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ISLAMABAD: US-based Christian leaders have urged India to withdraw the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, warning it could allow seizure of assets belonging to religious and charitable organizations, Indian media reported.&nbsp;According to The Wire, the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC), one of the largest Latino-Christian organizations in the United States, raised concerns over the proposed legislation in a letter addressed to the Indian government.&nbsp;&nbsp;The letter, signed by NHCLC President Rev. Samuel Rodriguez and evangelical leader Rev. Johnnie Moore, called on New Delhi not just to defer but to withdraw the bill, which was introduced on March 25.&nbsp;The bill, <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/india-could-seize-catholic-church-assets-under-sweeping-new-law" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">tabled in the Lok Sabha</a>, India&#39;s lower house of parliament, seeks to amend the existing law governing how Indian organisations receive and use funding from abroad.&nbsp;According to the report, the leaders said the legislation would empower authorities to seize assets built by charities if their foreign funding registration lapses or is cancelled, even due to procedural delays.&nbsp;They argued that Christian organizations in India have long contributed to social welfare, including building schools, hospitals and orphanages, particularly for underprivileged communities.&nbsp;The letter warned that donors from countries including the United States could pursue legal action if their contributions were subjected to seizure, stressing that funds were meant to support the poor, &ldquo;not to subsidise the Indian state.&rdquo;&nbsp;The leaders also urged India to ensure fair and reciprocal treatment for faith-based organizations, noting that Indian groups operate freely in the United States.&nbsp;They called for dialogue with Christian communities before any further steps on the legislation. Last week,&nbsp;<span style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);'>the Catholic Bishops&#39; Conference of India (the apex body representing the country&#39;s Roman Catholic clergy) termed the Foreign Contribution Regulation Amendment Bill as posing a direct threat to constitutionally <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/indian-gujarats-uniform-civil-code-sparks-minority-rights-concerns" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; color: rgb(0, 115, 230); text-decoration: inherit; scroll-behavior: auto !important; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif;'>protected minority</a> <span style='box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);'>freedoms.<br style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; scroll-behavior: auto !important; font-family: Roboto, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, sans-serif;">As per the CBCI, the amendment would allow the federal government, acting as the licensing authority under the law, to deny or cancel an organization&#39;s registration and subsequently transfer control of its institutions, funds, properties, and assets to a newly proposed government authority.

Christian devotees attend mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church near Campbell Bay on Great Nicobar Island on March 27, 2026. (Photo: AFP/File)

India

They say the legislation would empower authorities to seize assets built by charities if their foreign funding registration lapses or is cancelled, even due to procedural delays.

US Christian leaders urge India to withdraw FCRA amendment bill: Report

ISLAMABAD: Anti-Christian hate speech in India intensified sharply in 2025, according to data compiled by India Hate Lab, reflecting a broader escalation in religious polarization linked to Hindu nationalist mobilization. The organization documented more than 162 distinct incidents targeting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/replace-nursery-rhymes-with-firearms-training-hindu-nationalist-tells-indian-parents" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Christians</a> during the year, a 41% increase from the 115 incidents recorded in 2024. The report notes a growing normalization of explicit threats, calls for organized action, and vigilante rhetoric. A widening range of actors, including religious preachers, far-right organizations, and elected officials, contributed to an increasingly militant anti-Christian narrative. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad-Bajrang Dal organized 50 events featuring <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/opposition-slams-indias-ruling-bjp-after-attack-on-christian-pastor" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">anti-Christian</a> speeches, while the Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad&ndash;Rashtriya Bajrang Dal organized 16. States governed by the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/india-antiminority-speeches-at-rss-centenary-convention" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bharatiya Janata Party</a>, either directly or through coalitions, accounted for 134 of the recorded incidents. Speeches frequently framed Christians alongside Muslims as part of a &ldquo;dual threat,&rdquo; often labeled &ldquo;vidharmis,&rdquo; a pejorative term used to describe followers of religions portrayed as foreign or hostile to Hindu society. Across multiple events, speakers called for economic boycotts, destruction of churches, and physical violence. &lsquo;Forced conversion&rsquo;&nbsp;Central to this rhetoric was the &ldquo;forced conversion&rdquo; narrative, which alleged that Christian charity, education, and healthcare services were deceptive tools to induce religious conversion, particularly among poor and Adivasi communities. Several incidents illustrated this trend. In January, at events in Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh, Bajrang Dal leader Azad Prem Singh openly called for the demolition of churches and invoked the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition as a precedent. Similar rhetoric was reported across states, including Punjab, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh, with some speakers urging followers to arm themselves or take oaths to use weapons to defend Hinduism. Xenophobic narrativesThe report also highlights increasing attacks on Christian institutions, particularly missionary schools, which were labeled as harmful or subversive. A parallel rise in xenophobic narratives framed Christians as foreign loyalists tied to colonial powers or the Vatican. Civil society data underscores the impact of this rhetoric. Christian organizations reported hundreds of violent incidents annually, with significant increases over the past decade. India Hate Lab concluded that anti-Christian hate speech in 2025 has become structurally embedded within the same ecosystem that targets Muslims, contributing to sustained risks of violence, exclusion, and legal persecution for Christian communities.

