Violent attacks against Christians in India have increased at an alarming rate in 2016, with one attack occurring every 40 hours, according to a new report.
The report, published by All India Christian Council (AICC), indicated that the attacks against Christians were up by 20 percent in 2016. It also noted that physical violence against believers rose by 40 percent and murders have doubled.
“The attacks have become severe and more frequent. Incidents used to be confined to a few states. Now the violence has spread to 23 states,” it stated, noting that the sharpest rise was in the northern Uttar Pradesh state and the southern state of Telangana.
The report titled “Atrocities on Christians in India” highlights incidents of church workers being threatened, beaten and killed, as well as churches and Christian schools being vandalized, torched, bombed, and demolished. Other attacks include forced conversions of Christians to Hinduism and the disruption of church services and prayer meetings.
The rise in the attacks coincides with the victory of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the national election in 2014.
