Outcry erupts over Prime Minister Modi’s invitation to CBCI Christmas gathering amid rising Christian persecution

Nearly 200 prominent individuals and organizations have condemned the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) for inviting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to its Christmas gathering on December 23 in New Delhi.

Critics argue that the invitation comes at a time when Christians in India are facing escalating violence and harassment, raising questions about the Church leadership's stance on government accountability.

The persons who endorsed the statement come from different walks of lives, religious background and professions, including educators, journalists, human rights activists, social workers, and others. They champion the causes of inclusion, secularism, peace, harmony, human rights and justice.  

“The persecution of Christians in India has been a growing concern over the past few years,” said the statement.

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-religious minority sentiment, especially 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 2014 when the Modi government took over power.

Presently, from 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 3, 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). 

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 act 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,” the statement said.

Modi has been seen in recent days with members of the Church hierarchy at Christmas programs. 

The CBCI is inviting him to a Christmas celebration in New Delhi on December 23, 2024.

“We see this as an attempt by senior institutional leaders of the Christian community to legitimize the government's inaction on Christian persecution,” the statement said.

“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,” it read.

“Symbolic gestures do little to address the issue of hatred generated against the community, and the resultant targeted violence, harassment, arrests, and incidents of ostracization in several parts of the country,” the press note said.