Ahead of a Hindu festival, India’s child protection panel has issued a directive asking schools not to discriminate against children, which some Church leaders said could become a tool to harass Christian schools. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, in its Aug. 8 directive, asked education departments in all Indian states not to “engage in practices that expose children to any form of corporal punishment or discrimination.” The directive comes ahead of Aug. 9 Raksha Bandhan, the Hindu festival celebrating the bond of siblings. Hindu girls and women tie a sacred decorated thread (rakhi) on the wrists of their brothers, who, in turn, promise life-long protection. Christian leaders fear the directive could help the panel file non-compliance with the directive based on some children not wearing the rakhi on their wrists. “The directive is superfluous as all education departments already have ample guidelines in this regard,” said Father Babu Joseph, former spokesperson of the Indian bishops’ Conference. Priyank Kanoongo, the chairperson of the child protection panel, noted some instances of students in some schools not being allowed to wear rakhis and other Hindu symbols by teachers and school management during Hindu festivals. The directive also has asked relevant state authorities to ensure its compliance and sought a report by Aug. 17. Christian groups accuse right-wing Hindu groups of harassing Christian schools for not celebrating Hindu festivals, particularly after the pro-Hindu party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014. “Our schools will abide by the decision of education departments in respective states,” Father Maria Charles, secretary of the education office national bishops’ conference told. The child rights panel has a history of targeting Christian institutions aiming to tarnish their image, said the Church leader based in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, a Christian leader who did not want to be named. The panel has “unleashed targeted attacks” on our institutions and registered false cases under the draconian anti-conversion law against “our bishops, priests, nuns and other school staff,” he said. He recalled that the panel had registered several cases against Church-run institutions in his state. Christians comprise 2.3 percent of India’s 1.4 billion population. However, they run thousands of educational institutions nationwide. The Catholic Church runs some 50,000 institutions, including 400 colleges, six universities, and six medical colleges in different parts of the country. India’s constitution allows Christians who are grouped along with Muslims, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, and Parsees as minorities to set up schools and colleges to propagate their faith.

The Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith sends a letter ahead of the feast of Our Lady of Health in Vailankanni, India, expressing the Pope’s appreciation for the shrine and noting the spiritual fruits enjoyed by pilgrims, including non-Christians. Millions of pilgrims faithfully visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Good Health in Vailankanni, in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. According to Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, “the many spiritual fruits that are produced at this Shrine make us recognize the constant action of the Holy Spirit in this place.”
The Cardinal Prefect wrote those words in a letter dated August 1, approved by Pope Francis, and addressed to Bishop-elect Sagayaraj Thamburaj, of Tanjore (Thanjavur) Diocese. The Shrine will celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Health on September 8, and devotion in Vailankanni dates back to the 16th century.
“Many non-Christian pilgrims who come seeking solace echo similar experiences,” emphasized Cardinal Fernández. “Some of them are healed of their illnesses and many find peace and hope. Without doubt, the Holy Spirit is also at work in them, responding by Mary’s intercession.” “This,” he noted, “should not be considered as a form of syncretism or mixing of religions. The Sanctuary is a place where the closeness of Mary, who welcomes everyone and demonstrates the love of the Lord to those who reflect on it, is manifested. Those who cannot receive the sacraments of the Catholic Church are not denied the consolation of the Mother of Jesus.”
Cardinal Fernández stated that he and Pope Francis recalled the spiritual beauty of this place of faith during the papal audience he was granted on August 1. “The Holy Father cares a lot about the popular piety of the faithful pilgrims, because they reflect the beauty of the Church on the move which seeks Jesus in the arms of Mary and entrusts its pain and hope to the heart of His Mother,” he said. For this reason, added the Cardinal, Pope Francis has expressed “great appreciation” for this place of faith. In preparation for the September celebrations at the Vailankanni Shrine, he added, the Pope extends his paternal blessing to all pilgrims.
According to an ancient account, the Virgin Mary first appeared in Vailankanni in the 16th century to a young man carrying milk for a customer, asking him to offer it for the Child she was holding in her arms. The young man promptly agreed, only to realize upon reaching the customer that the milk was still in his container. “This,” said Cardinal Fernández, “was an expression of the generosity of those who are willing to give something to others, in their own poverty. You do not need to have much in order to be generous. May this call to share, to assist, to be close to those who need us always resonate in this place. Mary loves the generosity of her children.”
The Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith praised the “beautiful traditions ascribed to the encounters that the Virgin had with poor and sick boys at this place of worship. Thus, the tenderness and closeness of Mary, whom Jesus desired to bequeath us as Mother of all, is manifested. Through her intercession, Jesus Christ often pours out his strength and restores health to the sick.” He recalled that, “in 2002, Saint John Paul II chose that place for the celebration of the World Day of the Sick. Thus, the same Virgin Mary who manifested herself at Lourdes also manifested herself in India as the Mother of Health.”
“It is not merely a matter of bodily health,” concluded Cardinal Fernández, “but also one that touches the soul. Contemplating the image of Mary we can all recognize the love of Jesus Christ that can heal our sadness, our anguish and our fears. If we pause before Mary, even in a brief moment of faith and love, her maternal gaze restores peace to us.”

