The All Indian Catholic Union (AICU) has appealed to the Indian government to take firm action against those persecuting Christians in India, urging it to go beyond symbolic gestures of support for victims.
Anti-Christian attacks in the country peaked during the Christmas season, according to a Jan. 5 press release from the advocacy organization International Christian Concern (ICC).
The AICU said in a recent press release that the government’s symbolic acts of support for Christians, such as national leaders attending Christian worship services, “are inadequate without firm action, accountability, and legal reform,” ICC reported.
Christians make up about 2.3% of India’s population, according to ICC. As CatholicVote previously reported, attacks in the Christmas season included “the alleged assault of a visually impaired woman at a church in Jabalpur on Dec. 20; the disruption of a Christmas prayer service in Ghaziabad on Dec. 21; harassment of girls wearing Santa Claus caps in Delhi on Dec. 22; vandalism of Christmas decorations in Raipur on Dec. 24; and the destruction of a nativity scene at a school in Assam the same day.”
According to the ICC’s release, the AICU articulated how the attacks on Christians threaten India’s society as a whole.
“The violence and hate experienced by Christians in India throughout 2025, especially during the Christmas season, represent not only attacks on individuals but also on the pluralistic fabric of Indian society,” the AICU statement said. “Addressing these challenges requires honest acknowledgment, genuine political will, and united grassroots action.”
The AICU represents Catholic laity in 120 dioceses — about 16 million Catholics — and was founded in 1919.
The United Christians Forum (UCF) reported 706 anti-Christian incidents from January to November 2025, AICU added. They also expressed concern over the anti-conversion laws in numerous Indian states, which are weaponized against Christians.
AICU National President Elias Vaz said the organization's statement is “a solemn reminder and a hopeful call to action.”
“Together, through unity, education, and principled advocacy,” Vaz said, “we can strive to create an India where diversity is celebrated, and every citizen’s rights are protected against hate and discrimination.”