New Delhi: Over 400 senior Christian leaders and 30 church groups on Tuesday (December 31) have issued an urgent appeal to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling for immediate action to address the surge in violence against Christians.
The appeal comes after at least 14 incidents of violence, threats, and disruptions targeted Christian gatherings across the country during the Christmas season, the leaders and church groups wrote in a press release.
The signatories, including prominent Christian leaders such as Thomas Abraham, David Onesimu, Joab Lohara, Richard Howell, Mary Scaria, Cedric Prakash S.J., John Dayal, Prakash Louis S.J., Zelhou Keyho, E.H. Kharkongor, Allen Brooks, K. Losii Mao, Akhilesh Edgar, Michael Willams, A.C. Michael and Vijayesh Lal, expressed deep concern over the alarming trend of rising intolerance and hostility.
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They pointed to troubling statistics, including over 720 incidents of violence targeting Christians reported to the Evangelical Fellowship of India and 760 cases recorded by the United Christian Forum between January and November 2024.
The appeal highlights systemic concerns, including the misuse of anti-conversion laws, growing threats to religious freedoms, escalating hate speech, and exclusionary policies denying Dalit Christians Scheduled Caste status. The leaders also urged the prime minister to take a visible role in fostering peace and reconciliation in Manipur, where violence has resulted in over 250 deaths, 360 destroyed churches, and thousands displaced since May 2023.
The Christian leaders called on the president and prime minister to take concrete steps to address the situation, including ordering swift and impartial investigations into incidents targeting religious minorities, issuing clear guidelines to state governments on protecting constitutional rights to religious freedom, initiating regular dialogue with representatives of all faith communities, and protecting the fundamental right to freely profess and practice one’s faith.
The appeal emphasises that inclusivity and harmony are vital for India’s moral fabric, economic prosperity, and social unity.
