*Press Release*
*People's Tribunal Hears Evidence of Widespread Violence, Social Boycott and Institutional Complicity in Attacks on Christians Across India* *New Delhi, 2 June 2026* A People's Tribunal on Violence Against Christians in India, convened by *Karwan-e-Mohabbat* and a collective of concerned citizens at the Constitution Club, New Delhi, on 1 June 2026, heard extensive testimonies from survivors, community representatives, researchers, lawyers and human rights defenders documenting a disturbing escalation of violence and discrimination targeting Christians across several Indian states. The Tribunal marked the culmination of a broader inquiry that included field visits and hearings in Chhattisgarh in April 2026 and Odisha in May 2026. During these visits, members of the Tribunal met hundreds of affected persons and documented patterns of violence, social exclusion and denial of constitutional rights faced by Christian communities, particularly among Adivasi and Dalit populations. The Tribunal in Delhi on June 1 heard evidence from representatives and survivors from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Odisha. The proceedings examined attacks on places of worship, pastors and priests, social and economic boycotts, denial of burial rights, expulsions from villages, the role of Hindutva organisations, and the conduct of political leaders, police and judicial institutions. Opening the Tribunal, veteran journalist and human rights leader John Dayal situated contemporary violence against Christians within a longer historical context, recalling attacks in Gujarat, the murder of Graham Staines and his two sons in Odisha, and the large-scale displacement and destruction during the Kandhamal violence. He warned that constitutional guarantees of freedom of conscience, religion and equal citizenship were increasingly under threat. The Tribunal also screened a documentary film produced by Karwan-e-Mohabbat documenting violence against Christians in Madhya Pradesh. The film was based on a fact-finding visit conducted in mid-May 2026 across six districts – Jhabua, Burhanpur, Indore, Dhar, Khandwa and Sehore – during which the team met approximately fifteen survivors and affected families. Through first-hand testimonies, the film documented attacks on prayer meetings, intimidation of pastors and worshippers, arrests under anti-conversion laws, social ostracisation and the pervasive climate of fear affecting Christian communities in the state. The film situated these incidents within a broader pattern of increasing hostility towards religious minorities and highlighted the everyday consequences of violence on the lives, livelihoods and dignity of affected families. This is the link of the film: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UQ3k5g3Dv2ZvNRJLzvy8MPbhEyQOWHSC/view?usp=sharing Presenting an overview of violence against Christians, Vijayesh Lal documented a sharp rise in reported incidents over the past decade. Referring to attacks in Gujarat, anti-Christian mobilisations, and recent violence justified through allegations of religious conversion, he highlighted how accusations of conversion have become a recurring pretext for violence. He also drew attention to the growing denial of burial rights to Christian communities and the dramatic increase in documented incidents of anti-Christian violence in recent years. A.C. Michael spoke about the growing normalisation of hostility towards Christian prayer meetings and places of worship. He observed that peaceful acts of worship are increasingly portrayed as threats to public order and national interest, and expressed concern over the absence of Christian representation in statutory minority institutions. Addressing the issue of social exclusion, Siju Thomas focused on social and economic boycotts, expulsions and ostracisation of Christians, especially among newly converted families and members of independent congregations. He described how denial of access to community resources, social isolation, displacement and restrictions on burial rights have become instruments of coercion. He further noted the misuse of laws intended to protect Adivasi communities, including the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), to target Christian Adivasis and restrict their rights. Father Ajay Singh from Odisha presented evidence of systematic denial of burial rights and what he described as one of the gravest forms of humiliation inflicted upon Christian communities. He recounted cases in which funeral processions were obstructed, burial in village graveyards was denied, and even the bodies of deceased Christians were allegedly removed and buried against the wishes of their families. He also highlighted the misuse of local institutions and laws to deny Christian Adivasis access to burial grounds and other rights. Degree Chouhan from Chhattisgarh emphasised the gap between the scale of violence and the official response. He pointed to the low number of First Information Reports registered in comparison with the hundreds of incidents reported annually and raised concerns regarding delayed investigations, police