Concerns Rise Over Attacks on Christians During Christmas Celebrations
Growing Alarm Over Christmas Attacks
The National People’s Party (NPP), which partners with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has voiced serious concerns regarding the harassment and vandalism faced by Christian communities in various states during the Christmas period, as reported by a local news outlet.
Throughout December, numerous reports emerged detailing assaults on Christians and interruptions to Christmas festivities in locations such as Raipur in Chhattisgarh, Nalbari in Assam, Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, Palakkad in Kerala, Haridwar in Uttarakhand, and Delhi.
In response, Hamletson Dohling, the NPP’s working president in Meghalaya, stated that the party intends to urge the Meghalaya government to communicate with the relevant state authorities, demanding decisive action to avert such incidents.
“We firmly denounce these occurrences and insist they must not happen again,” Dohling remarked. “We cannot accept or tolerate such behavior.”
He also mentioned that he had shared the party's concerns directly with Conrad K Sangma, the Chief Minister of Meghalaya and party leader.
Dohling cautioned that if extremist actions go unchecked, they could undermine the secular nature of the nation, as highlighted by the local news outlet.
Additionally, the Nagaland Baptist Church Council addressed an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing “grave concern” and “deep regret” regarding the rise in attacks on Christians, particularly during the Christmas season, and called for his intervention.
The council referenced data from the United Christians Forum, which documented over 600 incidents of violence from January to October, including mob violence, public shaming, church disruptions, and home demolitions.
In their letter, signed by senior church officials, they noted the “bitter irony” that in the world’s largest democracy, individuals faced violence for celebrating Christmas, suggesting that the freedom to practice one’s faith is becoming increasingly elusive.
Similarly, the North East Catholic Research Forum, an NGO of Catholic scholars and social workers, urged Modi to publicly condemn the attacks on Christians, asserting that these were not isolated incidents but rather systematic and well-coordinated actions by identifiable organizations.
In contrast, the BJP’s Meghalaya unit dismissed allegations that minorities were at risk under their governance. State BJP general secretary Wankitbok Pohshna stated that the party does not support violence against any religious group and claimed that minority communities have benefited from government initiatives.
Pohshna emphasized that prompt actions, including arrests, had been made in response to reported incidents, labeling those responsible as fringe elements whose actions should not be generalized.