New DelhiReleasing a Fact Finding Report on violent attacks on the Christian minority and their places of worship in UP and other parts of the country, prominent activists and journalists on Thursday described hate attacks as well-organized, pre-planned and executed with the active support of police and administration. They also slammed media and human rights groups for ignoring atrocities and persecution of Christians in India.

Addressing a press conference at the Press Club of India here, the fact finding team members said the violence against Muslims in India which has now become pan Indian needs to be seen with the violence and vendetta against Christians. Unfortunately the media tends to ignore the violence against Christian as 305 incidents of violence were reported in the first eight year alone, they said. In the wake of the massive surge in the recent attacks against the Christian community, rights groups United against Hate Along with Association for Protection of Civil Rights and United Christian Forum sent a joint team to the affected places. They published a report under the title “Christians under Attack in India”.

The report provides graphic details of the major incidents. According to it, “As many as 305 incidents reported in the current year. On October 3, 18 incidents were reported in a single day. September 2021 witnessed the highest number of incidents with 69 followed by 50 in August, 37 in January, 33 in July, 27 in March, April and June, 20 in February and 15 in Month of May. Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh recorded 169 incidents of Violence against Christians in total in the last nine months with Karnataka with 32 incidents of hate incidents against Christians.

Injured

Over one thousand (1331) women were injured in these incidents and over four hundred Tribals (588) and Dalits (513). Nearly Three hundred incidents of mob attacks/violence were reported in these eight months.

Damages

Twenty-eight incidents of causing damage to the places of worship/Churches too were reported. Police or/other concerned authorities disallowed 85 times the assembly of people for religious activities under one pretext or the other.

FIRs

Ten Fresh cases were filed under the Freedom of Religion Act in this year. Recent one is the attack by over 200 Hindutva mobs in a Church in Roorkee, Uttarakhand on 3rd October, 2021.”

The Fact Finding Report by the team recorded g testimonies of victims during vandalisation of Church in Roorkee noting that despite prior complaints by Lance family Roorkee Police did not provide security to the Church and family prior to attack, at the time of attack police were informed and calls were made to Civil Lines police station which is less than a kilometer away from the Church but the police team arrived when the violent mob dispersed on its own after the attack and prima facie attack looked meticulously planned to build a fake narrative of conversion. Breaking of CCTV cameras at the entrance of the prayer hall and taking away the DVR indicate the planning and motive of not leaving evidence behind. The Report records that the daughter of the pastor was molested by a man with the mob while some women slapped and abused her and also snatched her phone away.

The Report also records the testimonies of victims of 89 other incidents of hate crime against Christians like the recent attack of Hindutva Mob on Christians at Mau, targeting of two nuns at Mau by extremist groups etc. in different parts of the country in recent past.

Pearl, Sadhana and Eva, the victims of violence that took place in Roorkee on October 3, 2021 described the horrific incident. A Hindutva mob of around 300 people barged in the church and vandalised it. CCTV cameras were destroyed, Christian worshippers molested and beaten. They pointed out that the attackers were people from the neighbourhood and well educated. No arrests have been made and the harassment hasn’t stopped even after two weeks of the violence.

Speaking on the occasion, A.C. Michael, National Coordinator of United Christian Forum, defined the term “minority” and addressed how minorities under attack are not allowed to practice their faith. The religious gatherings are attacked and police pressure forces them into silence.

He said nine BJP ruled states have enacted Freedom of Religion Act but it is just the opposite of freedom of religion. Terming conversion allegations as baseless and a ruse to attack Christian clergy and churches, Michael asked why the forceful conversion of people in the name of “Ghar wapsi is being allowed. He also criticized s minority commissions, rights commission and other institutions for their silence on the persecution of Christians.

Ms. Minakshi Singh, President of Unity in Compassion, pointed out that the Christian community is being accused of carrying out ‘conversions’ on a large scale but numbers state otherwise. Over the years, a reduction in the Christian population has been noted. She pointed out the police atrocities against minorities.

Nadeem Khan, Founder of United Against Hate, compared the state’s attitude towards attacks on minorities in India and Bangladesh. The Indian government is ‘protecting’ these groups as if they belong to a party. He pointed out that this non-responsive government must be questioned.

Prashant Tandon, Senior Journalist addressed the modus operandi of the attacks on minorities. He pointed that either RSS or any of its sub groups, puts allegations of conversion against minorities. Later, they are attacked and there is no action taken against these acts of violence.

The Press Conference was moderated by Banojyotsna Lahiri, who addressed the increasing attacks on minorities in South Asia and the lack of action on the part of the government and its police.