Increase in persecution of Christians in India in 2024
During the first months of 2024, persecution of the Christian community in India has reached alarming levels. According to a recent study by the United Christian Forum (UCF), 161 crimes against Christians were documented in the first 75 days of the year. These incidents include arbitrary arrests, physical violence, social ostracism, and arson attacks on churches, with most cases involving mob violence.
The states of Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh stand out as the most hostile, with Chhattisgarh reporting the highest number of attacks. In this state, such fundamental rights as access to water and burial rites according to Christian customs have been denied, illustrating the severity of the hostility and contempt towards Christians.
The escalation in persecution is partly attributed to the ideology of Hindutva, promoted by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This ideology seeks to establish a “pure” Hindu nation, and has given rise to anti-conversion laws that criminalize basic Christian practices such as prayer and the distribution of biblical material, interpreting them as attempts at forced conversion.
Despite constitutional guarantees of religious freedom, attacks on Christians have been normalized and, in some cases, instigated by prominent political figures. Christian leaders and human rights organizations have expressed concern about the lack of government action and apparent state complicity in some cases, where authorities have shown apathy or even supported false accusations against the Christian community.
These events highlight a significant deterioration in the human rights situation for Christians in India, with little progress towards resolving these violent and discriminatory conflicts.