Chief Minister of right wing Hindu Bha-ratiya Janata Party ruling northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh had words of apprecia-tion and praise for a group of Catholic Church leaders visiting him on July 17. In his official Facebook post Chief Minister Pema Khandu said, “blessed to receive a call-on from Bishop Benny Edathittayel of Itanagar, Bishop George Palliparambil of Miao and the members of the Arunachal Pradesh Catholic Association, led by President Shri Taw Tebin Ji.”
“Their tireless efforts in promoting peace, education, and social welfare in our state are truly commendable,” he wrote. Serving a second term as Chief Minister Khandu did not hesitate to place on record the contribution of the Church stating, “I deeply appreciate the Catholic community’s dedication to raising awareness on critical issues like corruption, drug abuse, and the money culture in elections, contributing to a more informed and respon-sible society.” In concluding the post the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh state which introduced the anti-Christian legislation – Freedom of Religion Act in 1978 – did not hesitate to say, “Thank you for your selfless service and commitment to the betterment of Arunachal Pradesh.” Pema Khandu born on August 21, 1979 is the son of former Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh late Shri Dorjee Khandu. Several states in India, including Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, and Odisha, have implemented anti-conversion laws. Anti-conversion laws are legislative measures aimed at preventing or prohibiting religious conversions. These laws can be used to discourage individuals from leaving a particular faith or to restrict religious groups from actively seeking new members from other religious backgrounds. The specific provisions and enforcement of anti-conversion laws differ across jurisdictions, and they may involve both criminal and civil penalties. Christian leaders content that the implementation of these laws have the potential to favour domi-nant religions or suppress minority faiths

Church leaders have met the top leader of Sikhism after Sikhs objected to being called “crusaders” by unidentified pastors in a northern Indian Punjab state. The pastors alle-gedly called Sikh community members “crusaders” following a spate of attacks on the state’s Christians, who were accused of forced conversions. Christians account for 10 percent of Punjab’s population.
“Some unknown pastors have allegedly used the word ‘crusaders’ for them [Sikhs]. It is painful and unfortunate,” Bishop Agnelo Rufino Gracias, apostolic administrator of Jullundur diocese in Punjab state, told. The prelate added that they have had a “good rapport with the Sikhs” for years and hardly “faced any issues.” A delegation from Jullundur (Jalandhar) diocese in northern Punjab met Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh of the Akal Takht (the seat of power of the Sikh religion) on July 15. The Sikhs form the majority of Punjab’s 28 million population the Jathedar is the head of the Sikh religion. The meeting took place in Amritsar, where the Jathedar is based. The delegation, led by Father John Grewal, the diocese’s director of interreligious dialogue, handed Singh a letter titled “Masih Maha Sabha” (Christian General Assembly) and promised cooperation to address the contentious issue of religious conversion.

A family in Odisha now thanks a Catholic nun for rescuing them from bonded labour in the southern Indian state. “I can finally breathe freely. I thank Sister Sujata pro-fusely,” says Deepthi Singh, who was held in bondage along with her husband in a brick kiln in Karnataka state’s Mallur district. The 22-year-old pregnant woman told Matters India July 17 that they had spent “countless nights crying out for help, feeling bitter about my circumstances and even blaming my parents.” Sister Sujata Jena’s initiative has helped Deepti, her husband, father, mother and stepmother to return to Gandhinagar, their village in Odisha’s Gajapati district, on July 11 after toiling in the Karnataka brick kiln for a total of nine years. Sister Jena, a lawyer and a mem-ber of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, said she heard about the family on July 3 during her visit to villa-ges in Gajapati district to conduct awareness programs for migrant workers. One of the participants of an awareness program was Deepti’s mother Subasini Singh, who told the nun how her family – husband, daughter, son in law and another member – was held in bondage in Karnataka. On her return to Bhubaneswar, Odisha capital, five days later, Sister Jeana appealed to the Labour Commissioner of Karnataka to get the family released from the illegal bondage. “The family’s rescue highlights the demeaning conditions of migrant labourers in India,” Sister Jena, who has worked among migrants for more than five years, told.

