300 attacks on Christians in 9 Months: Fact-Finding Report

A group of civil society groups and religious leaders in western India on January 18 released a fact-finding report on attacks on Christians in India.

A fact-finding report titled "Christians under Attack" was released at a press conference organized by the Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR), United Christian Form, United Against Hate, and Jaipur Catholic Diocese at St. Anselm's school, Malviya Nagar, Jaipur, Rajasthan state.

The fact-finding report consists of more than 300 attacks on Christians within a span of nine months in the year 2020-2021.

Speaking on the attacks, Jaipur Bishop Oswald Lewis said, "India is a country where every religion is respected and has been living together with peace and harmony for centuries. But in the last few years, minority groups have been targeted, especially Christian and Muslim communities. It is being done by some fringe groups to destabilize the unity of the country."

It is sad to see that the Christian community that offers its service to everyone in the country, especially the poor and marginalized, has become the target. Such attacks are on the increase, he further said.  

Besides, the inaction of the government encourages such groups who go unpunished. Government must take stern actions against them to preserve the unity and democracy of India, the prelate added.

The Rajasthan State President of Association for Protection of Civil Rights, Advocate Saiyad Saadat Ali said, "India is a secular country where everyone has the right to profess and propagate one's faith. But some people want to snatch away from citizens' rights."

For some days, there have been continuing attacks on Christians, which must be condemned. The peace-loving people of India must come forward to stop such atrocities, Ali said.

State President of Jamat-e-Islami Hind, Mohammad Nazimuddin said, "After Independence, some groups were not happy with Mahatma Gandhi and some of the freedom fighters because they stressed secularism and equal rights to all the citizens."

According to him, since then, India has suffered many rights losing thousands of lives. Attacks on Christians are also part of it. Some Hindu-right-wing groups are spreading hatred. The killing of Australian missionary Graham Stuart Staines and his two minor sons in Odisha, eastern India, is a tragic example of this.

The Staines were burnt to death while sleeping in a van outside a church in the Keonjhar district of Odisha on January 22, 1999.

The State President of Buddhist Mahasabha, T. C. Rahul said, "India is multi-religious and all the religions have been living here with peace and harmony for centuries. But now the hatred is spread against each other which is dangerous for the unity of India."

On the occasion, the other prominent persons present were Father Edward Oliveira, the vicar general of Jaipur diocese, Divine Word Father John Paul, the media in-charge of the diocese, Pastor Vijay Pal, and Sawai Sing, the state president of Forum for Democracy and Communal Enmity.