A report by the United Christian Forum (UCF) has documented 161 incidents and highlighted that burial rights denied to families even as fabricated cases have seen over 100 Indian Christians arrested. The organisation has called for urgent action against the persecution of Christians. Furthermore, there have been, according to the report, 122 pastors and other Christians from the community have been arrested so far on charges of religious conversion.
The United Christian Forum (UCF), a Delhi-based civil society organisation, has through its toll free helpline documented violent attacks from January 1 to March 15, 2024. A total of 161 incidents of violence against Christians were reported through the UCF toll-free helpline number. The number released paints a grim picture of the persecution and violence faced by the Christian community in various states. January 2024 witnessed 70 reported cases, followed by 62 in February, and 29 in the first half of March alone.
Chhattisgarh emerges as the state with the highest number of reported assaults against Christians and has recorded a shocking number 47 incidents. Sabrang India had also reported on March 14 how Chhattisgarh is witnessing rising attacks against Christians.
Following closely behind is Uttar Pradesh which has, according to the press release, seen 36 incidents of violence against Christians. The press release has highlighted the evidence of state-sponsored targeting against Christians, and has condemned the practice of allegedly filing false accusations of conversion against pastors who are often just participating in ordinary social gatherings like birthday parties. The note details that over 30 incidents of arrests and detentions of pastors have been recorded under the UP Freedom of Religion Act (UP FORA).
The brief report of the organisation also sheds light on several other states where incidents of violence against Christians have been reported this year, including Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Odisha. The UCF reports that Christians in 19 states across India have already faced threats to their lives. Additionally, 122 people have been detained or arrested under, what the UCF argues is false allegations of conversion in just the first 75 days of 2024.
In light of these disturbing figures, the UCF has called upon union government to take action to end the violence and persecution faced by Christians in India. The organisation has urged the government to urgently hold perpetrators accountable and safeguard the rights and freedoms of all citizens, regardless of their religious beliefs.
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