‘Inviting Modi for Christmas event ignores plight of persecuted Christians,’ says citizens’ group
The prime minister is scheduled to attend festivities hosted by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India in New Delhi on Monday evening.
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A group of 196 citizens, many of them Christian, on Monday criticised the invitation extended to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Christmas celebrations hosted by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India in New Delhi.
The prime minister is expected to attend the religious event at 6.30 pm on Monday, where he will share the stage with key Church leaders including cardinals and bishops. It is reportedly the first time that a prime minister is attending such a programme at the headquarters of the Catholic Church in India.
In a statement, the group said that engaging the prime minister, who has been criticised for his inaction in protecting the rights of Christians, ignores the plight of community members who face persecution in India.
The statement’s signatories include Mahatma Gandhi’s great-grandson Tushar Gandhi, Communist Party of India leader Annie Raja and Jesuit priest Father Cedric Prakash.
The group cited “Hindutva nationalism” as the main reason for an alleged rise in violence against Christians in India, particularly in rural areas.
The group cited data gathered by the Evangelical Fellowship of India to say that there were 327 incidents of violence against Christians in India in 2021. According to the United Christian Forum, the number there were 486 such incidents in 2022.
The statement also claimed that...
