Christian Leaders Urge U.S. to Recognize India’s Escalating Persecution against Christians

BY : Milton Quintanilla Crosswalk Headlines Contributor

Over 300 Christian leaders in the United States, including denominational leaders, are calling on the nation’s State Department to designate India as a “Country of Particular Concern” due to its persecution of Christians. According to The Christian Post, the Christian leaders say that persecution of religious minorities in India grew worse since Modi’s regime began in 2014.

“This surge in violence is propelled by a Hindu ethno-nationalist or Hindutva supremacist political ideology, which conflates a militant Hindu ideology with Indian citizen identities,” the letter, organized by the Federation of Indian-American Christian Organizations in North America, states. “As a result, both the Hindu religion and India’s Constitutional secular democracy have been severely distorted, leading to alarming levels of state-sanctioned violence against Christians, lower-caste Dalits, and other religious minorities both on the streets and within state structures.”

The letter was signed by church leaders of various denominations, including 18 bishops, three archbishops, numerous clergy members, and leaders from Christian and theological organizations. It also refers to a January 2024 petition signed by more than 3,000 ecumenical Christian leaders in India, denouncing the Indian government’s persecution of religious minorities.

The letter also cites a report by the United Christian Forum, which notes a significant rise in attacks on Christians, from 127 incidents in 2014 to 720 in 2023.

As pointed out in the letter, over 65,000 people being displaced in Manipur, and more than 400 churches were destroyed or damaged as of May 2023 due to the persecution.

According to U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern, India is placed as the third-worst persecutor of Christians globally.

The Christian leaders in the letter are urging State Departments to hold Indian government officials accountable for violating religious freedoms, consider targeted sanctions, and support independent religious and human rights organizations both in India and the U.S. The letter also informs Secretary of State Antony Blinken that the nation’s silence on issues differs from geopolitical alliance with India and calls on the State Department not to overlook these religious violations.

“The Indian government has cut off funding to hundreds of Christian schools and hospitals which have educated and cared for all people regardless of caste or religion,” the letter notes. “International support is severed by draconian application of India’s Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, impacting thousands of internationally respected organizations such as Amnesty International, Compassion International, World Vision, and Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity. This leaves Indian Christians isolated, fearful, and precarious.”