Social media posts suggested there was “forced conversion” or “religious mixing” happening, resulting in vigilante groups mobilising and police quickly intervening — not against the aggressors, but against individuals accused of converting others. In several districts, including Alwar, Dungarpur, and Jaipur, the people abusing Christians worked with police and other authorities, a relationship that demonstrated their collusion. The accounts below follow this trajectory — from Alwar and Dungarpur’s early raids to the violence reported in Jaipur’s Pratap Nagar — and how an entire month was essentially practice for institutionalised religious surveillance and social exclusion.

This complaint and supporting documentation derive from validated field reports and a comprehensive timeline of events built by the Coordination Committee for Protection of Freedom of Religion and Human Rights in Rajasthan — a network of civil society organisations that has been following closely incidents of harassment and hate crimes against Christians within the state. The Coordination Committee includes People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), People’s Union for Human Rights (PUHR), All India People’s Forum (AIPF), Janwadi Mahila Samiti (JMS), Rajasthan Christian Fellowship (RCF), National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), Adivasi Adhikar Abhiyan (AAA), and Bhil Pradesh Mukti Morcha (BPMM), among others. Their Joint Press Statement of September 25, 2025, chronicled targeted attack incidents, police harassment, and coercive raids in the wake of the Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill, 2025. CJP’s submission relies on that data to further triangulate it with independent media reports, HindutvaWatch documentation, and on-ground interviews to provide a detailed record of an organized campaign of intimidation conducted under the cover of “anti-conversion vigilance.”

Gelota, Alwar (MIA Thana, Alwar district)

Police conducted a raid on September 3 on a hostel for children that allegedly housed approximately 25 poor children run by a missionary in Galota (Udyog Nagar locality). The police action followed a complaint filed by a VHP activist alleged that a “conversion” was underway. The police reportedly confiscated literature, a FIR was filed; the police arrested two hostel staffers—listed in the log as Amrit (a teacher) and Sonu Rai (press reports also identify her as Sonu Singh/Garasia)—and detained them in judicial custody. Reports indicate that local Sangh affiliate groups (VHP/Bajrang Dal) coerced the authorities into arresting. Media reporting addresses the arrest and the police case; civil society groups who monitor the case remark that it is the first in a spate of incidents after the anti-conversion bill was introduced.

Khetolai Village (Bhabru Thana), Kotputli-Behror District

On September 9, less than an hour after the anti-conversion legislation was introduced in the Assembly, officers arrived on the property of a house in the family of brothers Vikram and Rajendra Kanav, who host their own satsang/prayer meetings. The brothers state they were told, rather explicitly, not to hold prayer sessions with outsiders, then were brought to the police station and interrogated, finally being coerced into signing a form, or written undertaking, indicating they would not hold their satsangs and would not “invite outsiders” to their home. The brothers’ account of the incident follows a trend being run in the community by local Sangh activists (identified in the log as Shri Ram Samiti), who have consistently threatened this family in various ways. Complaints were made, in writing, not only to the SP but also to other organizations such as the PUCL.

Paota (Pragpura Thana), Kotputli-Behror district

A similar incident took place in Paota on September 9. Believer Gajanand Kuldeep stated that the next morning after the Bill passed, the SHO summoned him, stating that if he hosted prayers, meals, or called people outside again, he would be arrested. He testified that he was forced to sign a document that indicated he would stop doing this activity. Like the Khetolai incident, PUCL passed his application on to the SP, and was kept on the record as an example of coercive policing as part of wider harassment following the Bill introduction.

Jhelana, Bichiwada, Dungarpur District

Local Hindu sangathans and a Sant Samaj group protested outside a minority-run school and its church ahead of the scheduled prayer service on September 10, claiming the school was a site for the conversion of Adivasi students and parents. Police arrived in significant numbers; the school maintained that it is a minority-run educational institution and denied that there had been any conversion activity. The incident intensified tensions, but no FIR was filed in relation to the protest. The account refers to this as an incident as an event of communal mobilization involving pressure from authorities on students and staff in the school community.

In a separate case in Durgapur on the same date, an Adivasi organiser with a local mazdoor sangathan said she was stopped on the road and verbally threatened by VHP/Bajrang Dal activists who accused her organisation of “converting Adivasis.” Also, the landlord of the office supposedly threatened to evict them. The organiser described it as demoralising and reported that a formal complaint was being prepared, and civil society groups mentioned that this harassment was part of the broader campaign.

St Paul’s Hostel School, Patela, Dungarpur City

On September 11, after investigation and complaints, including a health inspection in early 2023, the district authorities responded to complaints (made by the ABVP and others) by issuing an order to close the hostel/school for alleged record-keeping and sanitation infractions. The Child Welfare Committee, in collaboration with district education and administration personnel, whisked away 230 children to their families; the authorities issued show-cause notices and initiated proceedings under the JJ Act against the school authorities. The staff contends that the closure is a result of pressure from right-wing student groups and has displaced the school kids and staff; reports are that the school is seeking legal remedies to restore the school to operation.

Chak-6P hostel school (Anupgarh, Sri Ganganagar district)

On September 16, an incident log entry reported a nocturnal attack on a hostel school for orphans: students and adult supervisors were said to be frightened by an enterprising attack on the site in the middle of the night. The log entry does not provide many public details but lists the incident as one of a multitude of attacks aimed at Christian institutions in the district. Similarly, civil society narratives identify hostel attacks as part of a continuation of incidents.

Ward No. 14, Anupgarh Thana (District: Sri Ganganagar)

A local citizen complained on September 17, stating that a person who lived in the area (whom we cannot identify in the log) had been “converted” as per missionary activity; the Vishwa Hindu Parishad filed a police complaint in support of this local citizen. The officer of the law arrested two persons, associated with a missionary prayer group, by the names of Polus Barjao and Aryan, and began an investigation to ascertain the degree of conversion processes. It was reported that a third person (the landlord) was in hiding from police arrest. The two arrested were later remanded and put into judicial custody; the case file states the Indian police were undertaking active investigations into conversion processes, as per the FIR filed by the VHP.

Pratap Nagar (Sector 08/82/625), Jaipur (Rajasthan)

On September 21, approximately 40–50 Bajrang Dal activists allegedly entered a private residence where Pastor Bobas Daniel was conducting a prayer meeting of about 15–26 people. According to local sources, the Bajrang Dal group locked the doors, broke items, and physically assaulted congregants. Neighbors, including a pregnant woman and the landlady, attempted to intervene to protect the victims, but allegedly were beaten themselves. Victims state that eight were injured; the police filed the FIR only after lengthy protests and community pressure for accountability. Locals expressed concerns over delayed police responses, no prompt documentation from medical professionals, and failure to arrest persons who assaulted congregants, despite eyewitness evidence provided by victims. Media accounts confirmed both the attack and the delay of police response.

On September 23, 2025 — Hindustan Bible Institute (HBI), Pratap Nagar, Jaipur (Rajasthan)

Almost 50 Bajrang Dal activists surrounded the campus of HBI after a visit from two visiting staff members from the head office of HBI. The protesters were targeting HBI due to accusations of “forced conversions” of members of a local church. Police officers escorted the visitors from out of state to the police station after probable cause occurred from the protests. The mobile devices, Aadhaar cards, and property documents were confiscated from visitors and some local staff, and the property of the institute was detained. Guests left the facility for the night but were there after civil society intervened, although some devices and property papers were withheld. Civil society groups described the detainment as broad and the lack of property restoration as violations of their freedom of movement and association, and also demanded the immediate restoration of property and arrest of the perpetrators. National and international news services reported on the incident; civil society organized delegations to meet with senior officers and issued joint statements condemning the attacks.

