National Commission for Minorities (NCM), the federal agency tasked with safeguarding religious minority interests, has formally requested a full report on the recent rise in anti‑Christian violence in Odisha state. The move follows a violent assault by a Hindu mob that injured more than 30 Christians during a prayer gathering on 21 June.
On 27 June, the NCM issued a letter to the Odisha chief secretary, instructing him to “get the matter investigated and send the report to the Commission within 21 days.” This followed a complaint filed on 26 June by A.C. Michael, a Christian leader and national rights activist based in New Delhi.
Michael’s complaint detailed that around 400 individuals had “launched a coordinated assault” on believers in Kotamateru village, Malkangiri district, as they prayed over seeds before sowing. He reported that “more than 30 Christians were injured … among them, 20 sustained grievous injuries.”
“It was during this peaceful gathering that the mob attacked them without provocation,” Michael wrote. He added that the violence had been preceded by several days of escalating tensions and threats towards Christians.
Further concerns were raised by Michael on 1 July, when he expressed his appreciation for the NCM’s response, noting that Christians are “targeted in Odisha” and that “attacks on them are reported almost every other day. The state has failed to protect them.”
Incidents extend beyond this attack. In Rangamatia village, Keonjhar district, 23 Christian families have petitioned police after being socially ostracised by Hindu neighbours who hoped to force them to abandon their faith. National data shows that Odisha recorded 40 attacks on Christians in 2024, with over 60 attacks reported in just the last six months.
Christian leaders attribute the escalation to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s rise to power in June 2024. They claim some Hindu groups view the election victory as a green light to “promote their goal of turning India into a Hindu nation” by pressuring Christians in rural communities.
Adapted from UCA News.
