MUMBAI, India – Several Christian advocacy organizations in India have called a national convention of Christians later this month to denounce a steep rise in anti-Christian violence and raise their concerns with the government.
Earlier this month, on Nov. 4, Christian rights activists assembled at the Press Club of India to release a report concerning an alarming and sustained surge in incidents of violence against Christians, who are a small religious minority in India.
A statement released at the press conference claims a 500% rise in the number of hate crimes targeting Christians since 2014.
“Between 2014 and 2024,” the statement notes, “incidents of violence against Christians increased from 139 to 834 incidents – a 500% surge over just ten years,” saying also that the total number of documented incidents across the period reached 4,959 cases affecting Christian individuals, families, and institutions nationwide.
The figures would represent an average year-on-year increase of nearly 70 incidents, “demonstrating not episodic violence,” the statement said, “but sustained, systematic escalation.”
The convention is titled, “Towards a Self-reliant, Progressive & United India” and is scheduled to take place on November 29.
“This is not a political movement, but a constitutional dialogue among Indian citizens from the Christian faith, exercising their democratic rights,” a statement from organizers explains.
“The systematic and egregious violence and hostility coupled with police inaction and lack of access of justice requires solutions,” the statement says.
One incident that was a catalyst for the event occurred earlier this month, in which several Christian villagers in Rohtak district of Haryana were forced to burn their religious books publicly earlier this month, while a Hindu nationalist outfit terrorized and abused them, according to reports.
A video of the alleged incident appears to show Christians being coerced to denounce their faith, amid insults and other abuse and threats.
Other similar incidents of violence – sometimes deadly and organized – as well as other forms of harassment and menacing behavior and efforts to exclude Christians from politics and civic life, have been documented over the past two decades.
Radio Veritas Asia reports some 22 Christian Members of Parliament from different parties have pledged support for the upcoming convention, set to take place during India’s parliamentary session beginning on Nov. 24 and running to December 25, 2025, Christmas Day.
Radio Veritas Asia says the goal of the convention is to reaffirm the constitutional rights of every Indian citizen irrespective of religion.
Credit: Source link
