UKHRUL: The National People’s Youth Front (NPYF) of the National People’s Party has sought the intervention of the party’s national president over the rising attacks on Christians in India.
Seeking the party chief’s intervention concerning the growing instances of harassment, intimidation, and targeted persecution being faced by members of the Christian community in different parts of the country, the NPYF cited recent incidents, including the harassment of a young boy in Odisha for selling Santa Claus attire by the roadside, the intimidation of women in Delhi for wearing Christmas-related festive clothing, and the baseless accusations of religious conversion.
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Such incidents point towards a deeply troubling pattern of religious intolerance and mob vigilantism, the NPYF stated in its letter to the president, adding “These incidents cannot be viewed in isolation; rather, they indicate an emerging climate of fear among minority communities, particularly Christians, who are merely exercising their constitutionally guaranteed right to practice and express their faith peacefully.”
The NPYF further stated that acts of harassment during the solemn period, a time when Christians across India are reverently and joyfully commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ – the most sacred and central event in the Christian faith, deeply hurt religious sentiments and undermine India’s long-cherished traditions of pluralism, mutual respect, and communal harmony.
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It appealed to the party chief to take up the matter with the Union Home Minister and urge the Home Affairs Ministry to ensure prompt and strict legal action against individuals and groups engaged in religious intimidation and vigilantism; issue clear and enforceable directives to state governments and law-enforcement agencies to safeguard the rights, dignity, and security of the Christian community; and reaffirm the Government of India’s commitment to protecting freedom of religion as enshrined in the Constitution.
“India’s moral and democratic strength lies in its diversity and its unwavering constitutional commitment to secularism. Any form of religious persecution, whether overt or subtle, poses a serious threat to the nation’s social fabric and erodes public confidence in the rule of law. It is therefore imperative that such tendencies are addressed firmly, lawfully, and without discrimination,” it added.
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