Christian community in India faces surge in violence
The United Christian Forum (UCF) reports that the Christian community in India has endured 400 incidents of violence within a span of 190 days this year. According to the UCF, attacks occurred at a rate of at least twice per day during this period, escalating to three times per day in the month of June alone. During the month of June, UCF documented 88 instances of violence specifically targeting the Christian community, primarily originating from Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. AC Michael, the National Coordinator of UCF, expressed concerns about the government's "indifferent" response to the situation in Manipur, stating that this has emboldened right-wing factions and contributed to the increased number of incidents in June. "Month of June alone has seen 88 incidents which are largely from North Indian states like Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Looks like the indifferent attitude of the government to the violence in Manipur has embolden the violence perpetrators in these states," said Michael. The UCF's half-yearly report for 2023 reveals a significant rise in the number of incidents compared to the same period in the previous year, which documented 274 acts of violence against the Christian community. Among the 23 states that reported violence against the Christian community in the country,
11 Indian Christians released from jail
A court in a northern Indian state has released 11 Protestant Christians who spent a week in jail after their arrest under the draconian anti-conversion law. A local court in Bahraich district in northern Uttar Pradesh state granted bail to Pastor Babu Ram and 10 others, who were released on July 17. “We are happy that our brothers are released from jail,” said Dinanath Jaiswal, a social worker who helped the Christians in their legal fight. Police arrested them on July 9 during a Sunday service following complaints from activists of the hardline Hindu group, Bajrang Dal (lord Hanuman’s army). The activists forced their way into the prayer hall and accused the pastor and others of being involved in religious conversion, which is a crime under the state's anti-conversion law. The activists called the police who took the pastor and those attending the Sunday prayer service into their custody and produced them before a court. “Thirteen Christian women were also taken into custody by the police. But a local court granted them bail,” Jaiswal told UCA News on July 18. Police charged them with illegal assembly, conspiracy, and criminal intimidation. “It is unfortunate that police keep registering totally fake cases against Christians who are merely attending the Sunday prayer services," Jaiswal said. He said that life has
Report: Religious Persecution Against India’s Christians Has Nearly Doubled
A new report confirms the persecution of India's Christians is rising and nearly doubling since from last year. The New-Delhi based United Christian Forum (UCF) keeps track of violence against believers and found there were 400 incidences in the first half of the year in 23 states in India. Comparatively, there were only 274 incidences during this same period last year. "The government data downplays the severity of the situation," said A.C. Michael, the UCF's national coordinator. The report highlighted Uttar Pradesh as one of the leading states in religious persecution against Christians with 155 incidences total. June saw the highest number of violent attacks with 88 cases, which translates into three per day, the group reported. "Violence in the northeastern state of Manipur has been raging for over two months and hundreds of churches and many precious lives have been lost," UCF said. Over the last two months, ethnic clashes in Manipur have led to the death of more than 100 people dead and the destruction of nearly 400 churches. As CBN News has reported, the violence was sparked over plans by the government to give privileged status to the Hindu majority Meitei community in the Imphal Valley region. The Kuki community, who reside on the hills
Madhya Pradesh: Police issue notices to church office-bearers seeking religious conversion details, withdraw after objection
Police served notices to office-bearers of 40 churches in Madhya Pradesh's Indore city seeking details of religious conversion activities, but withdrew them after opposition by the Christian community and said they were issued "by mistake". The community members found "objectionable" the notices issued last week by different police stations in Indore to the office-bearers of around 40 churches and religious organisations, an office-bearer of one such outfit said. When asked about it, Indore Police Commissioner Makrand Deuskar told reporters on Saturday that the notices which reached the people were actually sent to the station house officers (SHOs) of all police stations in Indore. The SHOs sent them to members of the Christian community "by mistake", he said. Hence, the notices have been withdrawn after opposition by the community members, the official said. Suresh Kalton of the United Christian Forum on Sunday told PTI that there were "objectionable" questions in the notices on involvement in religious conversion activities. "There is a question in the notice asking the person to declare whether he or his organisation is involved in religious conversion. This act of the police is a violation of our constitutional rights," he claimed. “None of us is involved in such activities and we will go to the High
Meitei Christians find themselves in crossfire of Manipur clashes, call for reconciliation
Philem Rohan Singh, known for his bicycle and motorcycle expeditions across India for numerous social causes since 2018, has one question. “Why am I called Judas Iscariot?” Singh is a Meitei who lives in Imphal. He is also a member of the Ministry of Reconciliation — an independent Church. On his bicycle earlier, and on his electric motorcycle now, he has been flying two flags: the Indian Tricolour and the Salai Taret, which represents the seven clans of the ancient Kangleipak, the old name for Manipur. At least 142 people have been killed and more than 60,000 have been displaced in clashes between the mostly Christian Kuki tribals and the largely Hindu Meiteis since May 3. Pro-Meitei groups have flown the Salai Taret as their banner during these clashes. Singh’s co-religionists from the Kuki community, he says, now liken him to Christ’s disciple Judas who betrayed him to the Jewish clergy. The slur is testimony to how deep and complex the faultlines in Manipur are. “For the charity work I have done, Kukis have contributed lakhs of rupees. I have also given humanitarian assistance to Kuki refugees from Myanmar,” Rohan said. “Two years ago in Moreh, a large number of refugees arrived in a very bad state fleeing
UP Man Arrested For Converting 230 Dalit Families To Christianity: Cops
