Nagaland: NBCC highlights atrocities on Christians to PM Modi

The Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) while extending christmas greeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also simultaneously flagged that it described was a worrying rise in attacks against Christians across the country.
In a letter jointly issued by NBCC general secretary Rev. Dr. Mar Pongener, president Rev. Achu Chang and secretary (Social Concern) Dr. Vilo Naleo, the council said it regretted that it was compelled to approach the Prime Minister mainly during moments of crisis rather than to congratulate him and his cabinet for their achievements in governance.
The NBCC stated that it believes Modi has been appointed by God to lead the nation at a critical juncture in India’s history and acknowledged the scale of responsibility that comes with leading a country of India’s size and diversity.
At the same time, NBCC drew the Prime Minister’s attention to what it termed an increasingly hostile environment for Christians, particularly during the recent Christmas season, when incidents of violence were reported to be more visible and widespread.
The NBCC said persecution of Christians in India could no longer be seen as isolated events but as part of a growing national concern.
Citing data compiled by the United Christian Forum, the letter noted that more than 600 incidents of violence against Christians were documented between January and October 2025 alone, averaging nearly two incidents per day. These reportedly included mob assaults, public humiliation, disruption of church activities and damage to homes.
The council described it as a bitter irony that in a country which prides itself on being the world’s largest democracy, citizens were facing attacks for celebrating their faith. Repeated incidents, it said, were eroding confidence in the freedom to practise religion.
The NBCC also expressed disappointment over the silence of Christian legislators, particularly those belonging to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, in the wake of reported incidents in several states.
Specific references were made to incidents in Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, Lajpat Nagar in Delhi, a shopping mall in Raipur, St. Mary’s School in Assam’s Nalbari district, and cases reported from Kerala and Rajasthan.
The council said it had expected elected representatives to raise their voices against attacks on Christians and hate speech targeting Christianity, but noted that this support was largely absent at a time when Christian communities across the country were seeking reassurance and solidarity.
Warning that the pace and intensity of attacks were making it increasingly precarious to be a Christian in India, the NBCC said the situation was beginning to assume an existential dimension.
Of particular concern, was what NBCC described as the silence of authorities in the face of religious hate speeches and campaigns that openly call for violence against minorities. Such developments, it said, were deeply distressing for Christians who also see themselves as citizens committed to the nation.
The letter questioned why hostility was being directed at a community that, according to the NBCC, has made sustained contributions to India’s security, economy, education, healthcare and cultural life.
It rejected allegations that Christians lack nationalism or work against the Constitution, stating that Christian understanding of nationalism is rooted in loyalty and patriotism to the nation. Christianity, the council added, should not be portrayed as a foreign or western religion, pointing out that the faith originated in West Asia and that Christian tradition holds that St. Thomas arrived in parts of present day Kerala and Tamil Nadu in the first century CE.
Reflecting on the Christian response to adversity, the NBCC said the community has historically been encouraged to endure suffering without harbouring hatred or resentment, drawing strength from faith and hope. However, it warned that divisive forces, including the influence of Hindutva ideology, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS), debates around the Uniform Civil Code and the implementation of anti conversion laws were disturbing Christian harmony and undermining dignity and identity.
The council further noted that many lawmakers, politicians and bureaucrats in India have been educated in Christian institutions, making it difficult to reconcile such contributions with what it described as marginalisation and discriminatory treatment. Emphasising democratic values, the NBCC said India’s strength lies in practising democracy not only as a system of governance but as a way of life, ensuring equality before law and freedom from discrimination.
Concluding the letter, the NBCC said India’s Constitution upholds secularism and that attacks on any religious community are therefore unacceptable. It expressed hope that under Modi’s leadership, India would address these concerns and continue to present itself as a global democratic model rooted in peace, coexistence and unity.