A delegation of Christian leaders has urged India’s federal government to ask 11 states to repeal the sweeping anti-conversion laws, which they say target Christians.
“The anti-conversion law has been weaponized to target religious minorities,” an eight-member delegation from the United Christian Forum (UCF) told federal minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju. The delegation met the minister in his office on July 20 and asked him to “issue an advisory to the state governments to repeal the anti-conversion law.” Stringent laws that criminalize conver-sion have been enacted in 11 states, most of them ruled by the Hindu right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Christian forum monitors anti-Christian violence in the country and its delegation presented a memorandum to the minister highlighting the rising persecution against Christians. “The minister agreed to look into our grievances,” said A C Michael, a delegation member. Michael told on July 22 that they would discuss the issue further with the federal government and the provincial states concerned. The memoran-dum has the details of persecution, including murder, false cases, social boycotts, and denial of burial grounds. There were 727 incidents of violence against Christians in 2023, the memorandum said, and termed them “as a disturbing trend.” In the current year till June-end, “a staggering 361 incidents of targeted attacks” against Christians were reported, it said. The central Indian state of Chhattisgarh tops the list with 96 incidents, followed by northern Uttar Pradesh, which has 92 cases. Both the states are ruled by the BJP and have the anti-conversion law in force, which bans religious conversion by using force or allurement. “The primary reason for these attacks “was the false allegations of fraudu-lent [religious] conversions,” the memorandum noted. The memorandum said that “police collude with the right-wing groups” to target Christians, who make up a mere 2.3 percent of India’s 1.4 billion people. The delegation also told the minister that Christians were mercilessly beaten to death for their faith even when the Indian constitution guarantees religious freedom.

Western-centric, religiously jingoistic, evangelical, insular, and apolitical are dominant constructs of Indian Christians. Often cocooned in the comfort of church pastoralism and doctrine, they are mostly active in community-centered social outreach, recreational activities and social relationships, and often responsive to societal concerns expressed through acts of charity, mercy and prayer. However, the 32.2 million Indian Christians (2024) who constitute India’s diverse national tapestry, and are spread across its vastly different geographic terrain are also heterogenous. Their diversity manifests in economic, social, cultural, and ethnic status, political engagement, and denominational membership.
While conversion to Christianity accompanied the westernization in parts of 16th-century India, Christianity also encountered local cultural assertion, generating a unique mix of Indian-Christian practice marked by local socio-cultural traditions and sometimes religious syncretism. “The Christian community’s contribution to India’s socio-economic-political life is anchored in Gospel values,” says retired Auxiliary Bishop Allwyn D’Silva of Mumbai.

A delegation of Church lead-ers met with Indian Prime Mi-nister Narendra Modi on July 12, a month after he was elected to power for the third consecutive term, and expressed concerns about the increasing hostility Christians face in the country. Archbishop Andrews Thazhath of Trichur, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, led the four-member delegation along with federal minister Suresh Gopi, a parliamentarian elected from southern Kerala state and a mem-ber of Modi’s Bhartiya Janata Party. The 45-minute meeting at the prime minister’s office “was cordial, and the prime minister gave us a good hearing,” Thazhath told the media at the bishops’ conference office in New Delhi. The delegation submitted a me-morandum expressing anxiety over the increasing attacks on Christians, the false allegations of forced conversions, and the misuse of anti-conversion laws, Thazhath said. The leaders wanted Modi’s intervention to stop the atrocities on minorities and hara-ssment of Christians. The memo-randum also sought for Christians of Dalit origin the special benefits meant for socially poor Dalit peo-ple. These concessions are denied to them on the ground that Chri-stianity does not follow the caste system.
The memorandum said Dalit Christians face double discrimination as society discriminates them as lower caste, and the government excludes them from welfare measures. The Church delegation wanted governmental steps to extend reservation bene-fits to Dalit Christians.

The top court in a central Indian state has granted bail to a woman school principal but denied it to a Protestant bishop, a Catholic priest, and 12 others accused of charging exorbitant school fees.
A single bench of Justice Maninder S Bhatti of Jabalpur High Court of Madhya Pradesh state has ordered the release of Soma George, principal of a Catholic school in Jabalpur. It also granted anticipatory bail to a Catholic priest named in the complaint but not arrested. This consideration, however, was not extended to Bishop Ajay Umesh Kumar James of Jabalpur Diocese of the Church of North India (CNI) and Fr Abraham Thazhathedathu of the Catholic Diocese of Jabalpur. Bail pleas of the bishop, the priest and the others were rejected because they were part of the decision-making process as members of the school management. “We are disappointed with the top court order,” said Fr Davis George, vicar general of Jabalpur diocese. The priest denied that diocesan schools were charging extra money from students. “We will file an appeal,” he told. A total of 22 persons from different institutions were arrested on May 27 after they were accused of charging exorbitant school fees. The state police cracked down on the schools following an allegation of charging excessive fees. The right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party runs the state government. Eleven private schools, including seven run by the Church, have faced the wrath of the district administration. The police registered cases against 51 persons, including the textbook seller, accused of selling books at outrageous prices.