According to the Annual Report on Hate Crimes against Christians in India in 2017 released by the Religious Liberty Commission of the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFIRLC), last year was one of the most traumatic for the Christian community in India since the mass targeted violence of the Kandhamal pogrom in 2007 and 2008. As per the report, among the Indian states, Tamil Nadu is the most hostile to Christians (52 cases of violence), followed by Uttar Pradesh (50), Chhattisgarh (43), Maharashtra (38) and Madhya Pradesh (36).
As reported by heraldmalaysia, Rev Vijayesh Lal, General Secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) and the latter’s national director of the Religious Liberty Commission, stated that “It is distressing to see even private worship being attacked by Hindu right-wing activists violating the privacy and sanctity of an individual or a family and trampling upon their constitutional rights.” Further, he added, “Sadly, attacks on Churches on Sundays and other important days of worship such as Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Easter and Christmas have increased.” At the same time, “law enforcement agencies are increasingly being used by non-state actors to stop and disrupt worship in Churches.”
Rev. Vijayesh Lal concluded his remarks by reminding that this must stop, and the various state governments and the union government, must move beyond mere lip service and uphold fundamental rights especially the right to Freedom of Religion or Belief.
Source: www.herladmalaysia.com