Engineered Vigilantism and the Mechanics of Fear

In September 2025, an evident and purposeful pattern of inciting violence against Christians was followed. Most incidents started with rumours of “forced conversions”, often transmitted via WhatsApp groups or VHP, Bajrang Dal, or ABVP local units, targeting schools and hostels run by Christians or prayer gatherings. These allegations served as incitement to coordinated raids, mob assemblies, and police involvement, all as a rubric of vigilance. Many of the same incidents occurred across Alwar, Dungarpur, Anupgarh, and Jaipur. Pastors in Alwar and Kotputli-Behror were summoned and pressured into signing undertakings not to pray. Groups on the right stormed educational and welfare institutions for Adivasi and Dalit children in Dungarpur and Anupgarh, accusing them of “conversion through education”. The apex of these events occurred in Jaipur’s Pratap Nagar, where a mob assaulted those attending prayer, kicked several women, and destroyed public and private property while police sat by or arrived late.

Such violence was rarely spontaneous. The same three steps were followed: rumour being spread, mob assembly, and state validation of the violence through a raid or a politically motivated delay in filing an FIR. Even if the violence ended quickly, the intimidation and coercion continued – everything from pastors suspended from conducting worship, to schools sealed, to social workers leaving in fear.

While Rajasthan represented the focal point, the scenario reflected a national agenda. When combining repeat attacks by Hindutva affiliates with the targeting of marginalized groups, this wasn’t simply random aggression, but a more comprehensive policy of surveillance and social exclusion acted along with administrative acquiescence and ideological consensus.

The Rhetoric of Conversion and Cultural Purity

At the core of these campaigns rests a control ideology – an ideology that sees religious diversity as a danger, and that views women, Dalits, and Adivasis as “vulnerable bodies” who need to be protected from conversion. The rhetoric here is reminiscent of the more familiar tropes of Hindutva propaganda: the notion that Christian charity disguises “mass conversions,” that western forces undermine Indian culture, and that Hindu identity must be “defended” under the watchful gaze of vigilantism. The word “conversion” operates much like “love jihad” in anti-Muslim rhetoric – shorthand for cultural invasion and the fear of demographic change. However, the terms of conversion are also intended to implicate Christian schools and welfare Institutions in “Westernising” India’s poor through education and through care, thus recasting social uplift as social subversion. With the most recent incidents in September as one instance, foreign and local pastors were referred to as “agents.” New believers became “traitors,” and Christian education was labelled as “mental colonisation.” Such language comes out of Far-Right narratives and foretells danger while dehumanizing the minority population. Such language, too, perversely renders violence a moral obligation.

These narratives are meant to reinforce (and reproduce) caste hierarchies, wherein Dalit and Adivasi populations are painted as “vulnerable to corruption,” while maintaining caste(s) boundaries of purity-pollution under the guise of religion. The institutional forces of religion, caste, and nationalism become a single ideological and controlling matrix, which is central to Hindutva mobilisation.

In the end, it is political, not religious. As elections approach, “conversion panic” tells the story of a group working to unite the base and distract from the failures of governance. By presenting Christians as controlling the marginalized and suspicious, those invoking conversion panic can generate both moral panic and political capital, repurposing faith-based fear into electoral gold.

Silence, Complicity, and the Erosion of Protection

If there is a pattern that is as troubling as the violence itself, it is the silence—or worse, complicity—of the machinery of the state itself. All over Rajasthan, police responded to violence against Christians with bias, siding with aggressors over victims. In Alwar and Ktputli-Behror, officers pressured Christian pastoralists to sign undertakings prohibiting worship rather than offering protective services. In Dungarpur, Christian schools and hostels were invaded by police, who conducted raids without warrants, sometimes only after complaints from VHP or Bajrang Dal workers. In Pratap Nagar, Jaipur, women were assaulted and prayer halls were vandalised without the police filing any FIRs against the perpetrators. Instead, those praying were questioned as to their “conversion motives,” effectively treating them as suspects in their own community.

This pattern demonstrates not only bureaucratic indifference but collusion between law enforcement and vigilante groups. Normative lines of state duty have blurred with the mood of majoritarian sentiments in ways that create a situation of fear, putting Christians in the position of suspicion. By repeating the language of “conversion vigilance,” police and district officials not only create confusion around maintaining civic responsibility, but they also license mob violence in the name of duty.

The overall consequence is that constitutional protection is slowly torn asunder. Article 25 protects freedom of religion; Article 21 protects dignity and freedom. But the rights are now conditional – subject to majority privilege. The events of September 2025 show that when the state becomes a mechanism of ideological enforcement rather than neutrality and fairness in justice, citizenship itself becomes stratified based on faith. Unless there is accountability and equal protection can be guaranteed under the law, the glamorized promise of secular democracy will be meaningless but abiding, while hate will continue to loom under the guise of law and order.

(The legal research team of CJP consists of lawyers and interns; this resource has been worked on by Preksha Bothara)

Related:

A week of escalating persecution: Far-right Hindu groups target Christian gatherings in India

The Anti-Conversion Law of Rajasthan: A threat to individual liberty and religious freedom

“Anti-conversion laws being weaponised”: CJP seeks interim relief against misuse of anti-conversion laws

Everyday Atrocity: Mapping the normalisation of violence against Dalits and Adivasis in 2025

Anti-Christians Widespread hate events on the eve of X’mas, Punjab, UP, Kerala, Rajasthan

The post September of Fear: Targeted Violence against Christians in Rajasthan exposes pattern of harassment after Anti-Conversion Bill appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Earlier, too, the apex court had sought the view of the Odisha government on Dara’s Singh’s early release but the state government had sought 45 days’ time. The deadline is almost over.

The Spine-Chilling Incident

Staines, along with his two minor sons, was burnt alive to death inside a station wagon vehicle on the night of January 22-23, 1999. The horrendous crime had stunned the entire world.

Reporting on the unspeakable act from Manoharpur village in Keonjhar district had somehow remained shrouded by various interpretations as the then media, except two platforms, could not reach the spot on January 22, which is roughly 150 km from the capital, Bhubaneswar.

However, this reporter, then representing a leading national electronics media channel, along with another national channel drove to Manoharpur at the dead of the night negotiating arduous tracks through thick forests.

It was almost past midnight when we reached the village, which was palpably bathed in a perplexing silence. The silence was too disturbing.

As we passed through the row of houses flanking the pathway, we could see men and women sitting on their verandahs, each a picture of shock and mental torment.

On our right hand, we saw what we had heard. The sight was flabbergasting and rendered each of us speechless. The station vehicle was still on fire from below and its deflated tyres were still in smoldering. Fumes were still emanating from inside the vehicle.

Australian missionary Graham Staines with his family. His two minor boys were burnt alive along with him in 1999 in Odisha, by Bajrang Dal activists led by Dara Singh. (File photo.)

A little away from the vehicle, we could catch a glimpse of the charred remains of three bodies, simply indistinguishable and nerve wracking. Two small corpses and one that of an adult.

The police had already reached the site of the crime and were preparing to send the mortal remains in a police van to Bhubaneswar.

Before that, the perpetrators of the heinous crime, led by Dara Singh, the main accused and his accomplices, had fled chanting ‘Jai Bajrang Bali’ as if self-cheering the horrendous act.

We gathered from the benumbed villagers that when the vehicle, stuffed with hay stacks, was on fire, the gang led by Singh, armed with weapons, did not allow any villager to come near the burning vehicle.

The villagers saw two little hands faintly visible, desperately banging the windscreens for help. But the screams were lost in the din of ‘Jai Bajrang Bali’ chants by the killers.

It was late evening on January 22, 1999, and Staines was reportedly holding some kind of formalities or feast after some conversions to Christianity. As we could gather from the villagers, mostly from the tribal community, Staines had been active in Manoharpur and in a few adjoining pockets for seeking conversions.

That night was different. Little did Staines realise that a plan was being hatched by a gang of about 20 people led by Dara Singh to attack him. The missionary, perhaps, had no inkling of it and had brought along his two sons, Philip (10) and Timothy (6).

The seething vengeance of Dara Singh and his accomplices nearly exploded into a massacre. They stuffed haystacks underneath the vehicle in which the three were sleeping and set it on fire. A few men and women of the village told this reporter how a rage of revenge became cataclysmic when three live human beings (including two minors) were burnt to death alive before the entire village. Humanity was literally shamed.

The perpetrators stood on guard till the indescribable end. “We had no courage to dare the armed gang and douse the inferno where three souls were being charred to death”, I recall a senior villager called Suresh Hembram confiding to this reporter.

