By Jessy Joseph
New Delhi, February 19, 2023: Thousands of Christians belonging to various denominations and institutions on February 19 staged a peaceful prayer protest in New Delhi.
The protest was to draw the attention of the government, judiciary and civil society to “the sharp escalation of targeted hate and violence against Christian community in many states,” said a press release issued by the organizers of the rally at Jantar Mandir, a popular protest venue close to the Indian Parliament House.
“We are here to demand judicial and government intervention to check the rapid rise in incidents of violence, coercion and false arrests of our people,” Archbishop Anil Couto of Delhi Catholic archdiocese told the gathering.
The protesters held placards in Hindi and English that read “Every persecution makes Christians stronger in faith,” “Stop attack against Christians, “stop attacking our churches,” and so on. They sang songs of praise and worship amid chanting of “halleluiah,” “Amen” and “Praise the Lord.”
John Dayal, the spokesperson of the All Indian Catholic Union, pointed out that some 350 Christians are in jail in Uttar Pradesh alone for practicing their faith, hundreds of tribal Christians were forced out of their village in Chhattisgarh.
“We want the government to hear our cries and intervene and take steps to ensure the safety and security of Christians,” he said while addressing the protesters. He appealed the fellow citizens to stand in empathy and solidarity and raise their voices at the targeted and organized injustice happening across the nation against Christians.
The United Christian Forum, a human rights group based in New Delhi that monitors atrocities against Christians in India, has recorded a total of 597 incidents of violence against Christians from 21 states until the end of 2022.
A note from the forum said Christian citizens in India, known for their peaceful attitude, have demonstrated in the national capital hardly five times in the past seven decades since Independence. However, the recent sharp rise in hate and targeted violence against the community have forced them to hold the latest protest.
The first organized protests by Christians took place in 1981 against the O P Tyagi bill banning conversions. They also came to the Delhi streets against the rape of nuns in 1990, the brutal killings of Graham Stuart Staines and his two sons Philip and Timothy in 1999, the Kandhamal pogrom in 1998. They have also demonstrated demanding reservation for the Dalit brethren.
Samson Koshy, a member of Pentecostal Church of Delhi, said “We are here to show our solidarity with our fellow citizens who are being persecuted for their faith in Jesus and ask the government to stop the violence against our community. We have the right to practice and profess our faith.”
Addressing the gathering Shivpal, a participant from Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh, alleged that the police in the northern Indian state have been arresting people over allegations of forced conversions. “We live under constant fear, we are not even allowed to pray in our houses. A few women were arrested for offering prayers during a birthday celebration,” he said.
Aguilu Pame, a Catholic from Manipur studying at Delhi University, said although Christians are peace loving, they “cannot sit in silence when our community is continuously targeted. We are here for our rights, right to proclaim and profess our faith.”
Archbishop Kuriakose Bharanikulanga of Faridabad Syro Malabar diocese said the authorities have ignored the repeated pleas of Christians about the targeted attacks,. “Society is becoming increasingly intolerant and violent. We can no longer be silent spectators to the growing hatred and attacks against our fellow citizens,” he asserted.
The protesters have decided to send a memorandum to President Droupadi Murmu. Signed by the Christian Community leaders, the memorandum says, “It is our painful duty to apprise you of the continued waves of vile hate speech and targeted violence have buffeted the Christian community in recent years, and in particular in 2022-2023. The violence seems to have reached a crescendo in January and February 2023.”
It also urges the government to strengthen human rights monitoring mechanisms and constitute National Redressal Commission headed by a retired Supreme Court judge to address the issues of “targeted violence” against the minorities.
It appeals the government for the speedy closure of cases where false allegations have been levied against Christians, reconstruction of illegally demolished churches and adequate compensation of Christian individuals and institutions who are targeted for their religious identity.