Of course, persecution, stigmatisation and targeting of Muslims, who comprise almost 15 percent of the Indian citizens, though a regular phenomenon, has not been a serious concern among the Western Anglo-Saxon circles. Obviously, this is mainly due to the shared and common Islmophobic ideological roots of both Western neofascism and Hindutva fascism in India. However, several incidents of violence and atrocities that gathered momentum in recent years against Christians, who form around 2 percent of Indian population, have raised serious concerns among RSS-BJP’s European and American allies.
No doubt, unlike the Anglo-saxons, enmity towards Christians is also part of the ideological orientation of Indian fascism. For, as explained by RSS theoretician Golwalkar, while Muslims are enemy number one, Christians are enemy number two for the Hindutva fascists. That’s why, with the State power under the firm grip of RSS, saffron goons are unleashed on Christians too across India. For instance, according to the United Christian Forum, 834 incidents of violence against Christians were recorded in India during 2024, a big jump from just 139 in 2014 when Modi ascended to the throne. These attacks were against Christian institutions, prayer gatherings, or even targeted against believers in public spaces. And often, the violence, intimidations and vandalism may be under the pretext of preventing “religious conversions” or in the guise of preserving ‘Sanatan Dharma’.
However, in 2025, the year when RSS is celebrating its centenary, as in the case of Muslims, the atrocities on Christians also have crossed all bounds. By November 2025, there have been 706 documented violence, regarding which the “double engine” states like UP and Chhattisgarh are much ahead of others. In continuation of this, during December, the month when Christmas is celebrated, multiple states in India witnessed unprecedented violence, vandalism and arson led by Sanghi street goons, specifically targeting Christian institutions. In many places Christmas celebrations were disrupted and showrooms selling Christmas-related items such as caps and dresses and other items, including even those sold by footpath vendors, were vandalised across India.
Though latest official response from Western regimes on these developments in India are yet to come, numerous unofficial sources have already released their condemnations. However, many governmental and non-governmental organisations, international bodies, advocacy groups and human rights organisations originating from the West in the recent past have vehemently criticised the Indian regime regarding the violence against Christians. For instance, the European Parliament, UK Parliament, the Vatican, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ), Open Doors, International Christian Concern (ICC), Global Christian Relief, Release International, etc., have passed resolutions or issued statements condemning the anti-Christian atrlocities and calling Indian regime to take urgent steps to resolve the issue. Some of them have even asked the EU and US to use their political- economic influence to pressure the Indian regime and for linking trade agreements with religious freedom.
In the past, when such moves were there from the West, Indian government used to issue strong statements explaining them as mere allegations with a clarification that India is a secular country and hence such charges as “unacceptable”. It is true that, in spite of such pressures, Western powers have not resorted to any direct economic or diplomatic interventions in this regard, and were often adjusting with the Modi government’s explanation that it is capable to manage such internal matters with its own institutions. However, when the 2025 December atrocities and violence against Christians assumed a pan-Indian dimension (including even in Kerala, where Christian community has a relatively dominant economic and political clout on account of historical factors), Modi had to resort to some “face-saving exercise”.
As it’s manifestation, on 25 December itself, Modi attended the morning worship service at Cathedral Church of the Redemption in Delhi. After participating in the religious ceremony which included prayers, carols, and hymns, he posted on social media that the service “reflected the timeless message of love, peace and compassion” and expressed hope that the “spirit of Christmas would inspire harmony and goodwill in our society”. Modi’s participation, which has been reported as a “symbolic gesture” in view of country-wide violence and intimidation against Christians, got much media attention both in India and abroad.
However, this “face-saving exercise” is not sufficient enough to cover up the 555 percent surge in anti-Christian violence by Sanghi goons over the past decade. Its repercussions for Indian expatriates are manifested in their heightened concerns about their own safety in the countries they are living now. As such, they are not satisfied with the inadequate measures taken by the Indian regime to appropriately deal with the issue. Though US and EU governments have not taken an official position on the matter, several non-governmental and semi-governmental organisations from these countries such as USCIRF, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have alleged complicity and silence on the part of India. And, the USCIRF has even recommended for designating India as a “Country of Particular Concern” in this regard. To be precise, amid the much trumpeted self-declarations on “Vishwaguru”, “Mother of Democracy”, etc, what’s at stake is India’s erstwhile democratic credentials themselves!
