Indian Christian leaders issue an immediate plea to Murmu and Modi
In a significant move, over 400 Christian leaders and 30 church groups have sent an urgent appeal to President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the Indian government to take decisive action against violence targeting Christians and other religious minorities.
The appeal, published by Evangelical Focus under the title "Christian leaders in India send Murmu and Modi an urgent appeal", comes amidst a surge in incidents of violence and hostility against Christians across the country.
According to the report, over 840 incidents of violence were reported in India in 2024, a significant increase from the 734 incidents recorded in 2023. In the first five months of 2025 alone, at least 313 attacks were recorded, averaging two per day. The most affected states are Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, with both reporting significant numbers of incidents.
The nature of violence includes physical attacks on clergy and worshippers, vandalism of churches, social boycotts, denial of burial rights, and arbitrary arrests under anti-conversion laws. A recent disturbing trend is the organized refusal to allow Christian families to bury their dead, especially in states like Odisha, where tribal Hindu groups obstruct funerals, often requiring police intervention for burial rites to proceed.
High-profile cases include a June 2025 incident in central India where a Hindu mob beat a pastor unconscious, assaulted church members, and burned Bibles. Such violence has led to widespread fear among Christians about attending worship services.
Advocacy groups attribute the rise in violence to a hostile political climate under the National Democratic Alliance government, led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which they argue has emboldened Hindu extremist groups since 2014. India now ranks 11th on Open Doors’ 2025 World Watch List of countries where Christians face the most severe persecution, a significant drop from 31st in 2013.
The United Christian Forum (UCF), a major inter-denominational body, has been actively documenting and publicizing incidents, and submitting detailed memoranda to both Indian authorities and international bodies. On July 17, 2025, the UCF presented a memorandum to the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, appealing for urgent intervention from the Holy See to address the escalating persecution.
The memorandum details the misuse of laws, arbitrary arrests, and systemic social ostracization, and calls for pressure on the Indian government to uphold constitutional rights and religious freedom. Christian leaders, including A.C. Michael of the UCF, describe the current situation as “the most traumatic in the life of the Christian community in India,” emphasizing that the denial of burial rights and other forms of violence are calculated attempts to silence the community and erode their constitutional protections.
There is no evidence of systematic federal intervention to curb the violence or address the misuse of anti-conversion laws. Local authorities in affected states sometimes intervene in acute cases—such as ensuring burial rights—but do not appear to address the broader pattern of discrimination. Critics argue that the government’s silence and inaction have created a permissive environment for anti-Christian violence, with the BJP-led administration accused of tacitly endorsing or ignoring the actions of Hindu nationalist groups.
The appeal also raises concerns about exclusionary policies denying Dalit Christians Scheduled Caste status, perpetuating historic injustices. The signatories have urged the Indian government to act decisively against violence targeting Christians and other religious minorities, call for the repeal of anti-conversion and similar legislation in India, and demand the protection of the fundamental right to freely profess and practice one’s faith.
The international community, including the Vatican, is being called upon to pressure the Indian government to uphold constitutional guarantees of religious freedom. The appeal can be found on the website of 21Wilberforce, an international NGO that works to advance religious freedom and human rights.
- The urgent appeal by Christian leaders and church groups to President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasizes the need for policy-and-legislation changes in response to the escalating politics surrounding religious violence against Christians and other minorities in India.
- Amidst increasing general-news reports of violence against Christians in India, advocacy groups like the United Christian Forum have appealed to international bodies, including the Vatican, to intervene and put pressure on the Indian government to uphold religious freedom and protect citizens from discrimination and targeted violence.
