The United Christian Forum said Christian citizens have staged protest demonstrations in the national capital perhaps not more than five times in the seven decades since Independence but due to the sharp rise in hate and targeted violence against the community, they have been forced to hold a protest.
Members of the Christian community in Delhi-NCR held a protest at Jantar Mantar Sunday against what they said is an escalation of hate and violence against Christians in several states in the country. About 100 churches and organisations participated in the protest.
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Dr Michael William, president of the United Christian Forum, said: “Today we’ve gathered here peacefully at Jantar Mantar because we want to share the anguish of our fellow citizens who also follow the Christian faith in the states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and so many other places where their basic fundamental rights are being snatched.”
“We are standing up on their behalf… We are also going to be submitting a memorandum to the President of India,” he added.
Other protestors also expressed similar views. “As per our Constitution, we have the freedom to exercise our faith. But I don’t know why we are being attacked. The government comes to our help, but (it’s) not enough, it’s sad that they are not so supportive of us…,” said Father Arul Anthony (70).
Bhaskar (45), who is a pastor at New Life Church, added: “As per our Constitution, it is our freedom to exercise and profess whatever we believe in. We are asking our government for protection because there is a lot of killing of Christians and we are also wrongfully accused of religious conversion.”
A statement issued by the Delhi-NCR Christian community stated: “The UCF, a human rights group based in New Delhi that monitors atrocities against Christians in India, has recorded a total of 598 incidents of violence against Christians from 21 states this year alone, till the end of December 2022.”
It added: “The memorandum will remind national and state leaders that impunity has crossed all limits… armed mobs besiege Christian homes in Chhattisgarh villages on trumped up charges of mass conversions. The villagers have to flee for their lives and many, even now, have not been able to go back home.”
