Speakers at the event stressed the need for the media, as the fourth pillar of democracy, to provide space for their concerns and to question the government regarding these attacks.
Mohammad Alamullah | Clarion India
NEW DELHI – Christian community leaders, intellectuals, and activists have voiced their concerns over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on incidents of violence against Christians across the country.
At an event at Press Club of India here on Friday, they slammed the prime minister for maintaining silence on incidents of violence against Christians, despite sharing a meal with Christian representatives at his residence recently.
Organised as a form of protest under the banner of Anhad, the press conference included prominent figures such as John Dayal, A.C. Michael, Meenakshi Singh, Mary Scaria, Prof. Apoorvanand, and Shabnam Hashmi.
The protest stemmed from the prime minister’s meeting with selected Christian religious leaders on December 25, where he emphasised his long-standing relationship with the Christian community. However, speakers at the press conference pointed out that incidents of violence against Christians occurred on the same day and the following day. And the prime minister did not say a word on the issue, they said.
They questioned the government’s silence when churches, priests, and followers face attacks, arrests, and accusations of religious conversion. A.C. Michael, President of the Catholic Federation of Delhi, stated that the community’s sole demand from Prime Minister Modi is meaningful steps to ensure their security, emphasising that harassment cases against Christians continue to surface.
The meeting highlighted incidents of anti-Christian violence, particularly a case where a tribal Christian family faced accusations of religious conversion during their daughter’s promotion celebration. The speakers stressed the need for the media, as the fourth pillar of democracy, to provide space for their concerns and to question the government regarding these attacks.
Speakers, including Prof. Apoorvanand, criticised the government’s failure to address attacks on minorities in the country. They pointed out the apparent double standards in the government’s response to attacks on religious institutions abroad, where statements are made for some religions but not others.
Speakers said persecution of Christians is widespread, and there is a deep-seated hatred against the community. They expressed concerns that the government’s actions, such as withdrawing the FCRA from churches and NGOs and using investigative agencies against Christian leaders, indicate an effort to erase the community’s existence.
The speakers urged the prime minister to take concrete steps beyond speeches to ensure the security of the Christian community and address the rising incidents of violence against religious minorities in the country.
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Photo: Organised as a form of protest under the banner of Anhad, the press conference included prominent figures such as John Dayal, A.C. Michael, Meenakshi Singh, Mary Scaria, Prof. Apoorvanand, and Shabnam Hashmi.