“We felt guilty that we were made mute onlookers despite the heart wrenching sight when, from a distance, we could faintly make out the movements of the three caught in the blaze inside the burning vehicle, banging the windscreens for help” whispered Sebati Majhi, an old woman of the village in who was in tears and panic-struck by the horrific scene.

Dara Singh alias Ravindra Pal was known to be a Bajrang Dal activist who worked in that area against cow transportation to other states because cow slaughter was banned in Odisha. Singh, as per the government counsel, often resorted to brutal ways to punish cattle-laden truck drivers.

After committing the crime in Manoharpur, Singh went underground for a month before being arrested.

Singh, the main accused in the triple murder, was convicted and sentenced to death by a CBI court in 2003. The Orissa High Court commuted his death sentence to life imprisonment in 2005. The decision of the High Court was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2011.

Many human right activists expressed their annoyance after the High Court commuted his death sentence to life imprisonment for such an unforgivable crime considered as “rarest of rare”.

He (Dara) promised to “give back to the society” through “service-oriented actions”. He submitted that he had undergone more than the qualified period of sentence of 14 years under the April 19, 2022 remission policy in Odisha.

According to Wikipedia, Dara Singh was a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).  He was also an activist of the Bajrang Dal and the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP).

The police reported that Dara Singh was an active member of the ‘Go Suraksha Samiti’, an initiative financed and implemented by VHP and the Bajrang Dal.

We drove to Balasore 150 km from Bhubaneswar a week after the tragedy to meet Gladys Staines, wife of Graham Staines, who politely received us and was looking completely crest fallen. At times, she appeared numb and would walk inside and come back after washing her face.

The substance of her reaction was “what can I say, and from my side I simply forgive him (the killer)”. The bereaved mother and wife sounded spiritual.

Now that the apex court has sought the view of the Odisha government,  which is “presently under the BJP rule, it seems a bit likely that the person behind of world’s one of most brutal acts in the history of crime, may get a nod for premature release”, Rabi Das, who as a journalist has been working on human rights also, told this reporter.

“Let’s wait. It would be premature at this time to predict the Odisha government’s response to the apex court’s query on the premature release of Dara”, said Aravinda Satpathy, a senior advocate of the High Court of Orissa.

The writer is a freelance journalist based in Odisha with over 40 years of experience in the profession.

Courtesy: Newsclick

The post Odisha: Graham Staines’ Brutal Murder; Mystery Hangs Over Dara Singh’s Release appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Reportedly, the police had raided a nearby village on reports of alleged cultivation of marijuana cultivation. This escalated to tensions and an ensuing conflict between the people and police; the police retreated back facing resistance. There was seemingly a peace compromise between both parties. Juba village is an entry to the neighbouring villages.

Key findings of the report:

1. Desecrating the Church

Preparations were on, at the Juba Church, on March 22, 2025 for the next day’s Sunday Prayers and worship. Four young Adivasi women from Kondh tribal group, two young women, 20 and 18 years old and two minors aged 12 years were among those engaged in the task. According to the report this is when police, numbering around 15 personnel, barged into the Catholic Church around 1.30 pm before the young women could sense anything. The aggressive policemen broke the cleaning instruments, and desecrated the sacred space of the Church. 

Legal and constitutional violations: It is alleged that Police entered the Catholic Church premises without a warrant and desecrated the sacred space in violation of Article 25– Right to Freedom of Religion, which includes the right to manage religious affairs and violation of sec 298 of Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Samhita (BNSS), 2023 – Injuring or defiling a place of worship with intent to insult the religion. 

2. Assault, abuse, molestation of young women

The two young women belonging to the Kandh tribal group, were beaten with sticks within the Church and then dragged almost 300 meters away to a police bus, being beaten all the way. Seeing this, the two other minor girls ran for their life towards the presbytery. Crying inconsolably, and in shock, the girls asked for help from the Priests who were in their residence within the compound.

Another young woman cook, aged 38 belonging to the Sabar tribal group, who was in the Residence came out to the portico hearing the cries of the minor girls and was also beaten badly. Two male police caught hold of her neck and gave a strong blow to the face, tore the kurtis (upper clothes) of the woman pulling at the neck without any concern that they were outraging the modesty of the woman.

It is reported that even the children from an adjacent village, some of whom were in the arms of their mothers, were not spared. The children and women were taken in the bus to a distance and left there, forcing them to walk the long distance back. A couple of mobile phones were snatched from the women, and are yet to be returned to them.

Legal and constitutional violations: Beatings and molestation of tribal women occurred in and around the church compound in violation of sec 74 of BNSS – Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty and violation of art 21 and POCSO Act, 20212 given that minors were involved and in violation of art 15 (3 &4) – Prohibits discrimination and calls for affirmative protection of women and tribal communities.

3. Brutal Assaults on the two Catholic Priests

After violating the sacred space of the Catholic Church, the police followed the young girls towards the Priests’ Residence. Hearing the cries of the children and women, two Catholic Priests had come out from their residence where they had been resting after attending a funeral service in the village. In a flash, a lady police officer attacked the priest with her cane.

Father JG (name has been withheld to protect identity, age 56 is a native of Pala/ Kottayam in Kerala. He has been working for the development of tribal and Dalit communities that inhabited in the hills for last 40 years.  Father DN (name has been withheld to protect identity, a native of Gajapati district was taken aback at the assault on him by the police. Both priests were dragged in two different directions; being beaten by the police all the way to the police buses some 300 to 400 meters away. The Priests were accused of being “Pakistanis” and converting the people.  Fr. DN, who was ordained a priest only three months ago and had joined as assistant priest in the Church, was to celebrate his birthday that day. Father DN was grievously injured with a fractured shoulder blade. At one time, he fainted & fell, but was dragged on to the bus.

While the priests were being beaten, the children and women forgot their own trauma and protested to the police on why they were beating the religious men. The police then thrashed the cook for speaking up for the priests. Meanwhile, a group of police personnel also entered the presbytery, drank the water; and reportedly took away 40,000 in currency notes from the priests’ residence.

The brutal attack, led by a lady police officer apparently filled with hate, was carried on without concern for human dignity or any sense of respect toward the tribal community, and the states of the priests as religious minorities.

Legal and constitutional violations: Unprovoked assault on unarmed priests within a religious compound in violations of arts 19 (1)(a) and (d)– Right to freedom of speech and movement as well as of the Indian Police Act, 1861, Section 23 – Duty of police to prevent offences and maintain decorum.

4. Wife and minor daughter were assaulted in midst of mourning

MM (name has been withheld to protect identity)  aged 62 had lost her husband the previous night, and had just returned from the burial ground around 10.00 am; and was mourning along with her family and relatives. At the police assault, her relatives and others ran away; while she and her minor daughter RM, aged 17 years, stayed back. Both of them were beaten with sticks; the police didn’t care that this family had just buried their beloved one, and were in mourning. The widowed mother and her minor daughter were dragged physically while being abused & beaten with the lathis carried by the police to the police bus.

Legal and constitutional violations: Beating and dragging of a grieving widow and her minor daughter in sec 5 of JJ Act, 2015– Punishment for cruelty to child and violation of art 39 (e+f) – Duty of the state to protect children and ensure their development.

5. Assaults on Vulnerable Christians

The team members were told the police forcibly entered and damaged the homes of the residents; approximately 20 motorcycles were destroyed, as TV sets, whole foods supplies including rice, paddy, chickens and eggs, were destroyed.

It was evident that the police were targeting Christians as they also broke and desecrated the status of Jesus and Mary. Destruction of homes, food supplies, desecration of religious icons.

Legal and constitutional violations: All these actions are violations of Article 14 and 21- Right to Life and Equality before the Law and equal protection of laws and SCST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, sec 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s), and 3(2)(vii) – Offences of insults and damage to property of Scheduled Tribes.

Our Observations:

Gajapati District is one of the lowest on the Human Development Index; in fact, ranked 27^th out of 30 districts.  Gajapati is recognised as only one among 30 districts as a minority concentrated district with 38% of Christians. Gajapati is also one of the very few districts that has above 50% tribal population. The violence hit Mohana block is one of the least developed blocks in the district and 2^nd largest block in Odisha with 37.11% female literacy rate and 93% people living in rural areas.

