Guwahati: The North East Catholic Research Forum (NECRF) has submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking urgent intervention against what it described as a rise in attacks and intimidation faced by Christians across the country.
In the memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister, the forum acknowledged Modi’s recent outreach to the Christian community, including his participation in Easter and Christmas programmes and meetings with leaders of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI). The forum said these gestures had been welcomed by Christians nationwide and reflected the government’s stated commitment to “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayaas”.
However, the organisation expressed “deep anguish” over what it claimed was an increasing number of violent incidents targeting Christians, despite constitutional safeguards guaranteeing freedom of religion.
“We remind you with deep anguish that, despite the robust constitutional safeguards every citizen in this country enjoys, the Christian community is treated like an enemy, which is evident from the number of attacks by different organisations of the majority,” it stated.
Citing data compiled by rights groups, the forum said 834 incidents of violence against Christians were recorded in 2024, averaging 69 cases per month. Between January and November 2025, it claimed 706 incidents were reported, including physical assaults, sexual offences, threats, intimidation, destruction of places of worship, disruption of prayer services and desecration of religious symbols.
The memorandum alleged that several of these incidents involved members of organisations such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal and other groups affiliated to the Sangh Parivar. It further claimed that Christians faced heightened intimidation during the Christmas period this year in multiple states, including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh.
Among the incidents cited were the alleged disruption of Christmas prayer services in Ghaziabad, vandalism of Christmas decorations in Raipur and at a school campus in Assam’s Nalbari district, attacks on Christmas carol singers in Kerala’s Palakkad district, and the issuance of official circulars in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh restricting Christmas-related activities in schools.
The forum said, “Members of the local Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal barged into the campus of St Mary’s School, Panigaon, in Nalbari district (Assam) and destroyed the nativity crib and pulled down other decorations put up inside the school campus. This violent incident mentally traumatized the handful of Christians in the locality so much that the midnight service had to be cancelled.”
The forum also pointed to processions and protests held near churches during Christmas in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, alleging administrative inaction or tacit approval in some cases.
In its appeal, the NECRF said the incidents appeared to be “systematic and organised” rather than isolated acts, and expressed concern that Christians were being prevented from observing religious practices during significant occasions such as Christmas.
The organisation urged the Prime Minister to publicly condemn such acts and direct state governments to ensure the protection of religious freedoms. It also appealed for safeguards against what it described as the misuse of anti-conversion laws to harass members of the Christian community.
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“The Christian community is deeply troubled by this unprecedented trend of preventing Christians from fulfilling their religious obligation on an important and sacred occasion like Christmas. We also appeal to you to kindly direct states to refrain from misusing anti-conversion laws to torment the poor, innocent, and helpless Christian public,” the NECRF stated.
