Indian bishops meet PM Modi to discuss attacks on Christians

By Lisa Zengarini

The Catholic Bishops of India have voiced their concern about the increasing hostility Christians face in the country.

Meeting newly re-elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi  in New Delhi last week, a delegation of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI ) led by its president Archbishop Andrews Thazhath of Trichur, asked for his intervention to stop the violence and harassment of Christians, the Uca news agency reported.

Misuse of anti-conversion laws

During the 45-minute meeting, which the bishops described as “cordial”, the four-member delegation presented the leader of the Hindu nationalist Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) with a memorandum lamenting the misuse of anti-conversion laws and the increasing attacks carried out on Christians under the false pretext of forced conversions.

Discrimination

The memorandum also reiterated the Church’s longtime request to extend the special benefits reserved to low-cast Dalit people --such as quota in government jobs and educational institutions and financial aid --  to Christian Dalits. Christian and Muslim Dalits continue to be excluded from these concessions introduced after the independence of India, on the ground that Christianity and Islam don’t’ not follow the caste system.

The Church leaders further asked PM Modi not to stop the government's special benefits that tribal Christians now receive, as demanded by some Hindu groups. According to these groups Christian tribal people do not follow the tribal religions and so should not be considered tribal once converted.

The memorandum informed PM Modi about the long absence of Christian representation in the National Commissions for Minorities and for Minority Educational Institutions and asked for the appointment of Christians in these institutions

Undue challenges for Christian NGOs

It also expressed concern over the “undue challenges” Christian NGOs face when they have to renew their registration under the FCRA (Foreign Currency Regulation Act) highlighting the Christian community's significant contributions, particularly in education, healthcare, and social welfare.

Modi's invitation to Pope Francis to visit India

The memorandum  hailed the invitation Modi addressed to Pope Francis to visit India, during the June Outreach session of the G7 Summit in southern Italy and called for continued efforts to accelerate the process of bringing the Pope to India.

During the meeting the delegation also sought Modi’s  intervention in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur where an ethnic violence has raged since May 3, 2023.