In an appeal to the U.S. State Department, over 300 Christian leaders from the United States have urged the inclusion of India on a watchlist for the world’s most severe violators of religious freedom. This request was articulated in a letter dated August 1, which was orchestrated by the Federation of Indian-American Christian Organizations in North America (FIACONA). The letter specifically calls for India to be classified as a “country of particular concern” (CPC).
The Christian leaders expressed their alarm over the escalating violence against Christians in India, which they assert has surged since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rose to power in 2014. According to FIACONA’s data, there were 1,570 recorded attacks on Christians in 2023, marking an increase from the 1,198 attacks reported in 2022.
The letter’s signatories represent a wide spectrum of Christian denominations and organizations. Among them are 18 bishops, three archbishops, and 167 clergy members from a variety of denominational and nondenominational backgrounds. Additionally, the list includes eight current or former presidents and deans from five theological institutions and leaders from more than 40 Christian organizations.
Pieter Friedrich, a FIACONA board member and a journalist with expertise in South Asian affairs, voiced his concerns over the silence of the U.S. Church regarding the situation in India. “The U.S. Church is tragically silent as India becomes not only our nation’s greatest ally in Asia but also the most dangerous democracy in the world for Christians,” Friedrich remarked. He added, “It is encouraging to see the narrative shift as, finally, hundreds of Christian leaders from diverse backgrounds raise a voice for the persecuted Church in India.”
The letter has garnered support from leaders beyond the Protestant community. Notably, several Catholic priests and Bishop Mar Joy Alappat of the St. Thomas Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Chicago are also signatories. The Syro-Malabar Church, an Eastern Catholic church in full communion with Rome, is primarily based in the Indian state of Kerala.
The U.S. Department of State defines a “country of particular concern” as one that has been involved in or has tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom. For years, human rights activists and experts have advocated for India’s inclusion in the CPC list and have expressed their dismay over the country’s exclusion in recent years, alongside other nations like Nigeria.
Beyond requesting the CPC designation for India, the August 1 letter also implores the U.S. State Department to hold the Indian government accountable for upholding equal human rights for all religious communities. It further suggests that the U.S. consider imposing targeted sanctions on Indian government agencies and officials who are responsible for severe violations of religious freedom and human rights. Additionally, the letter calls for support of independent religious organizations and human rights groups both in India and the U.S. that have been targeted for their advocacy of religious freedom and human rights.
In its coverage, CNA highlighted several instances of attacks on Christians in India, often driven by anti-Christian, Hindu nationalist sentiments. A notable example includes the situation in the northeastern state of Manipur, governed by the BJP, where ongoing ethnic conflict has led to widespread chaos and the deaths of hundreds of Christians since the previous year. Furthermore, there have been reports of the persecution of Sikhs, a minority religious group in the northwestern state of Punjab, India.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has voiced its alarm over India’s growing transnational targeting of religious minorities and those advocating on their behalf. A 2023 USCIRF report listed India among the countries where religious persecution is most prevalent. The commission’s concerns were reiterated as recently as May, emphasizing the deteriorating conditions for religious freedom in India.