As per Census 2011 out of total population, 7% people live in urban areas while 93% live in the rural areas. The ST male and female literacy rates are 55.4% and 32.8% respectively

Gajapati district has the population belonging to both socially and religious ethnic minorities; at disadvantages at multiple levels. The district police and the general administration need to introspect itself of its policies/decisions vis addressing the issues of Adivasi, Dalit and religious minorities in the district in spirit of constitutional, secular and democratic values.

It is unfortunate that the incidence of this nature has taken place, where innocents suffer at the hands of the police.

1. There are no complaints so far lodged even if it is more than 20 days since brutalities against children and women from tribal communities, and violation of multiple laws
2. There is no information received by the priests on the complaints filed by the priest in Mohana police station as he has not been given any acknowledgement of the complaints. However, it is reported that complaints have also been made to the Superintendent of Police, Gajapati.
3. The grievously injured priest Fr. DN is in a state of shock and trauma along with the senior clergy. The fact that the finding tram could not interview him. There is palpable fear, insecurity and disbelief among the children, women and including the priest as the protectors have turned into perpetrators. This does not sound good for the administration.
4. This is the first time that the catholic priests are being targeted, beaten and paraded while showering lathis and abuses by the police in Odisha known history. This speaks for itself. The blatant violations of Articles 21, 25 and 29 of Indian constitution.
5. The team believes it is handiwork of some identified communally biased police personnel towards religious minorities, and / or with a casteist mind-set towards tribal groups, and with no sense of human rights and dignity for children and women; even not allowed to mourn the loss of the beloved family members with scant regards to Art 21 (Right to life & liberty, a basic dignity accorded to the dead person)
6. The team could not come across pro-active community and civil society to take note of the incidents of brutalities here and facilitate the victims’ survivors to address the grievances and seeking justice; could be ignorance or trust deficit of statutory bodies like N/OSCPCR, Women Commission, National/Odisha State Human Rights Commission/Scheduled Tribe Commission/National Commission for Minorities, New Delhi
7. Team did not get any report; or even from Media on the brutalities of incidences and attacks on the children and women.

Recommendations for the state administration

1. Identify & take stringent action against criminal elements among the police having communal and caste bias towards women, Adivasi’s and religious minorities. Immediate application of SC/ST (PoA) Act, POCSO Act, applicable sections of BNSS and Fundamental Rights enshrined in the constitution.
2. Activate community policing; recruiting police from diverse backgrounds; grounded them in laws on SC ST Prevention Act, POCSO, Women and Minority protection laws; as well inculcate the spirit of respect for all religious spaces; temples, churches and mosques
3. Train the police with constitutional and secular values & principles to respect marginalised and religious minority communities; respect for all religious traditions & beliefs. Implement Mandatory Human Rights Training for Law Enforcement under National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) protocols.
4. Focus on holistic development programmes and open legal cells to support citizen centric schemes for the region and encourage and facilitate civil society to work along the administration towards truth & reconciliation
5. The state administration should ensure that the police turned into vengeance; The police damaging the house, properties, livelihoods nor rob food supplies and livestock of the poor whose lifetime savings; thus losing trust and credibility among the citizens.
6. Needed interface between law enforcement agencies, district administration and civil/community leaders; whereby trust of the communities restored; development processes fastened
7. Media could play its role in augmenting as watchdog expected in democratic set ups bringing into light of the plight and brutalities.

Conclusion:

The aim of the report is to document and make it public in order to avoid the repeat of such incidents and bring about peace and harmony. The report based on the testimonies narrated by the victims’ survivors, whose names have been withheld.

Related:

Persecution of Christians: Women leaders appeal to President Murmu

Arunachal Christians gird up to face a challenge from Sangh and the government

Missing the Mark: Inviting PM Modi to a Christmas Reception Ignores the Plight of Persecuted Christians

The post From Protectors to Perpetrators? Police assaulted women, Children, Christian priests in Odisha: Fact-finding report appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The appeal focuses attention on a recent incident in Chhattisgarh where Kunika Kashyap, a six-month pregnant Tribal woman, suffered a miscarriage after being attacked for her Christian faith. The incident occurred on January 2, 2025, when she was assaulted by the village headman and his family members for praying for a sick relative.

The letter documents numerous cases of violence against Christian women across several states:

• In Chhattisgarh: Multiple incidents of physical violence, including killings and false accusations leading to judicial remand
• In Jharkhand: Cases of ostracism, isolation, and forced religious conversions
• In Manipur: Ongoing crisis since May 2023, with documented cases of murder, sexual violence, and displacement
• In Punjab and Tamil Nadu: Reports of forced sex work, family abuse, and community ostracism

The appeal emphasizes that these attacks represent a deliberate campaign of persecution that threatens both religious freedom and constitutional rights. The signatories have requested the President’s intervention to ensure:

• Prompt investigation of all reported cases
• Protection for vulnerable Christian women
• Action against perpetrators
• Implementation of constitutional safeguards

Prominent signatories include Mrs. Tingneviah Lotzem, Virginia Saldanha (Indian Women Theologians’ Forum), Dr. Anitha Chettiar (Institute of Social Service), Dr. Vandana Benjamin (National Women’s President, Alpha Omega Christian Mahasangh), Fr. Cedric Prakash SJ (Human Rights and Peace Activist/Writer), Dr. John Dayal (Former Member, Prime Minister National Integration Council), Rev. Dr. Richard Howell (Chairman, Evangelical Church of God), Bishop Akhilesh Edgar (General Secretary, Council of Evangelical Churches in India), and Rev. Vijayesh Lal (General Secretary, Evangelical Fellowship of India), among other distinguished leaders. The appeal has been endorsed by over 460 Christian leaders, community members, and civil society representatives from across the nation.

“These systematic attacks demonstrate an alarming pattern of targeted violence that threatens our community’s existence. This cannot be dismissed as merely an ethnic conflict – the coordinated destruction of religious institutions and organized attacks on Christians reveals a deliberate campaign of persecution that strikes at the heart of our constitutional guarantees of religious freedom,” the appeal states.

Related:

Christians face escalating attacks as far-right Hindu groups intensify persecution

Tensions rise as Chhattisgarh sees frequent attacks on Christians

United Christian Forum: Average two Christians attacked in India every day, 287 incidents reported from UP itself

The post Persecution of Christians: Women leaders appeal to President Murmu appeared first on SabrangIndia.

On 25^th December 2024 in Mahuva, Gujarat, members of VHP and Bajrang Dal disrupted the Christmas prayers by halting the service, chanting “Jai Shri Ram” and reciting the Hanuman Chalisa also alleging that they have not got required permission for conducting prayers, as per a report in the Times of India.

A day after Christmas (26^th December) in Odisha, two tribal women (in their forties) named Subhasini Singh and Sukanti Singh were beaten up and the mob smeared the cake which the women have alleged to have bought for celebrating the conversion of Gobind Singh onto one of the women’s face and raised slogans such as “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Jai Shri Ram”

The NCW has taken suo motu cognisance of a shocking media report from Balasore, Odisha, where two tribal women were tied to a tree and assaulted on suspicion of religious conversion. FIRs have reportedly been registered against both the women and their assaulters.

The Commission…

— NCW (@NCWIndia) December 30, 2024

VIDEO | Odisha: Here’s what Balasore SP Raj Prasad said on two women being beaten up by a mob over the allegation that they were attempting religious conversion of some tribal families.

