relations with India, which he regards as a vital partner in foreign policy. Recently, he used tariffs to persuade India to halt imports of Russian oil, a move that the country eventually complied with after a period of hesitation.