An Indian archbishop says he is waiting for a response from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi a week after seeking his intervention to stop harassment of Christians using laws that criminalize religious conversion. Archbishop Peter Machado of Bangalore told on Jan. 2 that he has “not yet received any response” to his letter to Modi’s office seeking he address some “pressing concerns of the Christian community” in India. Machado wrote to Modi’s Office on Dec. 23, seeking “five gifts” from the PM that would make the Christian community in India happy during Christmas. “We only apply and apply, hoping for a good response to our pressing concerns from the Prime Minister,” Machado said, expressing hope he will have a response. Machado told Modi that anti-conversion laws, currently in force in 12 states, are “distre-ssing, often leading to unjust persecution of Christians. “These laws, misnamed ‘Freedom of Religion Bills,’ impose stringent and unreasonable restrictions, violating personal liberty and human rights,” the letter said. He wanted Modi “to foster genuine freedom of religion by directing states to adopt a more tolerant approach.”
The prelate also wanted Modi’s inter-vention in “resolving the burning Manipur issue” of ethnic violence between Christian-majority Kuki and Hindu-majority Meitei groups in north-eastern India. He said Christians in Manipur have received a raw deal, but the prime minister has not visited the state since the onset of the civil unrest more than a year ago. Machado also wanted Modi to intervene and stop all attacks on Christians and their institutions. He noted that the Delhi-based United Christian Forum recorded 767 incidents in 2024 targeting Christians, and 80 Christians were jailed because of their faith in Christ. Machado also wanted the government to extend to Christians of Dalit origin the social welfare benefit guaranteed in the constitution for lower caste people. The government blocked Chri-stians and Muslims from receiving these benefits meant to help lower caste people on the ground that their religions do not approve of the caste system. Are Christians and Muslims “not citizens of this country with equal rights and privileges guaranteed to all in the country according to our constitution?” he asked in the letter.