“A counter case has been filed, there was an allegation of forced conversion. A senior level… pic.twitter.com/Ym3dK6tF9C

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 30, 2024

Odisha Congress spokesperson Amiya Pandab reacted to it by describing the incident as shameful and it’s the testimony to the deteriorating law and order situation in state. “What is even more shameful is that such atrocities are being committed against women, that too, tribal women who are among the most vulnerable. Remember the chief minister himself hails from the tribal community and so does the president of our country who comes from Mayurbhanj district”

The Wire reported that Latika Pradhan, a former MLA for the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), said that the state’s BJP-led government was posing a greater threat to women and minorities, among other vulnerable groups. “Everywhere, they are constantly in danger. There is a statute in place to deal with individuals who engage in unlawful conversions. However, criminals shouldn’t be permitted to enforce the law on their own. Pradhan said that previous chief minister and current opposition leader Naveen Patnaik always supported secular ideals and went out of his way to safeguard minorities, saying, “This is vigilante justice, which is just not acceptable.”

As per a report in the New Indian Express, the National commission on women has taken suo moto cognizance of the incident. It has directed the DGP of the state to ensure fair investigation and to restore law and order in the state.

On December 27, in Uttar Pradesh, which has often been described as a hotspot for fascist and communal forces, members of the VHP and Bajrang Dal allegedly tonsured a Christian Dalit man, forcibly applied sandalwood paste and vermillion to his forehead, and paraded him through the village. They accused him of engaging in religious conversions, forcibly reconverted him to Hinduism, and raised slogans such as “Jesus Murdabad”.

On December 27, in Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh, members of the VHP and Bajrang Dal forcibly shaved the head of a Christian Dalit man and paraded him through the village, accusing him of promoting religious conversions. They later forcibly converted him back to Hinduism at a temple,… pic.twitter.com/e8IFF7Ehr9

— The Observer Post (@TheObserverPost) December 29, 2024

Apart from these prominent incidences, one Mr. Afroz Alam Sahil in an article dated 28-12-2024 “Weaponization of Festivals in India: Attacks on Rise During Christmas” in Beyond Headlines captures the hate crimes against Christians happened during this Christmas season in almost 10 states: Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Burhanpur (Madya Pradesh), Etah (Uttar Pradesh), Fatehpur (Uttar Pradesh), Hydrabad (Telungana), Indore (Madhya Pradesh), Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh), Jaisalmer (Rajasthan), Jaunpur (Rajasthan), Khasi Hills (Meghalaya), Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), Manipur, Mumbai (Maharashtra), Palakkad (Kerala), Pathanamthitta (Kerala), Rohtak (Haryana), Siddharthnagar (Uttar Pradesh), Sitapur (Uttar Pradesh), Surat (Gujarat), Tapi (Gujarat), Telungana, Thrissur (Kerala), Unnao (Uttar Pradesh)

Above incidents show that Muslims are not the only minority community facing persecution in India. Christians, who form 2.4% of the total population, are also caught in the venomous tentacles of Hindu extremists. On October 2, 2024, just two months prior to these mischiefs, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released a report containing shocking revelations about religious freedom in India. In 2024 alone, there were 161 reported attacks on Christians, including assaults on churches and prayer meetings.

As per the USCIRF report, Hindu militants in Assam, targeted Catholic schools, demanding the removal of Christian symbols, such as the cross. The Modi government has also wielded draconian laws, like the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), to target civil society organizations. Since 2012, over 20,000 NGOs—many of them religious—have had their licenses revoked under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). This law has been used as another instrument of repression. In 2024 alone, five significant Christian charities, including the Church of North India and the Evangelical Fellowship of India, saw their work drastically curtailed after losing their licenses. The USCIRF has urged the U.S. government to declare India a “country of particular concern” due to its persistent abuses of religious freedom. Such a designation would place India alongside nations like China and North Korea, potentially exposing it to sanctions.

Indian judiciary too at times encouraged these hate mongers thereby contributing to the unabated rise religious intolerance in India. One of such infamous attempts includes the quashing of criminal case against two individuals accused of shouting “Jai Shree Ram” slogans inside mosque, Karnataka High Court while dismissing the case recorded that mere chanting of “Jai Shree Ram” inside a mosque doesn’t outrage the religious feelings of that community, as reported in LiveLaw.

Related:

Anti-Christians Widespread hate events on the eve of X’mas, Punjab, UP, Kerala, Rajasthan

Escalating violence sparks concerns as attacks targeting Christians surge in Chhattisgarh

The post X’mas Eve becomes the target for Hindu extremists appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Similarly, in Ludhiana, Punjab, local political leader Sonu Singh Rajput confronted a Christian pastor conducting prayers in a private home, accusing him of religious conversion. This attack, under the guise of “protecting traditions,” highlights a troubling trend of using the holiday season to harass religious minorities.

In Rajasthan, protests have erupted in Jaisalmer and Jodhpur, where VHP leaders and Bajrang Dal activists have targeted schools for celebrating Christmas. They accuse the institutions of promoting religious conversions, with protests escalating to the destruction of event posters and public displays of hostility. Meanwhile, in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, a controversy has unfolded over dressing the idol of Lord Laddu Gopal in a Christmas outfit, with right-wing groups condemning it as an attack on Hindu traditions.

These incidents reflect a growing wave of religious intolerance, where Christmas celebrations are increasingly seen not as a cultural or religious event, but as a battleground for wider political and communal struggles.

Palakkad, Kerala: two VHP leader arrested

On December 22, 2024, in Palakkad, Kerala, the peaceful celebration of Christmas at a government school was marred by the actions of three local activists from the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal. A group of activists, led by Vadakkumthara K Anilkumar, Manamkuzhi Sushasanan, and Thekkumuri Velayudhan, stormed the Government Upper Primary School in Nallepilly. They verbally abused the headmistress and teachers, questioning the celebration of Christmas while insisting that other religious festivals like Sri Krishna Jayanthi should also be given equal importance.

According to Indian Express, VHP leaders accused the school of promoting one religion over others and disrupted the Christmas carols, questioning why the children and teachers were dressed in Christmas attire. The situation escalated as the trio intimidated the staff and students with aggressive language, creating a tense and hostile atmosphere. The police quickly intervened, and the three activists were arrested, charged with disrupting public duties and making threats. The accused VHP leaders were booked under BNS sections 329 (3), 296 (b) and 351 (2) and 132, said police. The school’s PTA president K Muraleedharan said such an incident should not have happened at a school in Kerala.

The state BJP leadership, while attempting to court the Christian vote ahead of elections, remained conspicuously silent about the incident, leaving many to question their stance on religious tolerance.

Ludhiana, Punjab: political leader harasses Christian pastor

In Punjab’s Ludhiana, Christmas celebrations also faced opposition, not from religious extremists but from political figures. On December 20, 2024, Sonu Singh Rajput, a local Congress leader, confronted a Christian pastor who was conducting prayers at a family’s home. Rajput accused the pastor of attempting religious conversion and insisted that such prayers would not be permitted in the area.

 

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This confrontation highlights a worrying trend where the festive season is being used as an opportunity to attack religious minorities under the guise of ‘protecting’ traditions. While the harassment of a pastor praying in a private home may seem trivial to some, it represents a broader issue of how the public space is increasingly becoming unsafe for people to freely practice their religion, even in the privacy of their homes. Rajput’s actions reveal an atmosphere of fear and suspicion surrounding minority religious practices in regions where political leaders fuel communal discord for personal gain.

Jaisalmer, Rajasthan: opposition to Christmas celebrations in Schools

On December 23, 2024, a delegation of VHP functionaries met with the Jaisalmer district collector, registering their protest against what they deemed “conversion attempts and religious disrespect” by missionary schools. The delegation expressed concern over schools organizing Christmas programs and dressing students as Santa Claus, arguing that such practices promoted religious conversion.

Lalu Singh Sodha, the VHP’s district secretary, accused the schools of indoctrinating students with Christian ideologies and using the festive occasion to push religious conversions. The VHP’s opposition to Christmas festivities is not just about the religious aspect but also the cultural significance it holds in schools across India. He said that “Despite the schools here having 98% Hindu students, festivals such as Ram Navami, Krishna Janmashtami, Diwali, Holi and Raksha Bandhan are not observed,” as Times of India reported.

Mathura, Uttar Pradesh: anger over Laddu Gopal’s Christmas outfit

In the holy city of Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna, right-wing leaders have raised a storm over a seemingly harmless act: dressing the idol of Lord Laddu Gopal in a Christmas outfit. Kanhaiya Agarwal, the president of the Vishva Hindu Parishad in Mathura, has publicly condemned the practice, calling it an attack on Hindu traditions. According to Agarwal, dressing Lord Krishna’s idol in Christmas attire was an attempt at religious conversion and an insult to Sanatan Dharma.