inaction and the failure of institutions to provide justice to survivors. He argued that the central issue was not only the violence itself but the inability or unwillingness of state institutions to respond effectively. The Tribunal also heard survivor testimonies describing attacks on prayer meetings, arbitrary arrests under anti-conversion laws, threats, social boycott, forced displacement, closure of places of worship, economic deprivation and intimidation by organised groups. Several testimonies highlighted the targeting of house churches and small congregations, particularly in rural and tribal areas. A recurring concern throughout the proceedings was the alleged role of state institutions. Participants described instances in which police officers failed to protect victims, registered cases against those who had been attacked, delayed investigations, or pressured communities into so-called compromise agreements. Speakers also raised concerns about the operation of anti-conversion laws and the difficulties faced by victims seeking legal remedies. In their final observations, the members of the Tribunal reflected on both the testimonies presented and the broader implications of the evidence placed before them. Senior journalist and public intellectual Pamela Philipose described the testimonies heard by the Tribunal as markers of deeply disturbing times and emphasised the need for sustained public engagement, solidarity and new forms of collective action to confront escalating hatred and exclusion. Irfan Ali Engineer drew attention to the extraordinary courage and resilience displayed by survivors who chose to testify despite intimidation and insecurity. He cautioned that narratives around *gharwapsi* and religious conversion were frequently deployed to legitimize coercion and discrimination, and stressed that genuine freedom of conscience must remain central to India's constitutional framework. Vidya Dinker urged churches, religious leaders and institutions to assume greater responsibility in standing with affected communities. She observed that many survivors continued to resist persecution with remarkable dignity despite inadequate institutional support and called on church leadership to demonstrate greater courage and solidarity in responding to attacks on vulnerable believers. Syeda Hameed expressed particular concern regarding the repeated denial of burial rights to Christians, describing it as one of the most degrading and inhumane forms of discrimination documented by the Tribunal. She emphasised that the denial of dignity in death constituted a profound assault on both constitutional values and basic human decency. John Dayal observed that the testimonies presented before the Tribunal revealed patterns of institutional failure extending beyond individual acts of violence. He argued that when institutions charged with protecting constitutional rights fail to act, discrimination becomes normalised and systemic. He expressed concern that judicial and legislative developments in recent decades had, in many instances, failed to provide adequate protection to vulnerable minorities. Historian Tanika Sarkar reflected on the broader social and political implications of the evidence presented before the Tribunal, warning against the normalisation of majoritarian intolerance and the shrinking space for religious freedom and democratic citizenship. Concluding the proceedings, Harsh Mander stated that the incidents documented before the Tribunal could not be understood as isolated acts of prejudice or spontaneous expressions of hostility. Rather, they revealed a systematic campaign of exclusion that threatened the constitutional promise of equal citizenship. Referring especially to testimonies regarding denial of burials, social boycott, forced displacement and attacks on worship, he warned that fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution were being steadily eroded and called upon citizens, institutions and governments to act urgently to defend them. *___________________________________________________________________________* *A C Michael (Full Name: Michael Anthony Cruz)* *Former Member of Delhi Minorities Commission, Govt of NCT of Delhi * *President, Catholic Association of Archdiocese of Delhi (CAAD)* *National Coordinator - United Christian Forum, India (UCF India)* *National Coordinator - Inter-Faith & Ecumenical Relations of All India Catholic Union (AICU)* *Delhi State President of All India Catholic Union* *Independent Director, Touchwood Group of Companies* *Chairman & Managing Director, Sirio India Inductive Components Pvt. Ltd* *Mobile: +91-9818155290* *UCF Toll-Free Helpline: 1-800-208-4545* *ABOUT UCF TOLL-FREE HELPLINE NUMBER* UCF toll-free helpline number: 1-800-208-4545 was launched on 19th January 2015 with the aim of upholding fundamental freedom and promotion of values of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity of India. The helpline helps people in distress, especially those who are not aware of the law of the land and the system by guiding them how to reach out to the public authorities and by providing the way to legal remedies.
