– Abdul Bari Masoud
New Delhi: In response to recent incidents targeting Christians, particularly during the Christmas season, Rev. Vijayesh Lal, General Secretary of Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI), has launched an open letter campaign. Supported by numerous Christian leaders, the letter appeals to the President of India to address the growing intolerance and safeguard religious freedom. Copies of the letter will also be sent to the Prime Minister and Chief Ministers of several states.
Rev. Lal emphasised that the letter seeks the President’s intervention and a public statement to reaffirm India’s commitment to religious inclusivity and equal rights. “Our goal is to ensure that every Indian, regardless of faith, can practise their religion freely and safely,” he stated.
The letter highlights deep concerns over escalating religious intolerance, citing reports from indigenous watchdog groups about rising hate crimes against Christians. The Religious Liberty Commission of EFI recorded over 720 incidents targeting Christians in 2023, while the United Christian Forum reported 760 cases by the end of November.
The letter notes that during the Christmas season alone, at least 14 attacks on Christian gatherings occurred across India. These included disruptions of church services and carol singing by large crowds chanting Hindu slogans. “It deeply saddens us that such incidents, despite their severity, have not been publicly condemned by any high-ranking political leaders, including your good self,” the letter states.
The letter also draws attention to the Manipur crisis, where violent clashes between Kuki and Meitei communities have resulted in over 250 deaths, thousands displaced, and more than 220 churches destroyed since May 2023.
Also, it addresses systemic challenges faced by the Christian community, including the exclusion of Dalit Christians from SC status. This policy, the letter argues, perpetuates historical injustices despite the community’s unchanged socio-economic conditions post-conversion. The case for granting reservation benefits to Dalit Christians and Muslims has been pending before the Supreme Court since 2004, highlighting an alarming delay in justice.
The letter raises concerns about the misuse of anti-conversion laws, noting that over 1,000 Christians, including women and children, have been incarcerated under these laws. Currently, more than 110 Christian clergy members are in jail. Recent amendments to the Uttar Pradesh anti-conversion law have been described as among the most draconian in independent India.
The letter highlights increasing scrutiny of Christian educational and charitable institutions by regulatory bodies, particularly the NCPCR. Incidents of inspections at ladies’ hostels and orphanages run by nuns, along with arrests of nuns without due process, have caused widespread fear and insecurity.
Further, it points to the misuse of laws like the Healing (Prevention and Evil) Act, 2024, and the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Act, 1954, in Assam to target pastors and church workers. Over 12 pastors, church workers, and believers have reportedly been charged under these acts.
The letter also highlights rising hate speech, particularly from elected officials, which has emboldened violence against Christians. It recounts incidents where mobs disrupted peaceful gatherings, threatened carol singers, and incited attacks on Christian schools and places of worship.
The open letter calls for swift and impartial investigations into incidents of violence against religious minorities, clear guidelines for state governments to protect religious freedoms as enshrined in the Constitution, and regular dialogue between the President’s office and representatives of all faith communities.