Mathura-Vrindavan is a sacred site for millions of Hindus who visit to worship Lord Krishna and Radha Rani. The dressing of the Laddu Gopal idol in Santa Claus outfits, some argue, symbolizes a broader attempt by missionary groups to merge Hindu and Christian symbols, which they see as undermining the purity of their traditions. While others see this as a harmless cultural exchange, it has ignited deep anger and division among the locals.

The Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal have called for an immediate halt to the sale of such outfits and warned that their activists would take action to prevent the further “desecration” of Hindu deities.

Jodhpur, Rajasthan: Bajrang Dal protest against Christmas celebration in School

In Jodhpur, Rajasthan, a Bajrang Dal protest on December 23, 2024, turned into an act of aggression against a Christmas program in a private school. Protesters tore down and burned posters advertising the event, citing concerns over religious conversions being promoted under the guise of Christmas celebrations. The Bajrang Dal activists gathered outside the Siwanchi Gate school, demanding an end to what they called the “conversion agenda” of Christian schools.

 

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The incident reflects an increasing suspicion among certain groups towards the Christian community’s motives during the holiday season. The burning of posters, the disruption of school events, and the fear of conversion are all tactics being used to enforce a strict divide between religious communities.

However, the increasing wave of opposition to Christmas celebrations across India is a deeply concerning development that threatens the communal harmony and mutual understanding that have long defined the country’s diverse cultural fabric. From Kerala to Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, right-wing groups have targeted the festive season, disrupting school events, harassing religious figures, and spreading unfounded accusations of religious conversion.

Related:

“This was a sad Christmas”, say India’s Christians, navigating the shadows of hatred

Anti-Christian violence: Opening of a church resisted, police raids aid the rightwing

Alarming rise in violence against Christians in India as G20 Summit takes centre stage

The post Christmas under siege: right-wing target Christmas celebrations across states, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala appeared first on SabrangIndia.

THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT HAS BEEN SIGNED BY CLOSE TO 200 PEOPLE INCLUDING : Tushar Gandhi, Annie Raja, Father Cedric Prakash, John Dayal, Prakash Louis, Pamela Philipose, Brinelle D’souza, Aloysius Irudayam, Shabnam Hashmi, Lisa Pires, Minakshi Singh , Abha Bhaiya, and Vinod Pande.

The persecution of Christians in India has been a growing concern over the past few years. According to various reports, there has been a significant increase in violence and harassment against Christians, particularly in rural areas.

One of the main reasons attributed to this alarming rise in persecution is the resurgence of Hindutva nationalism, which has led to an increase in anti-minorities sentiment, specially targeting Christians and Muslims. Many religious nationalist groups, such as the Bajrang Dal and the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), have been accused of inciting violence against Christians across many states.

According to the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI), there were 327 incidents of violence against Christians in 2021 alone.

In 2022, over 300 attacks against Christians were reported across the country, with many incidents going unreported . The United Christian Forum (UCF) reported 486 incidents of anti-Christian violence in 2022, including 115 incidents of physical violence and 357 incidents of intimidation and harassment. The UCF monitored trend listed 127 incidents in the year 2014, when the Modi government took over power.

Presently, January 2024 to November 2024, India has recorded 745 incidents of Christian citizens being attacked for their faith.

Churches and Christian institutions have been specifically targeted in many incidents. In 2021, at least 15 churches were vandalized or set on fire across India . In 2022, several churches were attacked, including a church in Delhi that was vandalized by a group of Hindu extremists. The May 3rd Manipur riots witnessed the destruction of over 200 churches and countless lives lost.

These incidents of anti-Christian violence have been linked to Hindu nationalist groups, which have been accused of receiving support from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ¹. The Indian government has been criticized for not doing enough to protect the rights of Christians and other minority groups.

The persecution of Christians in India has raised concerns internationally. In 2021, at least 17 human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, cosponsored a Congressional briefing to request the US Government to take action against the growing persecution of Christians in India .

In 2021, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) placed India on its “Countries of Particular Concern” list, citing the country’s “systematic, ongoing, and egregious” persecution of religious minorities .

Simultaneously, 13 state governments have now enacted anti-conversion bills, which are being blatantly abused to wreak havoc on the lives of Christian citizens.

It’s surprising that despite the growing persecution of Christians, prominent members of the Christian hierarchy have chosen to engage with Prime Minister Modi, who has been criticized for his inaction in protecting the rights of Christians. Mr Modi has been seen in recent days with members of the hierarchy at Christmas programmes. He is being invited on 23 December 2024 by the CBCI at a Christmas celebration in New Delhi.

We see this as an attempt by senior institutional leaders of the Christian community to legitimise the government’s inaction on Christian persecution.

We call upon the Christian leadership to voice these concerns and hold the prime minister as head of the government  accountable for the protection of Christians in India. Symbolic gestures do little to address the issue hatred generated against the community, and the resultant targeted violence, harassment,  arrests, and incidents of ostracization in several parts of the country.

The post Missing the Mark: Inviting PM Modi to a Christmas Reception Ignores the Plight of Persecuted Christians appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Greetings of peace, love, joy and hope- to each one of you, as you prepare to celebrate my birth once again!

I have just come across an invitation, that some of you are planning to celebrate my birthday on 23 December 2024, in Delhi.A great idea indeed – congrats!! My birth as the Saviour of the world must be celebrated! Do go ahead and enjoy yourselves. However, I must confess that your choice of Chief Guest at my birthday party, confuses me tremendously; in fact, I am aghast! Obviously, you will point fingers to me and say to me that during my life on this earth, I was wining and dining with tax- collectors and prostitutes and damned sinners of every hue on the horizon. I have absolutely no doubt that you would conveniently say this to me. Besides, you would also take me on my own words, unhesitatingly quoting me, “I have come for the sinner…!”

Having said this, I would like to state clearly, strongly and unambiguously:

For my birthday, you are organising in my name, INVITE as Chief Guest…the small farmer/s. You are aware of the suffering that they have been subject to. Their lands have been snatched away from them; they are given a raw deal for the crops they produce; they are being denied a just Minimum Support Price(MSP). Remember the four anti- small farmer laws which are currently in cold storage, designed to help the big corporates who have already built huge granaries? Even today several small farmers are fasting, they want their voice to be heard. I would have been delighted if you had invited one of them for my birthday and given them a voice to express woes, just listened to them. You seem to forget that the first to be invited to celebrate my birthday were the Shepherds. they were the Chief Guests- poor and simple, excluded and exploited, living on the peripheries.They came in haste to worship me! Mummy Mary and Papa Joseph had time for them and received them with the warmth, love and joy which so profoundly defined that first Christmas night.

For my birthday, you are organising in my name, INVITE as Chief Guest…the Human Rights Defender/ s. Umar Khalid, Sudha Bharadwaj, Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira and others. My Father had a clear plan, he chose the Magi, the ones who were relentlessly pursuing the truth; the ones who had the courage to follow the Star, despite all odds. The Magi took a stand against the wiles of Herod and refused to toe his line and fall into the trap of his machinations. They took a visible and vocal stand for truth and justice, as they took a calculated decision to go home by another route. There are so many Human Rights defenders who are silenced, hounded and harassed, incarcerated and even killed. Remember our beloved late Fr Stan Swamy? How nice if one of these, who so meaningfully epitomise the spirit of the Gospel, wasaccorded the pride of place at my birthday party!

For my birthday, you are organising in my name, INVITE as Chief Guest …a peacemaker; someone who has the courage to internalise and actualise peace, justice, harmony, joy and fraternity. There are millions of them in India today – simple, ordinary, voiceless, sensitive people who have a genuine concern for others. who reach out to others. That first Christmas night, the angels sang in one voice, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests” On his first Christmas as the Supreme Pontiff, Pope Francis referred to thesong of the angels as “a song that unites heaven and earth.”. He invited everyone to join in this little song. He called it “a song for every man or woman who keeps watch through the night, who hopes for a better world, who cares for others while humbly seeking to do his or her duty.” Pope Francis said, “the song of the angels gives praise and glory to heaven, while at the same time promising peace to earth and all its people.” It is indeed, a song of peace.

