Kohima: The Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing concern over what it described as the escalating persecution of members of the Christian community across the country, particularly during the Christmas season.
The church body urged the Prime Minister to take cognizance of the matter, stating that attacks on Christians are not isolated incidents but part of a growing nationwide issue.
“The rising tide of Christian persecution in India is making it increasingly precarious to be a Christian. The pace and intensity of attacks suggest that simply being a Christian is turning into an existential threat,” the NBCC said.
Referring to figures from the United Christian Forum, the NBCC noted that over 600 violent incidents were reported between January and October 2025 alone, averaging roughly two attacks per day. These included mob assaults, public humiliation, disruptions at churches, and the destruction of homes.
“It’s a bitter irony that in a country that prides itself on being the world’s largest democracy, citizens are facing attacks for simply celebrating Christmas… The freedom to practise one’s faith seems like a distant dream when such incidents occur again and again,” the letter said.
The NBCC also criticised Christian legislators, including those from the BJP, for failing to speak out against attacks and hate speech, citing high-profile incidents in Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, Lajpat Nagar in Delhi, a shopping mall in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, the attack on St Mary’s School in Nalbari, Assam, as well as incidents reported from Kerala and Rajasthan.
“It is unthinkable, as a Christian and citizen of India today, to be on the receiving end of religious persecution. It is quite baffling to understand why so much hatred is vented against a community like Christians. If we consider the contribution of Christians in nation-building, we can proudly say that we are contributing to the security, economy, culture and political shaping of modern India to this day,” it further stated.
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It added that the Christian understanding of nationalism is rooted in loyalty and patriotism to the nation, and that Christians have not fallen short in this regard compared to other cultural Hindu nationalists.
