The United Christian Forum (UCF) has reported 834 incidents of violence against Christians in India in 2024, reflecting a significant increase from the 733 cases recorded in 2023. With an average of over 67 incidents per month, the UCF’s data points to an alarming trend of hostility towards the community, prompting the organisation to seek urgent intervention from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to safeguard the community’s rights and security.
Accusations of Forced Conversions
According to the UCF, many incidents were linked to accusations of forced religious conversions, with Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh emerging as hotspots, recording 191 and 158 incidents, respectively. The report highlighted systemic issues, including allegations of police complicity and misuse of anti-conversion laws, which have been used to target Christians.
A separate report by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), titled Criminalising Practice of Faith, detailed cases of police inaction or complicity, adding weight to claims of systemic discrimination. The report, combined with data presented in a Supreme Court petition, suggests a correlation between targeted violence and the enforcement of anti-conversion laws.
Regional Incidents and Patterns of Violence
In Chhattisgarh, Christian families in the village of Badeproda faced violent attacks in March 2024, leaving several injured and their homes and crops destroyed. Despite filing complaints, the victims reportedly received no police support. A subsequent attack in June forced many families into hiding, the report said.
Similarly, in May, a villager from Kapanar, Kosa, was killed after refusing to renounce his Christian faith. Local authorities framed the murder as a land dispute, ignoring the victim’s repeated pleas for protection.
The violence extended beyond Chhattisgarh. In Punjab, Bhagwan Singh, associated with a Jalandhar church, succumbed to injuries from an attack during a prayer service. In Tamil Nadu, a Christmas carol event turned violent when a pastor’s son narrowly escaped an attempt to behead him. Uttarakhand also saw worshippers assaulted and a church vandalized in Dehradun.
Women and Children: Vulnerable Targets
Women and children have borne the brunt of many of these attacks. On December 26, two tribal Christian women in Odisha were tied to a tree, harassed, and beaten by Bajrang Dal members. Videos of the incident, showing the women being smeared with cake and stripped of their sarees, sparked widespread outrage.
In another chilling incident in June, Bindu Sodhi from Chhattisgarh was killed by relatives opposed to her Christian faith. Villagers refused to allow her burial, and authorities dismissed the case as a land dispute.
UCF’s Recommendations for Government Action
In its plea to the Prime Minister, the UCF outlined several recommendations to address the violence. These include training police and judiciary on human rights and religious freedom, repealing anti-conversion laws, reviving the National Human Rights and Minorities Commissions, and fostering interfaith dialogue to address conversion-related allegations.
The organisation also called for adequate compensation and legal assistance for victims and urged the government to ensure justice through robust judicial action against perpetrators.
The UCF emphasised the need for immediate intervention to protect the Christian community from targeted violence and systemic discrimination.
Modi’s Christian outreach
Prime Minister Modi’s engagement with the Christian community has been seen as inconsistent. While he attended a Christmas celebration organised by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India in December 2024, acknowledging incidents of violence against Christians abroad, his silence on domestic attacks has drawn criticism. Christian leaders have called for a stronger focus on addressing violence within India rather than framing the issue in an international context.