NEW DELHI: Over 200 prominent personalities, including Tushar Gandhi, Annie Raja, Father Cedric Prakash, John Dayal and Shabnam Hashmi, have signed a joint statement expressing grave concern over the growing persecution of Christians in India.
The statement highlights the alarming rise in violence and persecution against the Christian community and calls for urgent action to address the issue.
“Persecution of Christians in India has been a growing concern in the last few years. According to various reports, there has been a significant increase in violence and persecution against Christians, especially in rural areas,” the statement said. In this context, the signatories have questioned the recent meetings between senior Christian leaders and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Christmas events.

They see these meetings as attempts to legitimise the government’s inaction on the safety of Christians. “It is astonishing that despite the growing persecution of Christians, prominent members of Christianity have chosen to engage with Prime Minister Modi, who has been criticised for his inaction in protecting the rights of Christians.
Mr Modi has been seen with prominent members at Christmas events in recent times. He was invited by the Centre for Christian Missionaries of Religion (CBCI) to a Christmas celebration in New Delhi on 23 December 2024. The statement said that the persecution of Christians and Muslims has increased in the years of a sharp rise in anti-Christian violence, driven by the resurgence of Hindutva nationalism, which has increased anti-minority sentiment.
Religious nationalist groups such as the Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad have been accused of inciting violence against Christians in several states. Citing data from the Evangelical Fellowship of India and the United Christian Forum (UCF), the statement said: 327 incidents of violence against Christians were reported in 2021. In 2022, more than 486 incidents were reported, including 115 cases of physical violence alone and 116 cases of threats and harassment. The statement further said, “The trend monitored by UCF listed 127 incidents in the year 2014, when the Modi government took power. Currently, from January 2024 to November 2024, 745 incidents have been recorded of Christian citizens being attacked for their faith in India.”
“Churches and Christian institutions have been specifically targeted in many incidents. In 2021, at least 15 churches were vandalised or set on fire across India. Several churches were attacked in 2022, including one in Delhi. It was vandalised by a group of Hindu extremists. More than 200 churches were destroyed and countless people lost their lives in the riots in Manipur on May 3.” Law and government inaction under criticism The statement criticised the government and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for failing to protect the rights of minorities. 
The statement alleges that Hindu nationalist groups accused of perpetrating the violence have received tacit support from the government. Additionally, the misuse of anti-conversion laws enacted by 13 states as a tool to target Christians has been highlighted. The statement further states, “In 2021, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) placed India on its list of ‘Countries of Particular Concern’, citing ‘systematic, ongoing, and severe’ persecution of religious minorities in the country.” The statement concludes with a call to action, urging the government and Christian leadership to address the growing threats facing the Christian community in the country.
“We call on Christian leadership to voice these concerns and hold the Prime Minister accountable as the head of government for the safety of Christians in India.”

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