A wave of attacks on Christians during Christmas celebrations in 2025 has prompted strong responses from religious organisations and the Northeast, with monitoring groups documenting over 700 incidents of violence and intimidation throughout the year. Multiple Christian bodies have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing deep concern, while organisations across Mizoram, Nagaland and Meghalaya have voiced outrage over the attacks.
The appeals followed a series of incidents across the country during the Christmas season. On 28 December, Mizoram Home Minister K Sapdanga strongly condemned the attacks, terming them a serious threat to India’s secular and democratic ethos. He expressed particular concern over the incident at St Mary’s School in Assam’s Nalbari district, where activists of a fringe outfit allegedly forced their way into school premises on Christmas Eve, vandalised Christmas decorations and disrupted celebrations.
“Such acts go against the spirit of secularism and have no place in our democratic framework. They must be condemned in the strongest terms,” Sapdanga said in a statement, while appreciating Assam authorities for their swift response in apprehending those allegedly involved.
In Nagaland, multiple organisations condemned the attacks. The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee criticised incidents where extremist elements allegedly interrupted Christmas fellowship gatherings and created fear among worshippers. The National People’s Party Nagaland unit described the reports as deeply distressing and called for thorough examination of possible administrative lapses that may have allowed such incidents to escalate. The Naga People’s Front expressed disappointment over the disruption of church services and vandalism of Christmas decorations, calling for swift action by authorities to safeguard peace and harmony. The Global Naga Forum termed targeting Christians during their most sacred festival as an act of intolerance, warning that allowing such intimidation to go unchecked risks normalising fear and eroding constitutional freedoms.
In Meghalaya, religious leaders supported by the Meghalaya Pradesh Mahila Congress denounced the alleged acts of violence and intimidation. Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Shillong, Fr Richard Majaw, described the incidents as an attack on faith itself. The National People’s Party’s Meghalaya working president Hamletson Dohling said the party would urge the Meghalaya government to write to the concerned state governments seeking serious action to prevent such attacks. The BJP Meghalaya unit also criticised the acts, with chief spokesperson Mariahom Kharkrang calling them painful and noting they risk portraying the country in a negative light.
The Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee blamed the BJP for the incidents, with state Congress president Lal Thanzara claiming that Christmas celebrations were disrupted by organisations affiliated with the BJP, including the RSS, Bajrang Dal and VHP. He alleged that the Christian community faced 834 incidents of persecution in 2024, with the number rising further in 2025.
The following day, on 29 December, nearly 6,000 representatives of various Christian denominations gathered at Chennai for an ecumenical summit called Tabor 2025, held at the St Thomas Mount National Shrine Basilica. The summit, with the central theme “Christianity: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” resolved to strengthen the community’s socioeconomic and political empowerment while safeguarding constitutional rights. Speakers highlighted the Church’s contribution to Indian society in education, healthcare, culture, social justice and development. Bishop Lawrence Pius of Dharmapuri, chairman of the Commission for Ecumenism, Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council, said: “We are not against anybody. We seek unity, and through love, we can achieve our goals.”
On 2 January 2026, the Arunachal Baptist Church Council sent an open letter to the Prime Minister, highlighting disturbing incidents in Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh), Kerala, Lajpat Nagar (Delhi), a shopping mall in Raipur (Chhattisgarh), St Mary’s School in Nalbari District (Assam), and parts of Rajasthan. The letter described how Christian individuals, institutions and congregations faced hostility, intimidation and disruption of peaceful worship during the sacred festival.
The All India Catholic Union issued a statement on 2 January, reporting that the United Christian Forum had documented 706 incidents from January to November 2025. The Evangelical Fellowship of India documented similar patterns, with Uttar Pradesh accounting for 183 incidents and Chhattisgarh about 156. The organisation noted a surge during the Christmas season, when over 20 separate cases were reported in north India. Media reports detailed posters calling for boycotts of Christmas, threats to vendors selling festive items, disruptions to at least 60 events nationwide, attacks on carol singers in Kerala, vandalism of Christmas decorations in malls in Chhattisgarh, and harassment of worshippers in Madhya Pradesh. One incident involved a BJP leader confronting a visually impaired woman.
While welcoming the presence of Vice President CP Radhakrishnan and Prime Minister Modi at Christmas celebrations, the All India Catholic Union said symbolic gestures and assurances were insufficient. “Mere statements from the government that violence will end are not sufficient; firm and salutary action is needed to protect minorities; and of this, there are no indications,” the organisation stated. It expressed concern over hate speech and xenophobia from certain political leaders, which it said encouraged vigilante actions. The organisation alleged that anti-conversion laws in 12 states are often misused to justify harassment despite little evidence of forced conversions, and that perpetrators of violence are rarely prosecuted. It also highlighted restrictions under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act that limit Christian organisations’ work in education and welfare, with many NGOs facing delays or cancellations of licences.
On 5 January, the Nagaland Baptist Church Council sent its letter to the Prime Minister, citing figures from the United Christian Forum that documented over 600 violent incidents between January and October 2025 alone, averaging roughly two attacks per day. These included mob assaults, public humiliation, disruptions at churches and destruction of homes. “The rising tide of Christian persecution in India is making it increasingly precarious to be a Christian. The pace and intensity of attacks suggest that simply being a Christian is turning into an existential threat,” the council stated in its letter. The organisation also criticised Christian legislators, including those from the BJP, for failing to speak out against attacks and hate speech.
The All India Catholic Union proposed a New Year Charter for 2026 that includes programmes to educate citizens on rights under Articles 25 to 28 of the Constitution, measures to prevent manipulation of electoral rolls affecting minorities, ensuring the census does not deepen divisions, restoration of FCRA licences for genuine NGOs, and ending interference in Christian schools regarding holidays or curricula. Christians form about 2.3 per cent of India’s population and contribute significantly to education and healthcare, the organisations stated, emphasising that they seek only the equal rights guaranteed to all citizens under the Constitution. AICU National President Er. Elias Vaz said: “Together, through unity, education, and principled advocacy, we can strive to create an India where diversity is celebrated and every citizen’s rights are protected against hate and discrimination.”
