Christians demand national-level panel to redress ‘targeted violence’

Call for action: Christians in New Delhi protesting on Sunday against the violence against the community.Sushil Kumar Verma

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

 

NEW DELHI

Members of the Christian community on Sunday staged a protest at Jantar Mantar here to draw the attention of the government, judiciary and civil society to the “rising incidence of crime against the community”.

They will be sending a memorandum to President Droupadi Murmu, asking for a National Redressal Commission headed by a retired Supreme Court judge to address the issue of “targeted” violence against the community.

The memorandum, which was signed by the community members on Sunday, said, “Continued waves of vile hate speech and targeted violence have buffeted the Christian community in recent years, and in particular in 2022-23. The violence seems to have reached a crescendo in January and February 2023.” The United Christian Forum, a human rights groups, recorded 598 incidents of violence against Christians in 21 States till the end of December 2022, a press release issued by the community said.

The States of Uttar Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Karnataka and Jharkhand were of particular concern, it noted. It flagged registration of malicious FIRs, non-registration of FIRs despite complaints filed by victims, and illegal detentions as chief concerns.

The memorandum sought the strengthening of human rights monitoring mechanisms, including the National Commission for Minorities and National Human Rights Commission, speedy closure of cases where false allegations had been leveled against Christians, and the constitution of a national redressal commission headed by a retired Supreme Court judge with representation of the community.

One member of the community said: “We are being accused of forcibly converting people to Christianity. Churches are being attacked, our people are being beaten up and arrested. The community members are living in a constant state of panic.” 

Christians demand national-level panel to redress ‘targeted violence’ https://epaper.thehindu.com/ccidist-ws/th/th_kochi/issues/25754/OPS/GQMAT8PSQ.1+G5CAT9CS5.1.html