For my birthday, you are organising in my name, INVITE as Chief Guest, …the ‘other’! Remember the people of Egypt? Theyprovided me, my Mum and my Dad with shelter, safety and security. They accorded us a warm welcome. They treated us as one like them, integrated us in their society, gave us all that we needed. It was not easy being refugees, strangers/ foreigners from a distant land. Today we tend to discard these very people so easily. They are discriminated against, their houses are bull-dozed and the most derogatory language is being used against them. My mother always wore a hijab – it was an integral part of her culture and tradition. Today we have reached the lowest rung of pettiness as we determine what one should wear and eat, see and read. It would be an excellent choice to have one of them as the Chief Guest at my birthday party!

For my birthday, you are organising in my name, INVITE as Chief Guest …a tribal/ an Adivasi. The indigenous peoples are the soul of a nation. The natives – the original inhabitants of the land. Their jal, jungle, jameen – all their natural resources are being snatched away from them. Their identity is being destroyed. Actually, having a Kuki-zo tribal from Manipur, would be ideal. Since early May 2023, they have been bruised brutalised and battered; most of them have lost everything. Many are dead, others just surviving in make-shift refugee camps. Their plight is terrible, unbelievable – a classic case of man’s inhumanity to man. Imagine how wonderful it would be if one of them was invited to be the Chief Guest!

For my birthday, you are organising in my name, INVITE as Chief Guest …the poor and the vulnerable: there are so many of them in the country today: the casual labourers, the migrant workers, the fisher folk and other indigenous coastal people, the vegetable vendors and slum- dwellers, the ones who are trafficked,the unemployed, the Dalits, the OBCs, the women and those from the LGBTQIA+ community, the bonded persons and abused children. the list is endless indeed. Besides you forget that I am born a Palestinian – wow it would have been terrific to have a Palestinian as the Chief Guest and take a stand against the ruthlessness of the Israeli fascists

Sadly, you seem to miss the spirit and message of Christmas – as you concentrate on power, privilege, position, possessions and pride. One can never invite someone as Chief guest, who has tried to destroy the sanctity of the Constitution, prevented people from freely practising and propagation one’s religion and even suffocated freedom of speech and expression. Lies, corruption, hate and violence are mainstreamed in the country today.Minorities and other vulnerable sections of society are at the receiving end of a brutal regime. Don’t fool yourselves; this is neither dialogue nor meaningful interactions.

I took a stand against the Caesars, Pilates and Herods of my time. Can you learn from me? You forget that my birth took place in a stable. I am aware that you will do absolutely nothing to change things. That is the tragedy! Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in  ‘God Is in the Manger: Reflections on Advent and Christmas’ reminds us, “Who among us will celebrate Christmas correctly? Whoever finally lays down all power, all honour, all reputation, all vanity, all arrogance, all individualism beside the manger; whoever remains lowly and lets God alone be high; whoever looks at the child in the manger and sees the glory of God precisely in his lowliness.”

Finally, enjoy yourself! Sorry, in conscience, I will NOT be in your midst! But of course, you will NOT even invite me for the birthday bash you are organising in my name! No problem! I prefer to be with those, I have truly come for- the least, the lost and the last! Happy Christmas!

Your brother, friend and Saviour,

Jesus Christ

December 21, 2024

(The author is a renowned human rights, reconciliation and peace activist and writer.)

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are the author’s personal views, and do not necessarily represent the views of Sabrangindia.

Note: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the Christmas celebrations hosted by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) at its headquarters in the national capital on Monday, according to a release from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Sunday.

This event marks the first time a prime minister will participate in a programme at the headquarters of the Catholic Church in India, the release noted.

The post For my birthday, ‘you are organising in my name,’ a point of order: Christmas invite to PM Modi appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The United Christian Forum (UCF), which monitors hate crimes against Christians, noted that violence against the community has seen an alarming rise. In 2023, as per their report, over 687 incidents of violence were documented against Christians, depicting that an average of two Christians is attacked every day in India. The UCF report had contained incidents ranging from vandalism of churches to outright harassment and detention of Christians for holding prayer meetings. The issue has taken a political turn, with laws such as the anti-conversion legislation—present in several states—being used as tools to silence and intimidate Christian communities, despite the fact that religious conversions, particularly forced ones, are a rare phenomenon in India.

Furthermore, another recent report by the UCF documented 161 incidents in the first 75 days of 2024, with January 2024 witnessing 70 reported cases, followed by 62 in February, and 29 in the first half of March alone. The report highlighted that burial rights denied to families even as fabricated cases have seen over 100 Indian Christians arrested. Furthermore, according to the report, 122 pastors and other Christians from the community have been arrested so far on charges of religious conversion.

As per the said report, 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 has witnessed rising attacks against Christians. Following closely behind was Uttar Pradesh which has, according to the press release, seen 36 incidents of violence against Christians.

Between October 13 and October 20, 2024, five distinct incidents across various states painted a grim picture of the escalating persecution of Christians in India. Each incident unfolded in a similar pattern: a peaceful Christian gathering was disrupted, claims of religious conversions were made, local Hindu nationalist groups intervened, and the police either failed to act impartially or were complicit in the harassment.

Details about the incidents:

October 13, Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh

On October 13, an incident unfolded in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, where police disrupted a Christian prayer meeting after a complaint was filed by Sarvesh Singh, the president of the National Gau Raksha Vahini. Singh, who is associated with a group notorious for its vigilante actions under the pretext of cow protection, accused the Christian gathering of engaging in conversions. In response, the police arrested a couple and detained several attendees, showing an immediate bias towards the complainant’s accusations without any prior investigation. This event follows a broader trend of Christians being targeted during religious gatherings in Uttar Pradesh, a state governed by a leadership known for its alignment with Hindutva ideology. In this charged environment, accusations of conversions are enough to disrupt lives, regardless of their veracity.

October 13, Jagatsinghpur, Odisha

Odisha, a state with a long history of communal tensions against Christians, has seen growing incidents of anti-Christian violence in recent years. In the district of Jagatsinghpur, members of the Bajrang Dal raided a Christian prayer meeting, accusing the attendees of engaging in religious conversions. The attackers threatened extreme violence, including beating the Christians to death, and even went as far as to threaten to strip the participants—a brutal attempt to humiliate them for practicing their faith. Though the attackers were handed over to the police, their boldness reflects a belief in their immunity from legal consequences, especially since incidents of this nature are rarely followed by strong action from law enforcement. Instead of protecting the victims, the focus often shifts to investigating baseless claims of conversion, leaving Christians vulnerable to repeated attacks.

October 17, Dhamtari, Chhattisgarh

The hostility against Christians in rural India often comes in subtle but persistent forms, making it clear that they are considered outsiders. In Dhamtari, a Christian family seeking to perform a burial ceremony for a deceased loved one was met with resistance from members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal. The two groups protested against the burial, arguing that Christians should not have the right to use the village cemetery, despite the fact that Christians have lived in the village for generations. The extremists demanded that the body be buried outside the village limits, and it was only after the local administration intervened that the burial was allowed to proceed. However, the family had to concede to the extremists’ demands and bury the deceased outside the village. This denial of basic rights like burial underscores the deep prejudice faced by Christians in rural communities, where far-right groups operate with impunity, enforcing their own social codes.

October 17, Saharsa, Bihar

The anti-Christian sentiment in Bihar has been on the rise, and the events in Saharsa further reflect this disturbing trend. VHP activists, accompanied by the local police, disrupted a Christian prayer meeting, confiscating religious items including Bibles and other Christian literature. A pastor was detained as well. This incident is a striking example of how local law enforcement often acts in tandem with Hindu nationalist groups, carrying out raids that target peaceful religious gatherings. By confiscating religious texts and arresting leaders of the Christian community, the state not only violates the constitutional right to religious freedom but also sends a chilling message that Christians are not welcome to worship freely in their own country.

