In 2023, news broke of 687 incidents of violence against Christians in India.
by Abdul Mussawer Safi
The annual 1 May 2024 report of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USRIF) has once again grabbed the attention of those looking closely at religious freedom in India. The report suggests a discriminatory attitude towards minorities such as Christians and Muslims. Dalits and Sikhs continue to deteriorate. Here, it is essential to mention that India is home to many religious groups and is a perfect example of a pluralistic society. Since 2014, when Modi of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) resumed office, the nationalistic tendencies in Indian society became intensified. The far-right group, BJP, through famous nationalistic slogans such as the creation of Hindu Rashtra, caught the public’s attention, and its actions are radical for Indian society.
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| Prime Minister Modi with his top enablers in the government |
The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), proclamations against conversion and cow slaughter, and other recent laws in India have all sought to limit religious freedom. According to the United States Department of State’s 2023 report on religious freedom worldwide, ten of the twenty-eight states have laws that restrict religious conversions in some way. These regulations have resulted in the arrest of Christians and Muslims, frequently on bogus allegations relating to conversion efforts. The study also raises concerns over the government’s capacity to safeguard religious minorities and acts of violence against them. Due to these concerns, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has recommended making India a country of Particular concern (CPC).
In 2023, news broke of 687 incidents of violence against Christians in India. Many people are concerned since the violent incidents have been on the rise. The construction of a new road inevitably led to the destruction of several historic mosques. In order to make way for a road, the 16th-century Shahi Masjid in Prayagraj and a 300-year-old mosque in the Muzaffarnagar district were demolished. Furthermore, vigilantes preyed on Muslim neighborhoods by making up stories about Muslims slaughtering animals. The awful loss of life is the devastating outcome of these right-wing conspiracy theories. Journalist Irfan Mehraj and human rights activist Khurram Parvez are among the Kashmiri activists unfairly arrested and punished by the Indian government in Jammu and Kashmir. Worryingly, indefinite punishment is being handed down as a result of individuals abusing anti-terrorism laws.
In February 2023, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) suspended the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) license of the Delhi-based think tank, the Centre for Policy Research (CPR), which mainly reports on social issues. This embargo hindered CPR’s ability to operate smoothly and cut into foreign donations. Authorities also searched the homes and offices of journalists linked with the non-profit news website NewsClick. A probe into allegations that NewsClick received money from China was launched because of the website’s infamously negative coverage of the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In addition, in June 2023, ethnic violence in the state of Manipur damaged more than 500 churches and two synagogues, forcing more than 70,000 people to evacuate their homes. Fights in Manipur killed at least 185 Christians from the Kuki-Zo ethnic group. These incidents highlight problems with media freedom and religious freedom in India.
As racial tensions rose in Haryana in July 2023, a Hindu march was organized by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP). While participating in the annual Brajmandal Yatra pilgrimage, Muslims and Hindus in Haryana’s Nuh area clashed violently. When police announced that Monu Manesar, a cow vigilante and Bajrang Dal member who sought the deaths of two Muslim men, would be participating in the march, the local Muslim community was understandably outraged. Violence, stone-throwing, and arson were used in their assault on the procession. Seven people tragically lost their lives as the situation deteriorated.
The assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia, in September 2023 was allegedly sanctioned by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. This occurred during Nijjar’s tenure as the spearhead of the movement for an independent Khalistani country. The criticism leveled against India by the defensive squad was characterized as “absurd.” After Article 370 was repealed and given significant autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian Supreme Court gave its permission in December 2023. The federal government oversaw the state’s division in 2019. The judgment stipulated that regional elections must be conducted before September 2024. Their ongoing dispute has impacted the political atmosphere in the region and ties between Pakistan and India.
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