Attacks on Christians up after Modi assumed charge: Leaders

A group of Christian leaders today alleged that attacks on the community and their places of worship have increased after the Narendra Modi government assumed charge in May last year.
In a memorandum submitted to Home Minister Rajnath Singh, they claimed that human rights and civil society groups have documented the persecution data list of 149 cases since 2014.
An analysis of the data shows Chhattisgarh topping the list with 28 incidents of crime, followed closely by neighbouring Madhya Pradesh with 26, Uttar Pradesh with 18 and Telangana 15, the memorandum said.
"Much of the violence has taken place after the new government of the National Democratic Alliance headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi came into power on May 26, 2014," it said.

The Christian leaders, including John Dayal, Jenis Francis, A C Michael and Vijayesh Lal, alleged that the violence peaked between August and October 2014 with 56 cases and there were 25 cases reported during Christmas season.
"The violence has continued well into the new year 2015 with more Catholic churches in Delhi targeted as incidents continue in other states. Much of the violence, 54 per cent, is of threats, intimidation, coercion, often with the police looking on," the memorandum said.
It claimed that physical violence constituted a quarter of all cases (24 per cent) and violence against Christian women, a trend that is increasingly being seen since the carnage in Kadhamal, Odisha in 2007 and 2008, was 11 per cent.