The All India Catholic Union (AICU), Asia’s oldest Laity organization, has expressed deep concern at the communal polarization that is peaking on the eve of the general elections in the country in April and May, AICU president Lancy D’Cunha and spokes-man Dr John Dayal said in a statement here on March 24.

The AICU leadership said many communities including Muslims and Dalits (formerly untouchables) are victims of targeted violence. Of particular concern is the sudden and sustained violence against the Christian community in the Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh, ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Christian leaders from Jaunpur gave a graphic account of the situation when they addressed the working committee of the AICU at Navsadhana, the noted Catholic mass media centre in Varanasi.

Uttar Pradesh had, in the brief period between September and December 2018, seen as many as 109 cases of violence against Christian pastors, small house churches, and women and men faithful at worship in small towns and villages. This was the highest in the country. More than 40 cases had taken place in Jaunpur alone. In the first months of 2019, the region recorded 15 more cases.

The AICU noted with concern the continuing targeted violence by hard core activists of the Sangh Parivar (right wing Hindu nationalists) in any parts of the country. In most cases, the police was either complicit, or stood by watching. The state impunity had further encouraged mobs taking the law in their own hands.