Accused Bajrang Rawat, a Christian from Lucknow, was living on the railway land falling under the Lonikatra police station limits here for the last one year, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Akhilesh Narayan Singh said. Barabanki: Police arrested a man today who allegedly converted 230 Dalit families to Christianity promising to cure their members suffering from any ailment. Accused Bajrang Rawat, a Christian from Lucknow, was living on the railway land falling under the Lonikatra police station limits here for the last one year, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Akhilesh Narayan Singh said. Some copies of the Bible and other Christian books were also recovered from his residence, ASP Singh said. On the basis of a complaint by one Vijay Hindustani from Haidergarh town, a case was registered against Rawat under relevant sections of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021, the ASP said, adding that efforts are on to ascertain involvement of other people who were helping the accused. In his complaint, Mr Hindustani, an activist of a Hindu outfit, alleged that when he, along with other activists, visited the spot, he found many Hindu women of the area there. Mr Hindustani said that Rawat used to call the poor people
Meitei Christians find themselves in crossfire of Manipur clashes, call for reconciliation
Philem Rohan Singh, known for his bicycle and motorcycle expeditions across India for numerous social causes since 2018, has one question. “Why am I called Judas Iscariot?” Singh is a Meitei who lives in Imphal. He is also a member of the Ministry of Reconciliation — an independent Church. On his bicycle earlier, and on his electric motorcycle now, he has been flying two flags: the Indian Tricolour and the Salai Taret, which represents the seven clans of the ancient Kangleipak, the old name for Manipur. At least 142 people have been killed and more than 60,000 have been displaced in clashes between the mostly Christian Kuki tribals and the largely Hindu Meiteis since May 3. Pro-Meitei groups have flown the Salai Taret as their banner during these clashes. Singh’s co-religionists from the Kuki community, he says, now liken him to Christ’s disciple Judas who betrayed him to the Jewish clergy. The slur is testimony to how deep and complex the faultlines in Manipur are. “For the charity work I have done, Kukis have contributed lakhs of rupees. I have also given humanitarian assistance to Kuki refugees from Myanmar,” Rohan said. “Two years ago in Moreh, a large number of refugees arrived in a very bad state fleeing
Madhya Pradesh: Police issue notices to church office-bearers seeking religious conversion details, withdraw after objection
Police served notices to office-bearers of 40 churches in Madhya Pradesh's Indore city seeking details of religious conversion activities, but withdrew them after opposition by the Christian community and said they were issued "by mistake". The community members found "objectionable" the notices issued last week by different police stations in Indore to the office-bearers of around 40 churches and religious organisations, an office-bearer of one such outfit said. When asked about it, Indore Police Commissioner Makrand Deuskar told reporters on Saturday that the notices which reached the people were actually sent to the station house officers (SHOs) of all police stations in Indore. The SHOs sent them to members of the Christian community "by mistake", he said. Hence, the notices have been withdrawn after opposition by the community members, the official said. Suresh Kalton of the United Christian Forum on Sunday told PTI that there were "objectionable" questions in the notices on involvement in religious conversion activities. "There is a question in the notice asking the person to declare whether he or his organisation is involved in religious conversion. This act of the police is a violation of our constitutional rights," he claimed. “None of us is involved in such activities and we will go to the
At least 400 acts of violence committed against Christians in India in first half of 2023: report
The first half of 2023 has seen a surge in violence against Christians across 23 states in India, according to a New Delhi-based human rights group, which identified 400 incidents, up from 274 reported over the same period last year. The majority of these violent acts occurred in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state, with 155 incidents, according to the report released by the United Christian Forum and shared with The Christian Post. Chhattisgarh ranked second with 84 cases, followed by Jharkhand with 35, and Haryana with 32. The districts of Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh and Bastar in Chhattisgarh reported the most cases of violence, with 13 and 31 incidents, respectively. According to UCF’s findings, the number of violent incidents against Christians has been rising steadily in India since 2014, with a significant spike observed in 2021 and 2022. The group also noted in its statement that the month of June saw the highest number of attacks against the Christian community, averaging three incidents per day. The UCF expressed grave concerns over the situation in the northeastern state of Manipur, where the ongoing violence has resulted in the loss of at least 130 lives and caused the destruction of over 400 churches. Amid these atrocities, the
European Parliament Adopts Resolution on Manipur, India Says it Reflects ‘Colonial Mindset’
The adoption took place in the afternoon along with other votes on schedule, just after the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had landed in France for an official visit. New Delhi: The European Parliament on Thursday adopted a resolution that called on Indian authorities to take “all necessary” measures to stop the violence in Manipur and protect religious minorities, especially Christians. India reacted that it was “unacceptable” and reflection of a “colonial mindset”. The resolution was tabled by five political groups and adopted by a show of hands during the plenary session of the European Parliament. The adoption took place in the afternoon along with other votes on schedule, just after the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had landed in France for an official visit. In a statement, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “Such interference in India’s internal affairs is unacceptable, and reflects a colonial mindset”. “Indian authorities at all levels, including the judiciary, are seized of the situation in Manipur and are taking steps to maintain peace and harmony and law and order. The European Parliament would be well advised to utilize its time more productively on its internal issues,” he stated. A day earlier, Indian foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra had
