Faith
Christian Leaders Raise Alarm Over Violence in India
Faith Facts
- Incidents of violence against Christians in India have surged over 500% since 2014.
- Police filed mandatory reports in only 39 of 579 documented attacks this year, leaving a serious justice gap.
- Convention speakers highlighted ongoing discrimination and the spread of false conversion accusations.
Church leaders and faith advocates gathered near India’s parliament to call attention to the rising violence against Christians and the urgent need for legal protections.
An event organized by Christian organizations in New Delhi assembled around 2,000 believers and leaders from more than 200 denominations, with legal experts and interfaith partners joining in solidarity.
Statistics from dedicated monitoring groups show that cases of anti-Christian incidents have escalated from 139 in 2014 to 834 in 2024, reflecting a troubling pattern that continues to this day.
The majority of attacks involve destruction of property, assaults on pastors, and mob violence, typically justified by unfounded accusations of forced conversions.
Five states are responsible for over three-quarters of attacks: Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh.
Law enforcement has often failed to pursue justice, with only a small fraction of mandatory police reports, known as FIRs, actually being filed.
This has resulted in what organizers describe as a 93 percent gap between crimes reported and legal action, leaving victims without recourse and emboldening those who seek to silence Christian voices.
“This protest, this gathering itself is a big victory, that people are ready to express their disagreement and raise their voice.”
Faith-filled attendees and organizers stood united to speak out, trusting that God calls His people to justice, courage, and perseverance.
Event spokespersons noted that the refusal to highlight attacks in Manipur was an oversight, as hundreds of churches have been destroyed there due to religious conflict.
Speakers at the convention dismissed frequent conversion accusations, highlighting that the Supreme Court has found no credible evidence and has dismissed over 100 false cases against Christian leaders, most of them in Uttar Pradesh.
“We wish that the atrocities against Christians would stop and that India would once again be known for our communal harmony as in the past.”
Persistent baseless claims of mass conversions have been disproven by government census data, yet some groups continue to spread these falsehoods.
Christian leaders urged Indian authorities to uphold justice, protect religious freedom, and address discrimination based on caste and tribal status.
Faith demands standing for truth regardless of opposition. Pray for India’s believers, for justice to prevail, and for their voices to be heard by leaders in authority.