The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India has called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to publicly condemn attacks on Christians and take stringent action to protect religious minorities, stating that safeguarding constitutional freedoms is a government responsibility.
Archbishop Andrews Thazhath, president of the CBCI, made the appeal at a press conference on February 3, a day before the organisation’s 37th General Body Meeting in Bengaluru. He said the Church has consistently approached government authorities whenever violence occurs but has never resorted to retaliation.
The Archbishop criticised the tendency of authorities to dismiss perpetrators as marginal elements without taking action against them. “Protecting the rights of minorities and Christians is the duty of the government. Whenever we raise these issues, authorities often describe the perpetrators as fringe groups. If they are fringe groups, they must be condemned and brought under control,” he said.
Archbishop Thazhath revealed he had personally raised the matter with the Prime Minister on multiple occasions, including during Modi’s recent participation in Christmas celebrations. He clarified that the Church’s concerns are not driven by political considerations.
“We are not political people. There have been attacks on Christians purely on the basis of religion, and we are afraid of this trend. We want the Prime Minister to take necessary precautions and clearly condemn such acts,” he said.
Explaining the Church’s pacifist stance, the Archbishop said, “Our methodology is not to counter-attack because Jesus has taught us to love all, even our enemies.”
His remarks come weeks after a pastor, Bipin Bihari Naik, was allegedly assaulted by Bajrang Dal workers in Odisha, where he was reportedly forced to eat cow dung and chant religious slogans. The Archbishop also recalled that in August 2025, Catholic nuns and priests from Kerala were allegedly attacked by Bajrang Dal members in Odisha. He noted that such incidents occur in different forms across various regions.
Acknowledging the community’s role in national development whilst expressing distress over ongoing discrimination, the Archbishop said, “Christians have contributed to this country and will continue to do so. Yet, religious discrimination and attacks continue to take place in some parts of the country, which causes fear.”
Responding to narratives that portray Christianity as foreign, Archbishop Thazhath pointed out that the faith has been present in India for nearly 2,000 years. “Christianity is inherently Indian. It is not alien,” he said, emphasising that the Constitution guarantees minority rights and religious freedom.
The 37th CBCI General Body Meeting began on February 4, under the theme “Faith and the Nation: The Church’s Witness to India’s Constitutional Vision”. Former Supreme Court judge Justice K.M. Joseph and Professor D. Dominic are scheduled to address the gathering on constitutional values and the current socio-political context.
Deliberations will take place against the backdrop of recent Supreme Court directives on a public interest litigation concerning anti-conversion laws, violence against churches and Christian institutions, and incidents of intimidation reported during the Christmas season.
CBCI Secretary General Archbishop Anil J.T. Couto, Vice-President II Bishop Joseph Mar Thomas, Deputy Secretary General Fr Mathew Koyickal, and PRO Fr Robinson Rodrigues were also present at the briefing.
The CBCI leadership called upon the faithful to continue praying for peace, justice and harmony, and for the nation to uphold its constitutional vision of equality and freedom for all.