Speeches frequently framed Christians alongside Muslims as part of a 'dual threat,' often labeled 'vidharmis,' a pejorative term used to describe followers of religions portrayed as foreign or hostile to Hindu society.

Anti-Christian hate speech in India surges 41% in 2025: Report 

ISLAMABAD: A violent attack on a Christian pastor in Odisha&rsquo;s Dhenkanal district has drawn nationwide outrage, with the opposition Indian National Congress (INC) calling it a &ldquo;new low&rdquo; that has shamed the nation&rsquo;s conscience. The INC in a post on Facebook on Wednesday condemned India&rsquo;s ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) government for what it called &lsquo;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/india-witnessed-over-1300-events-of-hate-speech-in-2025-report" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">jungle raj</a>&rsquo; or rule of the jungle in the country.&nbsp; On Jan. 4, Pastor Bipin Bihari Naik, along with his family and a few others, was attending a prayer meeting at a house in Parjang village, a predominantly Hindu area with only seven Christian families.&nbsp; According to Indian media reports, a mob of around 40 people from the Bajrang Dal forcibly entered the house, alleging that Naik was conducting forced religious conversions.Naik and those present were brutally beaten.&nbsp; The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/india-sees-surge-in-attacks-on-christians-muslims-under-modi-wsj" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">pastor</a>was tied to a Hanuman temple, red Sindoor was smeared across his face, and a garland of slippers was placed around his neck.&nbsp;&nbsp;Forced to eat cow dung&nbsp;He was then coerced into eating cow dung while being slapped repeatedly and forced to chant &ldquo;Jai Shri Ram.&rdquo;&nbsp; Vandana Naik, the pastor&rsquo;s wife, recounted that despite repeated pleas, the police did not intervene promptly.&nbsp; He was later taken to the local police station but left without immediate medical assistance.&nbsp;&lsquo;Blot on humanity&rsquo;The INC condemned the attack, stating that it represents a &ldquo;blot on humanity and civilized society&rdquo; and reflects the rising trend of crimes against minorities since 2014. &ldquo;Mobs have been emboldened, violence normalized, and minorities persecuted under the current government&rsquo;s divisive politics,&rdquo; the party said in the Facebook post. A social activist stated that Pastor Naik was made to sit at the police station for nearly an hour without medical care, highlighting the failure of authorities to protect victims promptly, Indian media reported.&nbsp; While a police complaint has been registered, a counter FIR accusing Naik of forced conversion was also filed, intensifying tensions in the village. The incident has ignited calls for strict action against those responsible, with political leaders stressing that the pastor and his family deserve justice under the Constitution of India. Congress emphasized that it will continue to fight for minority rights, asserting that such acts of mob violence mark &ldquo;the true face of the BJP&rdquo; and a new low in the country&rsquo;s governance.&nbsp;

The pastor was reportedly coerced into eating cow dung while being slapped repeatedly and forced to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’; Congress has asserted such acts of mob violence mark ‘the true face of the BJP’.

