Tamil Nadu Bishops Slam Violence Against Christians, Demand Action

Chennai, Dec 27, 2025: The Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council has issued a strong statement condemning what it described as a growing pattern of attacks, threats, and false cases against minority communities in India, particularly Christians, warning that such incidents raise serious questions about the foundations of Indian democracy.

In a statement issued by its president, Archbishop George Anthonysamy of Madras-Mylapore, the Council said that Indian society has historically been “a strong community built on the foundation of pluralism,” where people of different religions have lived “as brothers and sisters,” calling this coexistence a distinctive hallmark of India. However, it noted that recent developments threaten this legacy.

The statement expressed deep shock over incidents reported from northern states during the Christmas season, including on Christmas Day, where peaceful worshippers were allegedly attacked during Christmas celebrations and religious services. The Council said it “strongly condemn[s] these acts,” describing them as alarming and unacceptable.

Recalling the constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion, equality, and equal dignity for all citizens, the Council said that attacks on Christians in various forms continue “unabated.” It listed incidents such as the vandalising of churches and prayer halls, disruptions and violence during Christian worship, physical and psychological attacks on priests, religious men and women and other pastoral workers, false cases filed in the name of religious conversion, police harassment, suspicion cast on Christian social service institutions, and administrative pressures exerted upon them, adding that “such actions persist even today.”

The Council further observed that many of these incidents often do not receive full and fair coverage in the media, even though their impact leaves “deep wounds in the lives of minority communities.” According to the statement, factors behind these attacks include extremist religious politics, misinformation and false propaganda regarding religious conversion, the misuse of anti-conversion laws, and the spread of fake news and hate speech through social media.

Emphasising that attacks against Christians do not harm only one community, the Council said such actions undermine the unity and democratic character of Indian society as a whole. It warned that continuing attacks create fear and insecurity among minority communities, erode trust in the rule of law, and strain interreligious relationships. The statement noted that, despite these challenges, the Christian community has largely responded peacefully and within the framework of the Constitution by pursuing legal remedies, promoting interreligious dialogue, and intensifying its commitment to social service, reflecting what it called “the noble spirit of Christianity.”

Calling for concrete action, the Council said that for Christians and all minority communities to live in safety, governments in power must firmly uphold the Constitution. It stressed that police and administrative authorities must act impartially and without discrimination, the media must responsibly report the truth, and citizens must choose humanity over hatred. “Only then,” it said, “can India truly shine as a nation where equality, freedom, and fraternity prevail for all.”

Describing freedom of religion as “the lifeblood of Indian democracy,” the statement said that peace, justice, and respect for others alone can offer a lasting response to the present challenges. The Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council concluded by appealing “lovingly” to all fellow citizens of different faiths in India to reject violence, renounce politics of hatred, and resolve to live together on this soil in peace and unity.

By Catholic Connect Reporter