By: The Wire Staff Published in: *The Wire* Date: December 23, 2025 Source: https://thewire.in/communalism/targeted-attacks-disrupt-christmas-prayer-meetings-in-madhya-pradesh-catholic-groups-condemn
*New Delhi: *The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) has expressed deep anguish and condemned “in the strongest possible terms” the alarming rise in attacks on Christians across states amid the Christmas season. The statement comes in light of recent reports of mob attacks, including two consecutive incidents in Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur. “These targeted incidents, especially against peaceful carol singers and congregations gathered in churches to pray, gravely undermine India’s constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion and the right to live and worship without fear,” the CBCI said in a press statement. On Monday (December 22), in Shakti Nagar area of Jabalpur, in Madhya Pradesh, a group of people disrupted a Catholic prayer meeting, alleging religious conversion, an allegation the meeting organisers denied. The incident followed a similar assault on Saturday (December 20) in Gorakhpur area of the city. A video circulating on social media showed visually-impaired member of a prayer meeting in a church, who was being abused by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, in front of children who were part of the meeting. The party’s city vice president, Anju Bhargava, was seen assaulting a visually impaired woman <https://x.com/anishgawande/status/2003366258369270182>, triggering a communal row in the state. Bhargava can be seen twisting the woman’s arm and grabbing her face. As the woman tells Bhargava to speak to her instead of assaulting, the BJP leader is heard telling the woman that she “will be blind in her next birth too”. While this happens, a police officer can be seen standing next to them, asking them to be quiet. The CBCI condemned this, saying it was “shocked” by the video, and “by reports of anti national groups disrupting Christmas gatherings”. A police officer was quoted as saying <https://indianexpress.com/article/india/as-right-wing-outfits-barge-into-2-churches-ahead-of-christmas-tensions-run-high-in-madhya-pradesh-10433822/> by* The Indian Express* that there was “no evidence of forced conversion”. Regardless, Hindutva organisations have reportedly registered a complaint with the police, questioning how students from a government hostel were taken to a religious site. “In light of such egregious and dehumanising conduct, the CBCI demands the immediate dismissal of Anju Bhargava from the Bharatiya Janata Party,” the CBCI stated. The organisation also condemned another incident in Chhattisgarh where “hate-filled” digital posters, reportedly calling for a bandh (strike) against Christians on December 24, were being circulated. Calling it “disturbing”, it said that such incidents can “inflame tensions and incite further violence”. The CBCI has urged state governments and the Union government to take urgent, visible action against individuals and organisations spreading hatred and violence. It has also requested Union home minister Amit Shah to “ensure strict enforcement of law and proactive protection for Christian communities so that the joyful festival of Christmas may be celebrated peacefully, in an atmosphere of security and harmony, across our beloved nation.” The United Christian Forum (UCF) has also written a letter to the home minister seeking immediate intervention, including the cancellation of a proposed bandh in Chhattisgarh. Meanwhile, similar incidents of mob attacks have also taken place in other states, including in Kerala. In Palakkad, on Sunday (December 21), the police reportedly <https://thesouthfirst.com/kerala/in-keralas-puthussery-an-rss-workers-attack-on-carolling-children-revives-25-year-political-feud/>arrested a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh worker in connection with an attack on a Christmas carol group, which included children aged between 10 and 15 years, who were conducting a house-to-house carol performance in the district. These incidents have raised concerns over communal intolerance amid the festive season. According to the UCF, as many as 834 incidents of violence against Christians were recorded in 2024 – averaging 69.5 incidents per month. As of November 2025, the organisation said it had documented 706 incidents this year targeting Christians or persons with faith in Jesus Christ. Allegations of fraudulent religious conversions were cited as the top reason for these attacks. Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of such incidents of attacks, as per the UCF.
