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Christians in India have formally appealed to President Droupadi Murmu, urging her to intervene in what they describe as an intensifying campaign of violence and discrimination at the hands of Hindu nationalist groups.
On June 9, representatives from Christian communities across denominations submitted a formal appeal in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, urging Murmu to step in as incidents of harassment and violence continue to rise, UCA News reported. The petition, delivered through the local district collector, outlines a wide range of concerns, including the misuse of anti-conversion laws and repeated threats against Christian gatherings.
Atul Joseph, who led the 50-person delegation under the umbrella group Rashtriya Christian Morcha, said they acted out of necessity.
“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,” he told UCA News.
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The appeal outlines how laws intended to curb coercive religious conversions are instead being used to justify raids on churches and disruptions of prayer meetings. Christians from Dalit and tribal backgrounds, the memorandum says, have borne the brunt of social and physical violence in states like Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh.
Despite making up only a small percentage of India’s population — about 2.3% — Christian communities say they are increasingly targeted by Hindu nationalist groups. The document describes the current climate as one where even routine worship has become “troublesome.”
A recent report from the United Christian Forum (UCF) supports these claims. According to UCF data, Christians in India reported 834 incidents of violence in 2024, up from 734 the year before. The trend shows no sign of slowing in 2025, with 245 incidents already recorded in the first four months of the year. These range from physical assaults and threats to vandalism of churches and disruptions of religious services.
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The petition also urges the president to ensure proper legal accountability. Signatories called for “a free and fair probe into all the incidents of attacks against Christians” and asked that existing laws be reassessed.
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