A wave of violence against Christians in Odisha, eastern India, has raised alarm over citizens’ religious freedom guaranteed by the country’s Constitution. The latest incident occurred on December 26 in the Gabardhanpur village of Balasore district, where the members of the New Life Church were attacked while celebrating Christmas with a local family. According to Pastor Sadhu Sundar Singh of the Church, Gobinda Singh, a resident of Gabardhanpur, had invited him and his colleagues, Subhasini Singh and Sukanti Singh, to his home for prayers and Christmas celebrations. The gathering involved cake cutting and a shared meal. However, a drunken man from the village approached Gobinda Singh under the pretext of asking for food. Ignoring requests to wait, he rallied villagers waiting nearby and falsely claimed that religious conversion was taking place in the house. The mob attacked the gathering, severely beating Subhasini and Sukanti Singh. Their clothes were pulled, as the mob shouted accusations of forced conversion. Pastor Singh shared a video of the incident. In the video, a man named Badal Kumar Panda, wearing a white shirt and a tilak, introduced himself as the Block President of Devsena. He is seen pointing towards the women and saying, “I came here because these people are converting

Christmas celebrations in India were overshadowed by violent incidents on December 25, 2024, as several states reported attacks on Christian communities. The violence, allegedly carried out by members of Sangh Parivar organizations, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal, occurred in states such as Manipur, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Kerala. The attacks, which involved assaults on religious leaders, educational institutions, and individuals participating in Christmas events, created a sense of fear and unrest, disrupting the festive atmosphere. In Punjab's Ludhiana, a Pentecostal pastor, identified as Pastor John, was brutally assaulted by a man named Sonu Singh, who accused the pastor of attempting to convert people to Christianity. The attack, which left the pastor with serious injuries, drew widespread condemnation from the local Christian community and human rights organizations. In Rajasthan, Christmas celebrations at schools in Jodhpur and Jaisalmer were disrupted when activists harassed teachers and students, alleging that the celebrations were attempts to force religious conversions. The authorities have been urged to take swift action against the perpetrators. In Madhya Pradesh, another unsettling incident took place when Hindu Jagran Manch activists assaulted a Zomato delivery employee dressed as Santa Claus in Indore. The attackers also issued threats to other

A Christian advocacy group has called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government to launch a national-level inquiry into the rise in violence against Christians across India, as believers in the country saw a steep increase in “tragic violence, bloodshed, and the demolition” of dozens of churches. In a Dec. 20 press release cited by UCA News, National Coordinator of The United Christian Forum A.C. Michael urged the government to appoint a secretary-level official to lead the investigation into a sharp uptick in incidents of persecution. Michael, a former member of the Delhi Minorities Commission, noted that since Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) assumed power in 2014, attacks on Christians rose from 127 in 2014 to 745 by the end of November 2024. The figures, derived from complaints registered on the UCF’s toll-free helpline launched in 2015, might not reflect the full extent of the violence, the organization cautioned. “Many other incidents may have occurred that were not reported through our hotline and, therefore, are not included in the total number,” the press release stated. The helpline was established to support victims of persecution, offering guidance on accessing public authorities and legal remedies. However, the UCF noted that data on violence in the northeastern

India has witnessed a steady rise in targeted violence against Christians since 2014, reveals the latest report by a New Delhi-based ecumenical body that records attacks against Christians in the South Asian country. The United Christian Forum (UCF) in a press statement said that “745 incidents of violence were registered on its toll-free helpline number” by Christians across India from January to November this year. In 2023, UCF recorded 743 incidents. “As per the complaints received on the helpline, there were 127 incidents in 2014, 142 in 2015, 226 in 2016, 248 in 2017, 292 in 2018, 328 in 2019, 279 in 2020, 505 in 2021, and 601 in 2022,” the press statement added. A C Michael, the UCF convener, said this data did not include attacks on Christians and their churches in strife-torn Manipur, where sectarian violence has claimed over 250 lives and displaced 60,000 people, most of them Christians, since it began on May 3, 2023. “This is in spite of Article 25 of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees the right to choose any religion of one’s choice,” he told UCA News on Dec. 22. Michael, a former member of the Delhi Minorities Commission, urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi “to consider setting up

Just before Christmas, police have arrested seven Christians in Uttar Pradesh, India, following a complaint that they made derogatory comments against Hindu deities, according to Union of Catholic Asian (UCA) News. UCA News reports that the arrests took place Dec. 13, after members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, or World Hindu Council, reported the allegations to the police. The pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janta Party runs the government in the northern state Uttar Pradesh. According to UCA News, before the Party amended the state’s anti-conversion law this year, only relatives or persons affected by the alleged violation could complain to the police. The amendment expands this, allowing anyone to report a complaint. According to AsiaNews, the maximum penalties for violating this law have been broadened. Now, the maximum possible sentencing is life imprisonment, and the maximum fine has been raised by an additional 400,000 rupees. AsiaNews also reports that the seven Christians are “accused of ‘forced conversions’ at a house celebration.” The group providing legal help to the arrested Christians told UCA News that they applied for bail Dec. 16. A Christian identified as Pastor Jiyalal told UCA News that Christians in the region are experiencing fear. “In most cases, we have found the allegations false,” he said.