October 20, Amethi, Uttar Pradesh

In Amethi, a district known for its political significance, the police raided the home of a Christian family after local villagers complained about alleged religious conversions taking place under the guise of prayer meetings. The raid, based on unverified allegations, resulted in the detention of three members of the family. It is worth noting that Uttar Pradesh has become a hotbed for incidents where far-right groups, emboldened by the anti-conversion laws in the state, accuse Christians of coercing others into adopting their faith. These accusations rarely hold up under scrutiny, but the damage is already done, as families are subjected to raids, public humiliation, and legal battles. The arrest of individuals based on unsubstantiated claims points to a broader strategy to intimidate and weaken religious minorities, using the state apparatus to facilitate harassment.

Widespread implications: A threat to India’s secular fabric

These incidents are not isolated; they are part of a broader narrative of rising religious intolerance and shrinking space for minorities, particularly religious minorities such as Christians. The concerted efforts of Hindu nationalist groups to monitor, disrupt, and attack Christian gatherings are indicative of a larger strategy to suppress religious diversity. The central issue in all these cases is the allegation of religious conversions, a charge frequently used to justify violence. However, this claim often lacks evidence, and in most instances, peaceful prayer meetings are falsely accused of being conversion drives.

The complicity of local police and the tacit support of political figures associated with right-wing ideologies fuel this atmosphere of fear. State governments, particularly those led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have emboldened these groups by either remaining silent or actively pushing anti-conversion laws that disproportionately target Christians and other religious minorities. Anti-conversion laws, present in over eight Indian states, provide the legal cover for extremists to launch attacks under the pretence of protecting Hinduism from external threats.

This state-backed aggression threatens not just Christians but the constitutional values of religious freedom and secularism, which India has long prided itself on. The sheer frequency of these incidents—at least five in just one week—points to a deeply rooted problem, where vigilante justice has become normalised, and religious persecution is institutionalised. This dangerous escalation threatens to tear apart India’s pluralistic social fabric, as the line between religion and politics continues to blur, with minorities paying the heaviest price.

The week spanning mid-October 2024 serves as a grim reminder of the growing intolerance faced by Christians in India. As far-right Hindu groups intensify their campaign of harassment and violence, the state’s silence, and in some cases, its participation, further emboldens these actors. The police’s involvement in these attacks is particularly alarming, as it reflects a breakdown of legal protections for religious minorities. If India is to preserve its democratic and secular identity, it must hold these groups accountable and ensure that law enforcement acts in the interest of justice, not ideology. Religious freedom is a cornerstone of India’s Constitution, and its erosion threatens the very foundations of the nation’s democracy. The international community and civil society must urgently address this rising tide of religious persecution before it escalates further, pushing India into deeper religious conflict.

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In the memorandum dated July 20, 2024 and signed by the national president of United Christian Forum (New Delhi), Dr. Michael Williams, the Forum submitted its grievances to Minority Affairs minister, Kiren Rijiju, against increased violence and hostility against Christian community in India. It noted that in 2023, a total of 733 incidents of violence against Christians were reported to it, with an average of 61 incidents per month. It said the figures only includes incidents reported to it over the calls, and excludes any incidents from Manipur, which is embroiled in ethnic violence since May 2023. It also said that as of June this year, 361 incidents targeting Christians have already been reported to the Forum. Incidentally, Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh have emerged as the leading states in targeted violence against Christians, with 96 and 92 incidents reported from these states, respectively.

The memorandum has categorised incidents into four categories, namely, “Violent Attacks”, “Violence against Scheduled Tribes in Bastar Region, Chhattisgarh”, “False complaints and Third-party complaints”, and “Police Complicity and Failure to Verify the Veracity of The Incident”. The memorandum citing the PUCL report, “Criminalising Practice of Faith”, provided details about several reported incidents of targeted violence against the minority community, and said that on many occasions police would collude with Hindutva groups to turn blind eye towards atrocities committed against them, and instead register cases against members of the minority community under IPC Sections 295A and 298 (outraging religious feelings). It also tried to corelate the increase in attacks on Christians with the enactment of anti-conversion laws, and further said that when actual crimes are committed against minorities due to religious reasons, the police would often register cases under property or personal dispute to brush aside the issue of hate crimes.

Violent Attacks

The Forum cited several instances of physical attacks on their community, especially from Chhattisgarh. For example, it said that on “May 4, 2024, Kosa from Kapanar, under the jurisdiction of Police Station Darbha; Bastar, Chhattisgarh, was tragically murdered by his relatives due to his Christian faith during a village celebration…Despite the urgent pleas of Kosa’s wife, Kosa was brutally attacked and fatally injured, while his wife was assaulted and subsequently hospitalized.” The memorandum notes that while the police registered an FIR in the case, it framed it as a land dispute instead of “religious persecution”.

Violence against Scheduled Tribes in Chhattisgarh

The memorandum observed that “series of attacks displacing Adivasi Christians” have taken place in Chhattisgarh since December 2022 and Adivasi Christians have been threaten to denounce Christian faith and convert to the Hindu religion. Giving example of one such incident, it said that “on January 2, 2023, three Adivasi Christian women in Narayanpur were stripped naked publicly and physically assaulted in a bid to force them to give up their Christian faith.” In another incident it cited, a person along with his family members from Bastar was denied a burial rights for his Christian mother, Pando, and were asked by the villagers to undergo Gharwapsi (reconversion to Hinduism). The complaint in this regard was filed with the Superintendent of Police (SP), the Inspector General (IG), and the collector of Bastar but without much avail, and it took the family to reach the High Court to secure their burial rights.

Lawfare: False Complaints and Third-party complaints

The United Christian Forum (UCF) was severely critical of false cases filed against members of Christian community in the name of illegal religious conversion and accused the Hindutva groups of filing malicious cases against them. It said that recent amendments to the State Freedom of Religion Acts allow only person directly affected by forcible conversion to file the complaint, but the in practice, police have often registered cases and acted on it following the third-party complaints registered by Hindutva fringe elements. Referring to the Article 14 study, the Forum said that the analysis of over 100 FIRs filed under Uttar Pradesh’s the anti-conversion law reveals that 63 of these were registered after third-party complaints and 26 came from extremist groups.

To illustrate its case, the memorandum read that “On August 20, 2023, Santosh Nishad from Maharzajganj District in Uttar Pradesh was hosting a prayer gathering and get-together at his house when a group of approximately 10 individuals trespassed his property and physically assaulted him, accusing him of engaging in fraudulent religious conversions. On the evening of August 21, Pastor Santosh was taken into custody at the Nichlaul police station. An FIR bearing number 0410/2023 was registered under IPC sections 323 and 506 and the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021 leading to his imprisonment.”

Police complicity and failure to verify the veracity of the incident

The Forum accused police authorities of acting at behest of Hindutva forces aimed at targeting the minorities and registering false cases without checking the authenticity of the claims. It remarked that while false cases linger years in courts, the weaponisation of anti-conversion laws by police and mob meant growing legal costs, resulting in “undue violation of the right to life and liberty.” In one such example, it said that the Uttar Pradesh police registered an FIR on the complaint of Bajrang Dal leader on November 23, 2022, naming Harkhuram and Achhelal as the accused in the case registered under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021,  even though Harkhuram had passed away 12 years ago.

Conclusion

Even as the Forum highlighted the grievous violence and atrocities that have been committed against the Christian community, it also suggested several “recommends” to Kiran Rijiju to take remedial actions to ameliorate the situation. Its recommendations include: training on human rights and religious freedom standards and practices to the state and central police and judiciary; central government advisory to state governments to repeal the anti-conversion laws; an active and operational Commission for Human Rights and Commission for Minorities in every state with transparency in appointment of its members; strict judicial follow up on cases involving atrocities against members of minority communities, ensuring dialogue between different stakeholders to address genuine cases of fraudulent conversions, adequate compensation for victims of targeted religious violence, financial assistance to missionary schools, and implementation of the recommendation of the National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities to remove religious criteria for determining eligibility for Scheduled Caste membership.

Memorandum can be read here.

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