Most of the incidents are linked to extremist religious groups responsible for attacking people before handing them over to the police, under charges of promoting “forced conversions.”

Newsroom (04/01/2022 6:35 PM, Gaudium Press) For Christians residing in India, 2021 was not an easy year. According to the “United Christian Forum” report, there were 486 attacks registered in the last 12 months. For Christians, 2021 became the most violent year in India’s history.

Most of the incidents are linked to extremist religious groups responsible for attacking people before handing them over to the police, under charges of promoting “forced conversions.”

The United Christian Forum considers impunity as the leading cause of religious persecution.

Extremism on the rise

Since the beginning of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party government in 2014, persecution against religious minorities has increased every year.

Just a few days ago, the state of Karnataka became the tenth Indian state to pass the so-called ‘anti-conversion law.‘

Observers and Human rights activists are increasingly denouncing the anti-conversion law as a tool in the hands of Hindu extremists used to charge and imprison Catholics under the accusation of ‘forcibly converting’ Hindu individuals through money, meals and other benefits.

Currently, India ranks tenth among the top countries persecuting Christians. The New Year has started on a dark tone, namely around the controversy surrounding the ban on international donations to the Missionaries of Charity, a religious order founded by Mother Teresa of Calcutta. (FM)