Rising Attacks on Christians in India Highlighted at 'Crises of India's Minorities' Conference

New Delhi, May 20, 2025: Noted lawyer and human rights advocate Tehmina Arora drew attention to the rising number of attacks against Christians in India while speaking at the "Crises of India’s Minorities" conference held on May 17 in New Delhi. Addressing legal experts, activists, and civil society members, Arora detailed how anti-conversion laws are being used to arrest and intimidate Christian communities, especially among Dalits and Adivasis, across states like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.

Arora, who works with an NGO that runs a nationwide helpline for victims of persecution, noted a sharp rise in anti-Christian incidents, citing over 824 reported cases last year alone. "This is a dramatic increase from the 100–150 annual incidents recorded in 2012," she said. "Already this year, 226 such incidents have been reported."

Arora added that her organisation receives calls regularly about people being attacked during prayer meetings, pastors being arrested, women being jailed, and even deceased individuals being named in FIRs.

Describing a pattern of mob violence, false accusations, and police inaction, Arora cited cases from Chhattisgarh where villagers were assaulted and later forced to live in forests and incidents where tribals were stripped and publicly humiliated for refusing to renounce Christianity. In Punjab, a pastor died from injuries sustained during an attack while conducting a church service. In another case, a grieving man in Chhattisgarh was denied the right to bury his father on his own ancestral land unless he reconverted to Hinduism.

Arora reported that authorities have arrested over 900 Christians in recent years under anti-conversion laws, with many of the detainees being women. She noted that even individuals who clearly affirm their voluntary participation in religious events still end up in jail. “ In one incident, police arrested a mother on her son’s seventh birthday after someone mistakenly believed the celebration was a religious conversion ceremony,” she said.

Arora condemned comments made by the Allahabad High Court warning that the majority community could become a minority if such conversions continue. She stated that such views make it almost impossible for the accused to receive bail in lower courts. “We’ve had to approach the Supreme Court for mere bail in multiple cases,” she said.

Arora also stated that the allegations of forced conversions are often discriminatory and serve to undermine the agency of marginalised communities. “They assume that Dalits and tribal communities lack the intelligence or autonomy to make informed religious decisions,” she said. “This is deeply demeaning.”

She also condemned the term “rice bag convert” used to demean people who converted, stating, “If you believe someone converted for a bag of rice, why not give them two? This isn’t about rice. It’s about denying agency.”

Arora emphasised that religious conversion in many cases is a political act—a rejection of caste oppression and a step toward reclaiming dignity. Drawing parallels with Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s conversion to Buddhism, she said that “conversion is a rejection of an unjust system and must be recognised as a legitimate exercise of individual choice.”

She concluded her speech by urging grassroots action and greater interfaith solidarity. “We must engage religious Hindu leaders and reclaim the inclusive spirit of Hinduism,” Arora said. “It must return to its roots of openness and respect for the other.”

By Catholic Connect Reporter

Source: Karwan-e-Mohabbat

Image Source: Karwan-e-Mohabbat