More than four hundred Christian leaders in India have sent an appeal letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding urgent action to address the increasing violence against Christians and to end the systemic challenges they face. The signatories include Dr John Dayal, Rev Dr Richard Howell and Rev Vijayesh Lal (pictured).
Persecution of Christians has increased since the 2014 landslide victory of Prime Minister Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which adopted Hindutva as its ideology in 1989 and is associated with a group of Hindu nationalist organisations that have instigated much of the violence against Christians.
The appeal letter, which was dated 31 December and was also sent to President Droupadi Murmu, notes that the Evangelical Fellowship of India recorded more than 720 cases of violence against Christians between January and mid-December 2024, and that the United Christian Forum recorded 760 cases to the end of November. The letter notes at least 14 incidents over Christmas, from threats and disruptions to arrests and attacks.
The Christian leaders write, “It saddens us deeply that almost all political leaders from the highest in the Union government and the states have chosen not to condemn them. Rising hate speech, especially from elected officials, has emboldened acts of violence against Christians. Mobs disrupt peaceful Christian gatherings and threaten carol singers with impunity… We cry out to you from the depths of our hearts, therefore, when we are attacked in villages and towns in several states from Chhattisgarh to Uttar Pradesh on Christmas Day.”
The signatories call on the prime minister and president to order swift and impartial investigations into aggressions against religious minorities; issue clear guidelines to state governments on protecting constitutional rights to religious freedom; initiate regular dialogue with representatives of all faith communities; and protect the fundamental right to freely profess and practice one’s faith.
They point out that while the freedom to distribute and sell religious texts like the Bhagavad Gita on the street is protected, Christians are routinely beaten up if they distribute the Bible or even a small part of it. In addition, they say, “In states like Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, peaceful home prayer meetings and even family celebrations are disturbed, and the families are being forced out of their homes.”
The letter addresses systemic challenges including the exclusion of Dalit Christians from Scheduled Caste reservation status and the misuse of anti-conversion laws to target Christians.
It ends with an assurance of prayers for the country’s leaders and a commitment to building a united, peaceful and prosperous India. Leaders of thirty church groups signed the letter, including Bishop Thomas Abraham, Bishop David Onesimu, Bishop Joab Lohara, Rev Dr Richard Howell, Sr Mary Scaria, Fr Cedric Prakash SJ, Dr John Dayal, Fr Prakash Louis SJ, Rev Dr Zelhou Keyho, Rev Dr EH Kharkongor, Allen Brooks, Rev K Losii Mao, Rev Dr Akhilesh Edgar, Dr Michael Willams, AC Michael and Rev Vijayesh Lal.
Hindu nationalists disrupt Christmas celebrations throughout India
Hindu nationalist organisations carried out attacks on Christmas celebrations in several states throughout India including Manipur, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Meghalaya, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and even Kerala at the southern tip of India, which is known for its communal harmony. Incidents in Kerala included members of two nationalist organisations disrupting Christmas celebrations at a government school in Palakkad, which led to widespread protests.
(Christian Daily International-Morning Star News, International Christian Concern)
Photos of John Dayal, Richard Howell and Vijayesh Lal from Facebook