Opposition slams India’s ruling BJP after attack on Christian pastor 

ISLAMABAD: Six members of the Bajrang Dal who were arrested for allegedly vandalizing Christmas decorations at Raipur&rsquo;s Magneto Mall were released on bail this week, a development that sparked controversy after public celebrations and provocative slogans marked their release, Indian media reported. Bajrang Dal is a right-wing Hindu nationalist youth organization affiliated with the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, known for activism around Hindutva issues in India. The incident dates back to Dec. 24, when a group of men allegedly barged into the mall armed with sticks and damaged Christmas-themed decorations a day ahead of the festival. Vandalism&nbsp;Videos of the vandalism circulated widely on social media, showing festive installations being destroyed in the presence of shoppers and staff.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 600px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2004056933062549907&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=3e0b7d10fff2d541d135e8c2f166b52a2a9a97f9&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Police later arrested six Bajrang Dal workers on Dec. 27 in connection with the incident. A magistrate&#39;s court in Raipur initially denied bail to the accused. However, a sessions court subsequently granted them bail, following which the six walked out of jail on Thursday. Their release was followed by a procession organized by supporters, who welcomed them with garlands, drums, and celebratory music. &lsquo;Isai missionary murdabad&rsquo;Videos shared online showed the men being carried on shoulders while slogans such as &ldquo;Isai missionary murdabad&rdquo; (Death to Christian Missionaries) and &ldquo;Jai Shri Ram&rdquo; (Victory to Lord Ram) were raised.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 1074px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2007311600441835520&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fmedia-library%2F&sessionId=3e0b7d10fff2d541d135e8c2f166b52a2a9a97f9&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Bajrang Dal state coordinator Rishi Mishra defended the celebration, stating that there was nothing inappropriate about organizing a procession for those released on bail, Indian media reported. He claimed the incident was linked to protests against alleged religious conversions in Chhattisgarh and said slogans reflected that sentiment. The vandalism occurred on the day a Hindutva group had called for a state-wide &quot;bandh&quot; (shutdown) to protest alleged illegal religious conversions. The bandh followed communal tensions in Bade Teoda village of Kanker district, where clashes broke out on Dec. 16 and 17 over the burial of a Christian individual. Public show of intimidation&nbsp;Fresh violence was reported from the same village on Dec. 18 after a mob breached police barricades. A case against the six accused has been registered at the Telibandha Police Station under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including trespassing, causing damage to property, rioting, unlawful assembly, and causing hurt. Civil society groups and minority organizations have criticized the celebratory welcome, arguing that it turns a routine legal process into a public show of intimidation. Police officials said investigations into the Magneto Mall vandalism are ongoing and that legal proceedings will continue.

Six Bajrang Dal members accused of vandalizing Christmas decorations at Raipur’s Magneto Mall were released on bail and publicly welcomed by supporters with garlands, drums, and slogans, drawing criticism and highlighting continuing communal tensions in India.

In India, right-wing Hindu militants celebrated after bail in Christmas vandalism case

ISLAMABAD: India&rsquo;s opposition party Congress has strongly criticized the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party following the arrest of a Christian priest and 11 others during a Christmas prayer meeting in Nagpur, Maharashtra, alleging that the incident reflected a &ldquo;hate-filled agenda of religious bigotry.&rdquo; According to party leaders, Maharashtra police arrested 12 people, including Father Sudhir, a Malayali priest of the Church of South India (CSI) South Kerala Diocese, Nagpur Mission, and his wife Jasmine, after a complaint was allegedly filed by activists of the right-wing Bajrang Dal, Indian media reported on Wednesday. Bajrang Dal is a right‑wing activist group in India often described as a hardline outfit affiliated with the Vishva Hindu Parishad that mobilizes youth around Hindu nationalist causes and has frequently featured in media reports on communal tensions and protests. The arrests reportedly took place around 8 p.m. on Wednesday while a Christmas prayer meeting was underway in Nagpur. Congress leaders further claimed that some individuals who later went to the police station to enquire about the arrests were also taken into custody, and cases were registered against them. &lsquo;Unlivable for all minorities&rsquo;Congress MP and general secretary K.C. Venugopal described the incident as &ldquo;highly condemnable&rdquo; in a post on X, alleging that the BJP was &ldquo;using the state machinery to harass Christians under the bogus pretense of religious conversions.&rdquo; He said that growing polarization had made life &ldquo;unlivable for all minorities&rdquo; in BJP-ruled states and demanded the immediate withdrawal of the FIR against the priest.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 345px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2006346591884497255&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=540f4e4c6e04dafb7862c8f834f012a856302552&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Venugopal also called for strict action against those he described as &ldquo;Bajrang Dal goons,&rdquo; alleging their actions led to what he termed a &ldquo;frivolous case.&rdquo; &ldquo;Those who take law into their own hands and destroy the secular fabric envisioned in our Constitution must be the ones receiving punishment, not innocent citizens,&rdquo; Venugopal said.&nbsp;Call for urgent intervention&nbsp;Kerala Assembly Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan also condemned the arrests and sought urgent intervention from the center and the Maharashtra government. Tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in a post on X, he demanded the immediate release of all those arrested.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 624px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2006290744508834178&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=540f4e4c6e04dafb7862c8f834f012a856302552&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>In a letter, Satheesan stated that Father Sudhir is a native of Amaravila in Thiruvananthapuram district and has been serving in Maharashtra for the past five years, while the remaining 10 arrested individuals are residents of Maharashtra. He said all those detained were being held at the Benoda Police Station and were likely to be produced before a court shortly, noting that attempts by CSI representatives to secure bail at the police station were unsuccessful. Describing the episode as alarming, Satheesan said the arrests raised serious concerns about violations of constitutional rights, particularly the freedom to profess, practice, and propagate religion.

