CCBI Raises Alarm Over Minority Persecution, Appeals for Urgent Action

New Delhi, July 31, 2025 — The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) has expressed deep concern over the increasing violence against minorities in the country, particularly Christians. In a press note issued by the Office of Public Relations, the CCBI stated its full agreement with the recent statement by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) and recorded its grave distress at what it described as “systematic attacks under the current regime.”

Quoting data from the United Christian Forum (UCF), the CCBI highlighted a stark rise in violence over the past decade. The number of incidents rose from 127 in 2014 to 834 in 2024, with 378 attacks documented in just the first six months of 2025—an average of over two incidents daily. A total of 4,694 attacks have been reported since 2014, which the CCBI said “exposes a crisis of intolerance that stains India’s global standing as a tolerant democracy.”

Pointing to the recent incident involving two Catholic nuns at Durg railway station in Chhattisgarh, the CCBI condemned their “inhuman treatment,” noting that they were detained for 18 hours and later arrested and jailed on false charges. Their bail plea was rejected by the session court, which stated it lacked the competence to hear the case and referred the matter to the High Court. The CCBI stated that this case exemplifies “unchecked persecution.”

The statement also drew attention to the arrests of Fr. Anil CMI and Fr. Dominic Pinto, forced participation in Saraswati Pujas in Christian schools, socio-economic boycotts in Odisha, and a BJP MLA’s public bounty placed on clergy. These incidents, the CCBI said, “underscore state complicity and impunity.”

The statement highlighted that many of these attacks are orchestrated by extremist groups under the cover of anti-conversion laws. Such actions, it noted, violate fundamental constitutional rights, including the right to dignity, religious freedom (Article 25), and equality. “India’s secular fabric is fraying, damaging its international reputation and endangering pluralism,” it cautioned.

The CCBI urged the Government of India to:

• Investigate all attacks impartially and prosecute perpetrators.
• Safeguard religious freedom and halt discriminatory policies.
• Engage in dialogue with faith communities to rebuild trust.

“The world watches as India’s democracy is tested. We implore the government to uphold its constitutional duty to protect all citizens,” the statement concluded.

By Fr. Nigel Barrett

Office of Public Relations, CCBI

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