MUMBAI, India – Christian families in a village in India say they feel uncertain about Christmas celebrations amid local pressure from Hindu nationalists. The tensions began in on November 24 in the central state of Chhattisgarh, a day after a group of locals did not allow the family of Anthi Mandavi – a 35-year-old local Christian who died from tuberculosis – to perform her burial. According to Newslaundry, Anthi’s brother Charan claimed the police were present but did not intervene after a mob stopped the funeral and the family eventually had to take the body elsewhere for the burial. Station House Officer alias Police Inspector Ganesh Yadav said the police have increased patrolling in the area, which has a population of around 400, following the assault. But local Christians have accused the police of inaction. They said the required report was never lodged, and even the complaint by seven Christian villagers about the assault was “reworded” to link it to a “land dispute” instead of “religious hatred.” A day after the police complaint, the Hindu group that attacked them served all the 23 Christian families a show cause notice referring to their homes – about engaging in “illegal” construction on tribal land. “We were told

In a solemn and intellectually charged atmosphere, scholars, book lovers, and concerned citizens gathered for the release of the book "Report on the Manipur Violence: A Historical Contextualization of State-Sponsored Ethnic Cleansing." The event, organized by the Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR), took place amidst ongoing concerns over the violence that has gripped Manipur since May 3, 2023. The program began with a prayer by Evangelist Hoijalhing, setting a reflective tone for the event. N. Touthang, representing the Kuki Inpi Delhi, welcomed attendees and emphasized the importance of dispelling misinformation about the conflict, often perpetuated by those responsible for the violence. Rt. Rev. Paothang Haokip, Bishop and Deputy Moderator of the Good Shepherd Church of India, invoked verses from the Book of Hebrews to inspire resilience. In his dedication prayer, he sought divine blessings for unity and strength in navigating the challenges facing the Kuki-Zo people. Benjamin Mate, Chairman of KOHUR, introduced the book, outlining its critical analysis of the historical and political factors contributing to the Manipur crisis. He stressed the report's role in countering narratives that have obscured the true nature of the violence, framing the work as a tool for justice and truth. Rajya Sabha MP from Mizoram, K

Five Christians, including a pastor, have been arrested in a northern Indian state under a sweeping anti-conversion law after hardline Hindu activists objected to their holding a Sunday prayer meeting. Police in Uttar Pradesh on Dec. 8 arrested Pastor Vineet, his wife Payal, who were both identified by a single name, and three others, who were not named, in Kherki Mujkkipur village in Meerut district. The pastor was holding a prayer meeting and a medical camp at his house. The police recovered religious books, registers, bank details, and other materials from the house, the local Hindi newspaper Jagaran reported on Dec. 9. Vineet embraced Christianity a decade ago and converted around 250 people, according to the police. He purchased the house six months ago and organized Sunday prayer meetings there under the banner of the Kingdom of God Ministries Trust. The Dec. 8 meeting was attended by 50 people when a mob from the Hindu Raksha Dal (Hindu Protection Army) reached the spot and objected to it. The Dal's state president Gaurav Parashar alleged people were being converted at the prayer meeting and informed the police. Police arrived on the scene and detained Pastor Vineet and the others. They were charged under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition

Bangalore, India The Christian leadership of Assam in northeast India has expressed “deep concern over relentless attacks on the Christian community” in the state ruled by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Assam Christian Forum (ACF) “expressed shock, pain, and anguish over the relentless attacks on the Christian community, its institutions, and individuals over the past year,” the ACF said after a Nov. 28 meeting presided over by its chairman, Archbishop John Moolachira of Guwahati. “We need protection against what is happening and urge the government to ensure the safety of the Christians,” Moolachira told CNA on Dec. 3. The diverse concerns of the Christian community in Assam — which accounts for nearly 4% of the state’s 35 million people — were listed in the statement the ACF issued after the meeting involving a dozen key Christian church leaders. The ACF lamented that there have been several attacks on Christian institutions “demanding the removal of faith-revered statues and pictures.” “This blatant disregard for religious freedom and tolerance is unacceptable,” the statement said. “Police conducting investigations against the church and individuals in [several] districts has created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation,” the organization said. ACF also pointed to reported “false and malicious accusations against the church”