Opposition leaders condemn the arrest of Father Sudhir and 11 others during a Christmas prayer in Nagpur, accusing the BJP and Bajrang Dal of harassment and demanding the immediate release of those arrested.

Congress condemns India’s ruling BJP over Nagpur Christian priest’s arrest

ISLAMABAD: The United Christian Forum (UCF), in a letter to Indian Home Minister Amit Shah, said that it had documented an alarming increase in incidents targeting Christians across India as of November 2025. The UCF is an Indian civil society organization that works on issues related to the protection of Christians&rsquo; rights, documenting violence and discrimination against the community, and advocating for religious freedom and social justice in the South Asian country. According to an Indian media report, in the letter dated Dec. 23, the UCF said that 834 incidents of violence against Christians were recorded in 2024, averaging 69.5 incidents per month over the past 10 years. It said that allegations of fraudulent religious conversions were cited as the primary reason for many of these attacks. UCF identified Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh as the states reporting the highest number of incidents, with 157 and 184 cases, respectively, till November 2025. Burial-related disputes&nbsp;The letter highlighted burial-related disputes in tribal regions, stating that Christians were routinely denied burial space and, in some cases, forced to exhume the bodies of their dead. According to the forum, 23 burial-related incidents were recorded in 2025, including 19 in Chhattisgarh, two in Jharkhand, and one each in Odisha and West Bengal. It further stated that around 40 such incidents were recorded in 2024, with 30 reported from Chhattisgarh, six from Jharkhand, and others from Bihar and Karnataka. The letter cited specific incidents, including one on Dec. 15 in Kanker district, Chhattisgarh, where a body buried according to Christian rites was allegedly sought to be exhumed by a mob. Disruption of prayer meetings&nbsp;It also referred to a burial being denied in Balod district in November 2025 and another incident in Odisha&rsquo;s Nabarangpur district in April 2025, where a body was exhumed and burnt after the family reportedly refused to renounce Christianity. UCF referred to a report by the People&rsquo;s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), Karnataka, which documented alleged police collusion with Hindutva groups, disruption of Christian prayer meetings, and the filing of complaints under sections 295A and 298 of the Indian Penal Code. The letter also noted that freedom of religion laws, commonly referred to as anti-conversion laws, were in force in 12 Indian states and stated that, in practice, these laws target religious minorities. Increase in attack incidents&nbsp;<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/34f0dcf2-5566-432c-8f1d-2e0a0f5f6da6.png" style="width: 482px;" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-fir">The forum cited an Article 14 analysis of police reports registered under conversion laws in Uttar Pradesh, stating that many were based on third-party complaints. It also referred to recent incidents in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh involving arrests, demolitions, and cases registered during prayer gatherings and Christmas celebrations. According to other Indian media reports, the UCF has earlier pointed to a steep rise in cases of attacks against Christians in India over the past decade, with annual incidents increasing from 127 in 2014 to 834 in 2024. According to UCF data, violence has increased significantly since 2014 (graph).

India's United Christian Forum has highlighted a steep rise in cases of attacks against Christians in India over the past decade, with annual incidents increasing from 127 in 2014 to 834 in 2024.

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