About 10,000 Christians, led by bishops from more than 20 denominations, have marched through main streets in two cities in India's eastern Odisha state to protest what they called increased attacks from Hindu groups against Christians in the state and across India.

"The sudden and premeditated violent attacks on priests, pastors, nuns, and Christians have increased in Odisha and across India," said Catholic Bishop Kishor Kumar Kujur of Rourkela diocese, who joined the Aug. 19 march.

"The alarming frequency of attacks translates to more than two Christians being targeted every day in India simply for practicing their faith," Kujur told UCA News on Aug 20, quoting data documented by the United Christian Forum (UCF).

Christians are often attacked based on the accusation that they convert people using their prayer gatherings and services, such as educational institutions and healthcare services.

Since the landslide victory of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the western Indian state of Maharashtra in November 2024, attacks against Christians have surged according to Christianity Today.

So far this year, the Evangelical Fellowship of India's Religious Liberty Commission documented 11 cases of violence against Christians in the region.

Over the same period last year, there was only a single incident.

Following the march in Rourkela, Kujur, 20 leaders submitted a memorandum to Dheenah Dastageer, the district's second-ranking government official, drawing her attention to the "deep grief and anxiety" of Christians.

A similar rally was held in Sundargarh, the headquarters of the district with the same name.

The same memorandum was also presented to Subhankar Mohapatra, the district collector, the top government official in the district.

It spoke of the "increasing incidents of unwarranted, unhindered, sudden, brutal, premeditated, horrendous attacks, harassment, intimidation and ostracism against Christians" across India.

Christians, including priests, nuns, and pastors, face attacks and their churches vandalized by mobs, "alleging fabricated false accusations, disturbing peace, harmony, and integrity of the nation," it said.

The memorandum, addressed to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu, sought governmental action for the "safety and security" of Christians, who form 2.3 percent of India's 1.4 billion population.

It listed some of the recent attacks on Christians in the country, which included mob assaults and police detaining two nuns on July 25 at Durg Railway station in Chhattisgarh.

The nuns spent nine days in jail before a court granted them bail, according to the memorandum.

Politically emboldened "powerful fringe groups" are attacking socially poor Dalit and tribal Christians in Odisha and neighboring states such as Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh, said Protestant Bishops Pratap Pradhan and John Lakra, who led the rally in Sundargarh.

     - HINDU NATIONALIST PARTY 

Christian leaders say Hindu groups supporting the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of Prime Minister Modi target Christians to make the country a nation based on Hindu ideology.

The increased attacks have "created great fear, trauma, and distress" and have also restricted Christians from moving freely in their villages, streets, and towns," said Ignace Hasda, president of the Sundargarh Christian Council and a retired bureaucrat, a key organizer of the protest.

Divine Word Father Ashok Minz, rights activist and lawyer, said Christians were "protesting everywhere" and that the government should provide "adequate protection" to Christians and their places of worship and institutions.

Anthres Tigga, a retired bureaucrat and president of the Odisha unit of the All India Catholic Union, said Christian village-level "prayers and even Christian birthday celebrations have become easy targets of attacks by groups linked to the BJP."

Christians are often attacked based on the accusation of converting people using their prayer gatherings and services, such as educational institutions and healthcare services.

Tigga said several government officials and even legislators have studied in Christian schools, and they can "vouch that we do not use our services for conversion. This bogey of forceful and fraudulent conversion must end once and for all," Tigga said.