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Attacks on Indian Christians prompt plea to ensure rights

United Christian Forum appeals to the federal government after recording over 50 attacks on the minority community this year
Attacks on Indian Christians prompt plea to ensure rights

Indian Christians participate in a Holy Week procession in New Delhi on April 4, 2017. (Photo: Bijay Kumar Minj/UCA News)

Published: February 16, 2022 06:43 AM GMT

Targeted attacks on the Christian minority in India continue unabated with a human rights group in the national capital recording 53 incidents in the first 45 days of this year.

In a press release dated Feb. 15, the United Christian Forum (UCF) said Chhattisgarh topped the list with 12 attacks on Christians so far in 2022. It was followed by Tamil Nadu with 10, Madhya Pradesh eight and Uttar Pradesh seven.

Its findings have prompted the UCF to appeal to the federal government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure the rights of minorities as provided in the nation’s constitution.

“There has been a steep rise in incidents of violence against Christians in the country recently with 505 incidents recorded in 2021, which was a staggering 81 percent increase from the 279 incidents in 2020,” said A.C. Michael, convener of the UCF.

Michael, a former member of Delhi Minorities Commission, told UCA News that the data collected by the UCF wasn’t exhaustive as many attacks were not reported owing to community apprehensions and official apathy.

The UCF launched a helpline number (1800-208-4545) in January 2015 to enable members of Christian communities across the country, especially those who are not familiar with the law and order machinery or system, to report attacks on them and seek legal remedies, Michael said.

With impunity, such mobs criminally threaten, physically assault people in prayer, before handing them over to the police on allegations of forcible conversions

“So far, we have gathered information and relevant data on 127 incidents in 2014, 142 in 2015, 226 in 2016, 248 in 2017, 292 in 2018, 328 in 2019, 279 in 2020, and 505 in 2021,” he added.

The UCF is an interdenominational Christian organization that fights for the human rights of members of the Christian minority through democratic means.

Christians comprise 2.3 percent of India’s estimated population of 1.39 billion.

Indian political parties of all hues often promise to ensure the constitutional rights of minorities, especially when elections are around, but hardly take any concrete actions, the UCF claims.

Michael urged the federal and state governments to ensure the police take timely and strict action against perpetrators of violence against all religious minorities.

He demanded the implementation of sensitization programs for senior police officers to better equip them to handle targeted violence unleashed against religious minorities.

The UCF also appealed to the federal government to introduce a compensation scheme for victims who suffer physical injury and property damage on account of targeted violence by vigilante mobs known for barging into prayer gatherings and roughing up individuals that they suspect of involvement in religious conversions.

“With impunity, such mobs criminally threaten, physically assault people in prayer, before handing them over to the police on allegations of forcible conversions. Often communal sloganeering is witnessed outside police stations while the police stand as mute spectators,” the UCF noted.

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