With a record 745 incidents of violence against Christians reported in India by November 2024, the United Christian Forum (UCF) has urged the Modi government to launch a national-level inquiry, headed by a Secretary-level official, to investigate the growing persecution of the Christian minority.
UCF National Coordinator A. C. Michael, a former member of the Delhi Minorities Commission, expressed concern over the lack of action from the government, pointing out that in the past, the government sent a special envoy to Bangladesh to address the assault on a minority there. He said that such a step should be taken for the Christian community in India as well.
The UCF has tracked a disturbing rise in violence over the years, with the number of incidents steadily increasing from 127 cases in 2014 to 745 by November 2024. According to the UCF’s helpline data, Uttar Pradesh has consistently reported the highest number of incidents, with 287 cases in 2023 and 182 cases in 2024. Other states such as Chhattisgarh have also seen rises, with 139 reported incidents this year. However, the UCF believes that these numbers may not reflect the full extent of the violence, as many incidents go unreported.
The UCF has also criticized the introduction of anti-conversion laws in 12 states, warning that these politically motivated laws could infringe on religious freedoms. In particular, the recent amendment in Uttar Pradesh, which mirrors stringent laws like PMLA and UAPA, has been flagged as a potential violation of Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees the freedom of religion.
In addition to these concerns, the UCF raised alarms over the ongoing violence in Manipur, where over 200 churches were reportedly demolished in 2023. Despite the scale of the violence, UCF data for the region remains incomplete, as incidents in Manipur were not included in the official count. The UCF also highlighted reports from the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), which suggest that local police have been complicit in the violence, often failing to act against the perpetrators.
Furthermore, the UCF criticized the lack of Christian representation in key government bodies. Despite the constitutional rights of Christians, the UCF argues that their political representation is being systematically denied. The forum pointed out the absence of Christian members in both the National Commission for Minorities and the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions for over five years, and the ongoing denial of Anglo-Indian reservations.
In response to the growing violence, the UCF launched a toll-free helpline in 2015 to assist Christians in distress, providing guidance on legal remedies and how to approach authorities. However, the forum has expressed frustration that petitions filed in the Supreme Court seeking action against vigilante groups targeting Christians have not progressed since 2022.
