Catholic lay group calls for protection after sisters threatened in India

A Catholic lay group is urging government protection for Catholic sisters subjected to “abusive language and intimidation” after Hindu activists entered their convent grounds in eastern India July 12, according to UCA News.

In West Bengal, about 60 activists demanded the demolition of a chapel and cemetery under construction on the property, threatening the Auxilium Salesian Sisters with violence if they refused.

“The threats,” Elias Vas, president of the All India Catholic Union said, “represent an attempt to bypass the rule of law through intimidation and fear.” 

The union said the incident reflects a “broader pattern of harassment” against Christians amid mounting hostility following a recent change in West Bengal’s government.

The pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party won the West Bengal election in May, ousting a secular regional party. Local Christians told the outlet that the victory has emboldened Hindu nationalist groups in the state.

According to UCA News, witnesses heard the activists yell, “Your government is no more in power; now it is our government.” 

The union also called for legal action against those involved, saying the sisters had secured all required government approvals for the chapel and cemetery. It argued that demands to demolish the sites challenged constitutional protections for religious minorities.

"The right to worship, Vas said, “and the right to maintain places of worship are fundamental rights guaranteed by the Indian Constitution.”

A senior Church leader in West Bengal said Christians throughout the state had faced repeated attacks over the previous two to three weeks.

“We are very worried that our people have been repeatedly subjected to attacks,” the Church leader told UCA News. “It is extremely disturbing.”

According to the outlet, the union is monitoring the situation and may consider further action through government channels if authorities do not protect religious minorities.