Indian Christians have sought President Droupadi Murmu’s intervention to end the rising religious persecution against them by hardline Hindu groups in many parts of the country.
Newsroom, June 10, 2025, Gaudium Press – Indian Christians, united under the Rashtriya Christian Morcha, have appealed to President Droupadi Murmu to address the escalating religious persecution they face from hardline Hindu groups across the country. On June 9, a 50-member delegation led by Atul Jacob submitted a memorandum to the district collector of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, who assured them it would be forwarded to the President.
“We were forced to write to the honorable president as Christians continue to face violent attacks and false cases of conversion in different parts of the country daily,” Jacob told UCA News on June 10.
The memorandum, representing India’s 2.3 percent Christian population within its 1.4 billion people, emphasized their commitment to constitutional values and secular principles. It highlighted the challenges faced, stating, “Despite this… right-wing Hindu groups constantly targeted us to the extent that in many states, even holding a routine prayer meeting has become troublesome for us.”
Particular concern was raised for Christians of Dalit and indigenous origins, who face discrimination and increasing hostility. The memorandum also addressed the misuse of anti-conversion laws in states like Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh, where Christian gatherings are falsely labeled as conversion activities. These laws, enforced in 11 states, criminalize conversions through allurement, force, or fraud but are often exploited to target minorities, particularly Christians and Muslims, according to rights activists.
In Chhattisgarh, the memorandum noted, “Christians are forced to flee from their villages after they were boycotted and were denied even a place for burying their dead.” The United Christian Forum (UCF) reports an alarming rise in violence, with 834 incidents recorded in 2024 and 245 from January to April 2025 across 19 states. These include physical violence, murder, sexual violence, intimidation, social boycotts, and attacks on religious properties.
The UCF data shows a steady increase in incidents: 127 in 2014, 142 in 2015, 226 in 2016, 248 in 2017, 292 in 2018, 328 in 2019, 279 in 2020, 505 in 2021, 601 in 2022, 734 in 2023, and 834 in 2024. On average, two incidents of violence against Christians occur daily.
The Christian community has urged President Murmu to protect their constitutional right to freely practice and propagate their religion, investigate attacks, punish perpetrators, and review anti-conversion laws. John David, a signatory, expressed hope, saying, “We are hopeful that the president will help us and ensure constitutional safeguards meant to protect minorities.”
Raju Hasmukh with data sourced from
– UCA News, “Indian Christians seek president’s help to end persecution,” June 10, 2025.
– United Christian Forum, Annual Report on Violence Against Christians in India, 2024.
– Rashtriya Christian Morcha, Memorandum to President Droupadi Murmu, June 9, 2025.
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