India: Christians anticipate government neglect following heavy monsoon crisis

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Christians in northeastern India may face government neglect in terms of aid as the country recovers from recent heavy monsoon rains that affected around half a million people, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.

According to International Christian Concern, the monsoon rains hit the Assam state in northeastern India particularly badly. Some 14,000 people had to flee their homes and are now living in government-run refugee camps in 20 of the 31 state districts.

ICC has raised the alarm that Christians in Assam state may not receive the same levels of government assistance as other residents. “Christians are often last in line to receive aid if at all,” ICC said in its report, noting that Modi’s government has presided over violent hostility toward Christians and other non-Hindus.

“In his time as Prime Minister, Modi has overseen a sharp increase in religious violence across the country,” ICC said. “In 2014, the year Modi took office, there were 144 recorded incidents of religious violence according to civil society leaders in India. In 2022, there were over 600 incidents and 2023 is trending similarly.”

“Many states have also enacted anti-conversion laws since 2014, statutes that criminalize most minority religious activity and embolden mobs to attack peaceful Christian and Muslim gatherings,” ICC added.

India is ruled by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and ranks 11th on the US Open Doors World Watch List 2023 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted.

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