Christians march in Kolkata against rising Hindutva attacks on churches, worshippers
Community reports 48 incidents in five months, demands protection of religious sites and accountability for perpetrators
Kolkata : Hundreds of Christians have taken to the streets of Kolkata to protest a growing number of Hindutva attacks, acts of vandalism and intimidation targeting churches, prayer gatherings and worship centres across BJP-ruled West Bengal, demanding protection of their religious freedoms and action against those responsible.
According to Media Reports, the march culminated at Esplanade, where demonstrators voiced concern over what they described as a sustained pattern of attacks against the Christian community over the past five months.
The Bangiya Christiya Parishad (BCP), a Christian organisation, said at least 48 incidents targeting Christian prayer gatherings and places of worship had been reported across the state since May. However, it said, first information reports (FIRs) had been registered in only 15 cases, raising concerns over the authorities’ response to the incidents.
The organisation had earlier organised a major prayer rally on November 1 at Rani Rashmoni Road in Esplanade. People from Kolkata and neighbouring districts joined the gathering, with groups marching from Sealdah, Birla Planetarium and Howrah to express solidarity with the Christian community.
Amid the protests, a five-member BCP delegation met Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) West Bengal chief Jishnu Basu on Thursday to discuss attacks on churches and Christian congregations.
The meeting took place days after a newly constructed church in Basanti, South 24 Parganas, was vandalised by a mob associated with Hindutva organisations. Several priests and the church’s bishop were injured in the attack.
A separate attack was also reported on a prayer meeting in Harishchandrapur, Malda, on the same day. Earlier, on July 5, a mob had vandalised an under-construction church in Subhashgram, South 24 Parganas.
In another incident, three Christian families in Paschim Medinipur district were harassed and intimidated by members of the Bajrang Dal and forced to undergo “ghar wapsi” (religious reconversion), according to activists working in the area. The activists further said that women belonging to the families, including a minor girl, were sexually harassed and had their clothes torn during the incident.
Several Christian leaders and representatives of religious organisations attended the Kolkata gathering, including Archbishop Joseph D’Souza, president of the All India Christian Council and the National Federation of Churches; Bishop Shyamal Bose; Bishop Nirmal Gomes; Bishop Subodh Mondal; and Reverend Samaresh Naik of the National Council of Baptist Churches, Odisha.
Congress MP Naseer Hussain said in a post on X that the “BJP-RSS politics of religious polarisation” must not be allowed to undermine the constitutional rights of minorities. He urged the West Bengal government to ensure the safety of Christians and other minority communities, hold those responsible for the attacks accountable and guarantee every citizen the right to practise their faith without fear.
The protests come amid reports of repeated attacks on Christian families, prayer gatherings and churches across West Bengal, with community representatives demanding accountability, effective police action and security for places of worship.
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