India’s bishops, as much as its civil society, possibly missed an ominous warning in a report in the Kathmandu-based portal Himal Southasian about the growing support within tribal communities in the northeastern states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh for stripping those among them who converted to Christianity of their Scheduled Tribe status. In India, indigenous people are classed as scheduled tribes, which comes with special protections and quotas in educational institutions, legislative bodies, and employment in state-run institutions. The report becomes important with the news that the government of Arunachal Pradesh — once called the NEFA (North-East Frontier Agency) as it borders Bhutan, Myanmar and China through Tibet — will soon enforce the anti-conversion law it passed in 1978 to stop the growth of Christianity in the state. Also likely to be raised is the political demand that those already converted to Christianity be stripped of all privileges given to the members of the scores of big and small tribes inhabiting this Himalayan redoubt. Stripping tribal people, also called Adivasis in North and Central India, of their scheduled status is an important national project of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its parent body, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), to contain the

In an appeal to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, more than 400 Christian and civil leaders along with 30 church groups have called for “immediate and decisive action … to curb a surge in violence against Christians and especially during Christmas prayers and celebrations.” “We cry out to you from the depths of our hearts when we are attacked in villages and towns in several states on Christmas Day,” lamented the Christian leaders of diverse denominations in their joint appeal, also sent to federal President Droupadi Murmu, on Dec. 31. “During this Christmas season alone, at least 14 incidents targeting Christians were reported, ranging from threats and disruptions to arrests and outright attacks, underscoring an alarming trend of rising intolerance and hostility,” said the appeal signed by dozens of prominent Catholic priests, lay leaders, and advocacy groups. Recent incidents of violence and hostility have included Hindu groups shouting ahead of Christmas services in front of a Catholic cathedral in Lucknow as well as antagonists forcing staff to remove Christmas decorations at a preparatory school in western Gujarat state. Carol singers were also stopped and teachers threatened in central Madhya Pradesh state, while a food delivery man was stripped of a Santa dress in the

A proposal to hold a Christian prayer service at the inauguration of a university in a northeast Indian state has been criticized by political leaders and civil society. Church leaders in Meghalaya, where Christians form a majority, advised caution and suggested upholding the nation’s secular tradition. The plan to “consecrate the Captain Williamson Sangma State University on January 13 by following Christian rituals” was announced by the state's Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma recently, the New Indian Express newspaper reported on Jan. 5. The university, named after the state’s first chief minister, focuses on tribal studies and indigenous language preservation. “Ours is a Christian state. We want to consecrate the first state university with a massive prayer meet. If parliament can be blessed with Hindu rituals, why not Christian rituals in a Christian state?" Sangma reportedly said. The new building of the Indian parliament was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2023 by invoking Hindu gods. However, critics of Sangma’s proposal pointed out that a multi-religious prayer was also held at the new Indian parliament. Thma U Rangli-Juki, a non-government organization (NGO) in Meghalaya, said Sangma’s statement goes against the constitutional values of secularism. “Meghalaya may be a state where [a] majority of its population

Church leadership needs to listen to the people and heed their concerns and insecurities “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” — Alexei Navalny, Russian opposition leader In my two decades in public life, including three terms in Parliament, I have written columns on a range of subjects, but never one on the church in India. This is a first. It needed to be written. More silence on the subject would make me complicit. A former Provincial (head of a province) of a large religious congregation told this columnist: “Bishops must continue to lead the Church on all spiritual issues. But is it time for the lay Catholic leaders to unite and set the direction for the church in social and political spheres? It is time this is debated. It is time Christians from the grassroots (referred to by the Church as the laity) start openly asking direct questions of the few hundred bishops who comprise the key decision-making body of the Catholic Church in India.” More priests and nuns, usually bound by strict rules of discipline, have also begun to speak up. A nun, who is a leading educationist, told this columnist: “That the bishop’s

MUMBAI, India – Shocked by the surge of violence especially during the Christmas season in India, over 400 senior Christian leaders and 30 church groups issued an urgent appeal on Dec. 31 to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling for immediate action to address the surge in violence against Christians. The appeal comes after at least 14 incidents of violence, threats, and disruptions targeted Christian gatherings across the country during the Christmas season, the leaders and church groups wrote in a press release. Prominent signatories of the appeal include Bishop Thomas Abraham, Bishop David Onesimu, Bishop Joab Lohara, Richard Howell, Mary Scaria, Cedric Prakash S.J., John Dayal, Prakash Louis S.J., Zelhou Keyho, E.H. Kharkongor, Allen Brooks, K. Losii Mao, Akhilesh Edgar, Michael Willams, A.C. Michael and Vijayesh Lal. They pointed to troubling statistics, including over 720 incidents of violence targeting Christians reported to the Evangelical Fellowship of India and 760 cases recorded by the United Christian Forum between January and November 2024. The appeal highlights systemic concerns, including the misuse of anti-conversion laws, growing threats to religious freedoms, escalating hate speech, and exclusionary policies denying Dalit Christians Scheduled Caste status. The leaders also urged the prime minister to take a visible role

New Delhi: Over 400 senior Christian leaders and 30 church groups on Tuesday (December 31) have issued an urgent appeal to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling for immediate action to address the surge in violence against Christians. The appeal comes after at least 14 incidents of violence, threats, and disruptions targeted Christian gatherings across the country during the Christmas season, the leaders and church groups wrote in a press release. The signatories, including prominent Christian leaders such as Thomas Abraham, David Onesimu, Joab Lohara, Richard Howell, Mary Scaria, Cedric Prakash S.J., John Dayal, Prakash Louis S.J., Zelhou Keyho, E.H. Kharkongor, Allen Brooks, K. Losii Mao, Akhilesh Edgar, Michael Willams, A.C. Michael and Vijayesh Lal, expressed deep concern over the alarming trend of rising intolerance and hostility. They pointed to troubling statistics, including over 720 incidents of violence targeting Christians reported to the Evangelical Fellowship of India and 760 cases recorded by the United Christian Forum between January and November 2024. The appeal highlights systemic concerns, including the misuse of anti-conversion laws, growing threats to religious freedoms, escalating hate speech, and exclusionary policies denying Dalit Christians Scheduled Caste status. The leaders also urged the prime minister to take a visible role